Route 66 Historic Highway
United States, north-america
3,940 km
2,255 m
easy
April-June and September-October (avoids summer heat in the desert sections)
# Route 66: America's Most Iconic Road Trip
The legendary "Mother Road" once stretched an impressive 3,940 kilometers from Chicago all the way to Santa Monica, cutting right through eight states and three time zones. Sure, it got officially retired back in 1985 when the Interstate Highway System took over, but here's the cool part—huge chunks of the original route are still out there, weaving through state highways, county roads, and forgotten stretches waiting to be rediscovered.
Cruising the surviving sections is like stepping into a time capsule of American pop culture and roadside nostalgia. You'll roll through dramatically different landscapes—endless flat farmlands rolling across Illinois and Oklahoma, then suddenly you're surrounded by those stunning red mesas in the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico, before finally hitting the wide-open Mojave Desert as you approach California.
The real magic? The stops along the way. Picture yourself pulling up to vintage neon-signed motels, sliding into classic diners, and discovering those wonderfully weird roadside attractions that somehow still exist. Ghost towns dot the landscape like time forgot about them, and towns like Amarillo, Tucumcari, Gallup, and Kingman have basically become living museums of mid-century Americana. These places have held onto their Route 66 identity like it's gold, and honestly, experiencing that authentic Americana feels pretty special.
Where is it?
Route 66 Historic Highway is located in Illinois to California, United States (north-america). Coordinates: 35.2000, -101.8000
Driving Tips
# Route 66 Road Trip Tips
A good GPS guide or app is a lifesaver on Route 66 since the original route isn't well marked and shifts around quite a bit. The EZ66 Guide by Jerry McClanahan is basically the bible for turn-by-turn navigation—totally worth grabbing if you're serious about following the actual historic route.
Give yourself at least two weeks if you want to do the whole thing properly. You'll want time to actually enjoy it, not just rush through.
Keep in mind that a lot of the classic stops you'll want to see are only open during certain seasons, so plan ahead and check before you go. Nothing worse than showing up to a landmark that's closed for the winter.
Fair warning: you'll hit some unpaved stretches and sections that are pretty rough around the edges. Your car doesn't need to be fancy, but make sure it's in decent shape and you've got a spare tire or two. Some of these old roads can be gnarly, so take it easy on those rougher bits.
Road Surface
Mix of paved highways, some original concrete, and occasional unpaved sections
Road Details
- Country
- United States
- Continent
- north-america
- Region
- Illinois to California
- Length
- 3,940 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,255 m
- Difficulty
- easy
- Surface
- Mix of paved highways, some original concrete, and occasional unpaved sections
- Best Season
- April-June and September-October (avoids summer heat in the desert sections)
- Coordinates
- 35.2000, -101.8000
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