Established in 1926, route 66 underwent many changes to the original alignment before being officially removed from the us highway system in 1985. What area do you think would be good to drive and why. If youre not yet a diehard route 66 fan, traveling historic route 66 through arizona is bound to convert you. Barely two years after it was decommissioned, route 66 was reborn when in november 1987, the state of arizona declared the former section between seligman and kingman as historic route 66 of arizona.
The road is not on ordinary maps and there are very few road signs. It can be reached from both the eastbound and westbound parts of route 66. Spanning some 426 miles, the road is filled with history, including. Find out what weather youll encounter and how crowded the attractions will be depending on the time of the year you choose for your road trip. Parts of the original route 66 from 19, prior to its official naming and commissioning, can still be seen north of the cajon pass.
Route 66 only covers miles through kansas, but there are several places worth a stop, like cars on the route in galena for souvenirs and angels on the route in baxter springs. Along the way, the high desert landscape is both austere and sublime, its redhued cliffs dropping off into immense llanos or. The route includes all of the best of route 66, including drivable sections, ghost towns, classic motels and famous roadside attractions like the wigwam motel. Some of its bestpreserved sections include the stretch between springfield.
The oklahoma route 66 road map is divided into 5 sections. The 2,400mile highway was eclipsed by interstate highways that bypassed neon signs of roadside diners. Route 66 was one of the united states first continuous stretches of paved highway, and served as a major path for those who migrated west. The highspeed i40 freeway gives quick access to some of the best surviving stretches of the old road, and these are some of. Begin your visit in the northern section of the park, where the brilliant hues of. Route 66, americas historic mother road, travels over 2,400 miles connecting chicago to southern california.
Fill in your information below to receive updates and offers from the national historic route 66. Learn about route 66 road conditions, road closures, detours, traffic. Highway 66 us 66 or route 66, also known as the will rogers highway, the main street of america or the mother road, was one of the original highways in the u. All of us 66 in arizona is bypassed by i40, but there are still large drivable segments of it. Rejoin route 66 in barstow where a collection of historic photographs and artifacts related to route 66 and the mojave desert communities are on display at the route 66 mother road museum. This is another town where route 66 was split into eastbound and westbound sections, usually with a. Oklahoma reigns supreme with the nations longest drivable stretch of route 66 this according to the states tourism agency. We cover quirky route 66 roadside attractions, historical buildings, vintage roadside. Driving historic route 66 through arizona road trip usa. On whats left of americas mother road, remnants of road trips.
In new mexico, you can visit archaeological sites featuring relics from early settlers and native americans. A howto guide to driving all of route 66 the washington. According to route 66 preservationists, a section of the road remains at the bottom of the lake. Find everything from what books and maps to use, down to detailed turnbyturn driving instructions to keep you on the mother road. It was one of the first major crosscountry routes in the united states and runs through eight states. In many of the cities the old route became the business loop for the interstate a smaller road that passes through core business districts. In order to get the turnbyturn route description, select a state below. Youll cross some of the earliest roadbeds and one of the longest bridges on the. Coursing across pinyon and juniper covered hills and mesas and crossing small drainages feeding into bull canyon and parajito creeks, this portion of route 66 is largely. The detailed daybyday route 66 itinerary covers all the basic details mileage, general route and sightseeing highlights along the 2,400 mile route. My tire guy is right on historic 66 ogden and no kidding, i always see a cool car or two when im on that street near berwyn.
The display features thematic sections of the current illinois route 66 scenic byway visitor guide. Highlights include museums, iconic restaurants, giant statues, breweries, neon. Here is where youll find a list of frequently asked questions and answers weve receive about route 66 over the years. Route 66 is 2448 miles long and in its most commonly used alignment can be broken down into the following sections. This section of route 66, like other stretches in eastern new mexico, generally follows the ozark trail that preceded the creation of the federal highway system in 1926. Nowadays, over 85% of the original alignments of u. Beyond glenrio is a 20mile gravel stretch of the old highway to san jon. Roam the historic road through the western united states and you will. Exploring oklahomas route 66 by david and kay scott. When to drive along route 66 plan your trip knowing which is the best time of the year to take your vacation and drive along u. On the road, states set their own rules in terms of speed limits, dui, wearing helmets on bikes, wearing seat belts, using phones while driving, etc.
I only have 4 days to make the journey so am well aware that im going to have to do most of it on the interstates. While you can no longer travel it from end to end, much of the route remains drivable. Effort made to preserve springfieldarea section of route 66. The oldest website about route 66 contains all a traveler needs to know to make their trip down old route 66 a success. The main attraction for me and my friends was the corvette they drove. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads. From its beginning in chicago, route 66 headed south through illinois and missouri, and a small section of southeast kansas. Did you know that on route 66 laws vary in each state. The longest drivable section of route 66 is in arizona, where you can marvel at the beauty of the grand canyon or sedonas red rocks.
Keep in mind, of all things, 66 was a tourist road crammed with motels, cafes, trading posts and a colorful selection of tourist trapsand it still is. An escape route during the depression, route 66 is now an emblem of self discoveryif you can find it. The legendary route 66 scenic byway enters new mexico across a vast, sunlit prairie before meandering through rocky outcrops, quiet streams and adobe villages. Your route 66 trip will be very enjoyable if you do a little preplanning. Interested in finding losts of interesting sites and nostalgia. The state of california is where the road ends, right on the santa monica pier, and through. Watch for an older highway on the right side of the road non drivable in. We recommend you go to our website store and order the route 66 kit that suits your needs and budget. To this day the road still beckons travelers from all over the globe, encouraging them to drive the road and discover its secrets. Route 66 is one of the most famous roads in america and maybe the world. Tips for driving route 66 national historic route 66. Driving new mexicos route 66 by david and kay scott cnhi travel writers. Highway 66 also known as the will rogers highway, the main street of. The oklahoma route 66 museum in clinton depicts the mother road throughout the decades of her history.
Detailed 2 week route 66 itinerary plan the ultimate. Immerse yourself in the history, culture and novelty of route 66 by visiting the top attractions on oklahomas stretch of the mother road. This was the last remaining segment of route 66 before it became i40 in 1982. Us 66 was established on november 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. Some parts of old route 66 have also become private property, so be considerate. A long section of the old road is still driveable in this area. Historic route 66 the highway that spawned a dozen movies, a tv show, and a hit song, can still be traveled today. When route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, some sections of the road were repurposed, while some were abandoned completely. The kingmantopock section of route 66 in arizona offers travelers a beautiful drive. With a little advanced planning, you can travel the historic route and still drive along some of the original sections of the infamous highway. As route 66 doesnt appear on modern maps anymore, one needs a good description before heading out on the old 2lane highway. But we have to tell you, taking an rv is not the ideal way to experience the route.
The kit will allow you to plan your trip in advance by giving you the materials necessary to find and. Having completed our journey across the state, we returned to gallup for an overnight stay before returning to albuquerque for the flight home. Today, more than 85% of the original alignments of route 66 are drivable, and many special places along the way are included in the national register. Your westbound journey through the land of enchantment begins at the ghost town of glenrio, straddling the texas and new mexico border. Shown below are highlights of a route 66 trip westbound from needles to santa monica, with both presentday photos and vintage travel postcards.
Driving new mexicos remaining sections of route 66 made for an enjoyable road trip. You can get off i40 at ash fork, and not rejoin i40 until you reach the colorado river, with the exception of a couple of miles south of kingman. The charming, forgotten remains of route 66 citylab. Its a common question when people are considering their road trip, and while its certainly true that you can no longer drive route 66 from end to end uninterrupted, a significantly large portion approximately 85% remains paved and drivable. We also show where the freeways overlap the original roadbed and some. No, you cant drive the entire original route 66, but you can still drive the sections that have been preserved which are quite a few route 66 was decertified on june 27, 1985 and no longer exists as a u. Discover our shared heritage travel itinerary route 66.
What time of year do you think would be good to travel. Oklahoma has more drivable miles of route 66 than any other state. The highspeed i40 freeway gives quick access to some of the best surviving stretches of the old road, and these are some of the most captivating parts of route 66 anywhere. The station was open for business in 1996, but as of august 11, 2001 it was closed and boardedup. Exploring oklahomas route 66 lifestyles dailycitizen. Route 66 my fascination with route 66 began in 1960 when i saw episodes of the tv series route 66 with martin milner and george maharis later glenn corbett. State by state route 66 highlights moon travel guides. Many people simply love their rvs, so they will drive theirs down route 66 no matter what. These maps are color coded to show the historic route 66 maps. The kansas route 66 road map incorporates the detour across rainbow bridge and the older 66 option south of baxter springs. The itinerary features a number of sections of the road and other historic places to visit, and more will be added to the itinerary in the future. You can take 66 almost right into downtown chicago. Route 66 also showcases some of the most beautiful scenery in america. In the united states, each state is a small country within the larger country, which enjoys considerable autonomy.