New Mexico crime issues are central to the urban areas. The trip from SLC to I40 is a nice one.
If you are on a time crunch, then plan to spend the night in the Santa Anna casino in Bernalillo. It is just a few miles north of I40 and will meet your schedule and safety goals.
If you get tired along the the way, consider spending the night at the Bisti Badlands south of Bloomfield. It is a few miles off highway 550 but beautiful and quiet. Youll be blinded by all the stars.. An easier overnight is at a weigh station pull out just south of San Ysidro. It is just south of the bridge at the southern edge of town on the southbound side. All can be scoped on Google maps.
