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Route 66 in Kansas

Last Updated: . By Austin Whittall

written by human, not by AI

All you need to know about US Highway 66 in Kansas

Historic Route 66 in Kansas is the shortest stretch in any of the states that the highway crosses. It runs across the southeastern corner of Kansas, with a total length of only 13 miles!
Read all about the Kansas segment of Route 66, its history, Sights & Attractions, stops, landmarks and the towns along it; and find places to stay during your road trip across Kansas.

Don't miss the interactive map showing all of the alignments across the state and the Route 66 itinerary across the state.

Get your Kicks on Route 66 in the State of Kansas, KS

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Kansas & Route 66

Index to this page

About Kansas

Facts, Trivia and useful information

Area: 82,277 sq. mi. (213,096 km2). Population: 2,943,767 (2024).
Width: 417 mi. (645 km). Length 211 mi. (340 km)
Time zone (along U.S. 66 alignment): Central (CST): UTC minus 6 hours. Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5).

  • Nickname: "The Sunflower State" which is the official one and also "The Wheat State".
  • Motto: "Ad astra per aspera" (Latin for: "Through hardship to the stars")
  • Capital: Topeka
  • Highest point: Mount Sunflower 4,041 ft. (1.232 m)
  • 34th most populous state in America.
  • 15th largest state in the U.S.
  • Admitted as the 34th state of the Union on January 29, 1861
  • Route 66 length in Kansas is 13 miles (21km), the shortest of the whole Route 66.

Route 66 American flag

us flag made with licence plates on a wall
US flag made from license plates on Route 66 (the Tag Flag), Galena Kansas. Source

Name: Kansas

The name of the local Kansa Native Americans was applied to the land they lived on. Its meaning is believed to be "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind", but it is uncertain.

Kansas History

Paleo-Indians peopled the region about 10,000 years ago. Their descendants were hunter gatherers that lived on the plains.

Spanish explorer Francisco de Coronado crossed the region in 1541. It was part of the French Louisiana and purchased by the US in 1803. Southwestern Kansas belonged to Spain and was incorporated to the union after the Mexican-American War in 1848.

It was formed into a Territory in 1854 and admitted as a slave-free state into the Union in 1861.

Historic Independent Oil and Gas Service Station in Baxter Springs KS

L-shaped cottage style station with red tiled hipped roof with gables and chimney
Independent Oil and Gas Service Station, Baxter Springs, Kansas
. Click image for street view

Geography of Kansas

Most of Kansas is flat, forming part of the Great Central Plain of the U.S., with an average elevation of 2,000 ft. (610 m)

Kansas is located on a geologically stable region and there are no volcanoes in the state. Earthquake risk is low.

Kansas' Climate

It western part has a semiarid steppe climate, its eastern region has a Humid Continental climate with hot damp summers and cold winters. The southeast, where US 66 cuts across the state, has a humid subtropical climate with very hot summers and winters which alternate between warm and very cold.

The lack of mountains allows the cold Arctic winds and the hot and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico to cross the state.

Rainfall in SE Kansas is highest averaging 47 inches (1,200 mm) per year. Snowfall is around 5 inches (130 mm) in that area.

The intrusion of hot and cold air makes it prone to thunderstorms which spawn tornadoes. Kansas is part of Tornado Alley, and experiences an average of 50 tornados yearly.

Average High and Low Temperatures in summer range between 92 and 60°F (33 to 16°C), and in winter from 40 to 20 °F (4 to -7°C).

Cities in Kansas and along its Route 66 segment

Wichita is the largest city in Kansas with almost 395,500 inhabitants (2024). Kansas City has a pop.: 151,800.

Baxter Springs with 3,813 inhabitants is the most populated town in KS along Route 66 (Galena has 2,750) both in 2024.

Around 13,000 people live along Route 66's corridor through Kansas.

Where to Stay in Kansas: Lodging

Accommodation in Kansas

The towns along Route 66 offer different lodging options. Check out hotels and motels in the main towns.

Nearby, close to Route 66

> > Book your Hotel in Kansas

Historic Old store in Riverton, on Route 66

the historic store, green lawn, flag, shop, ice machine and old cart
Nelson's Old Riverton Store, Route 66, Kansas
.

Map of Route 66 through Kansas

Route 66 itinerary across Kansas

Old 1926 map of Route 66 in Kansas

Old 1926 map showing Route 66 in Kansas
Bureau of Public Roads (November 11, 1926).

Below is the description of the course of U.S. 66 through SE Kansas, from East to West, starting at its eastern side between Galena and Joplin MO, and ending on the state line with OK south of Baxter Springs. Find a detailed description with modern and old maps. This is the shortest leg in the whole of our Route 66 itineraries:

Historic U.S. highway 66, "Route 66" has been designated as an All-American Road and National Scenic Byway in the state of Kansas.

It was aligned in 1926 along pre-existing highways, as you can see in the following map published in 1924, two years before Route 66 was created. The road marked (2) is Jefferson Highway, and (50) is Ozark Trails.

1924 roadmap of western MO, KS, east Ok
1924 roadmap of the region around Galena. See large sized map

Towns located on Route 66

Below are links to oue pages on each city along Route 66 in Kansas. Click to find out about their attractions, sights, stops, weather, history, maps, and where to stay along the way.

Kansas towns, from East to West

Click on the links above for full information on each town and village

Booking.com

Accommodation Search box:

water spilling over dam, trees, wide river

Route 66 FFA steel shield sculpture, made from hubcaps. Riverton KS

A List of Kansas' Main Route 66 Attractions

Kansas and its Top Ten Route 66 sights

white arches of the bridge seen from the side
Rainbow bridge, side view of its arches, US66 Riverton. Source
  1. Kan-O-Tex (Galena)
  2. Tag Flag and Texaco (Galena)
  3. Galena Historic District (Galena) Historic Site
  4. Litch Historical and Mining Museum (Galena)
  5. Williams Store - Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store (Riverton) Historic Site
    The oldest continuously operating store on Route 66
  6. Independent Oil & Gas (Baxter Springs) Historic Site
  7. Historic Rainbow Bridge (Riverton) Historic Site
  8. Fort Baxter site (Baxter Springs) Civil War battleground
  9. The shortest alignment of Route 66 (13 miles in Kansas)
  10. Cafe on Route 66 (Baxter Springs)
gas station in red and white, pumps, and three Cars characters
Kan-O-Tex Service Station & Diner or "Cars on Route 66", Galena KS. Source. Click image for Street View

Route 66 itinerary across the state of Kansas

Below is a detailed description of the alignment of U.S. 66 through Kansas, from East to West. For each town we give details of Route 66's alignment through it. You can also click above on a town and read more about the course of US 66 in that specific community.

Kansas

Route 66 in Kansas

The shortest segment of US 66 in any state.

Current mileage: 13 mi.

Route 66 crosses the southeastern corner of Kansas, the shortest segment of the whole Route 66: 13 miles. Below is a description of the towns, landmarks and attractions along the road.

From Joplin in Missouri, we described the alignment up to the KS-MO state line following W. Old 66 Blvd., at the State Line (mile zero), it changes its name to Front St.

1940s view of trees, US66, homes and a woman by the KS-MO state line sign
Black and White picture ca. 1940s at state line, Galena, Kansas. Source

Galena

Follow it to Main St., and reach Galena (1.3 mi); take a left. At 7th St, (KS 66) take a right. Stop at the Kansas Route 66 Historic District-East Galena, a Historic Place.

restored former Texaco, garage, pumps, office and Doc Hudson
Gearhead Studios, former Texaco (Doc Hudson is in the rear), Galena KS. Source

The road runs to the west, crosses Spring River and entering Riverton (5 mi).

Riverton

Visit the Williams' Store, a Historical Place.

At the west of the town, the alignments split at U.S. 400 - Alt US 69: the later one follows U.S. 400 - Alt US 69), but the 1926 road keeps on west. Follow it to the Historic Bridge, over Brush Creek (7.5 mi): the Rainbow Curve Bridge is the last Marsh Arch Bridge of all Route 66, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Historic Rainbow Bridge built in 1923:

Only remaining marsh arch bridge on Route 66
Historic Concrete Marsh Arch Bridge, or Bush Creek Bridge Route 66, Riverton, Kansas

After the bridge, the road curves south towards Baxter Springs.

Baxter Springs

modern-retro neon sign lit up at night

The Ritz neon sign, Baxter Spgs. KS. Source

The highway enters the town (10 mi) and curves left to meet again with Alt US 69. Take a right. The road passes through the central part of the town and there are several old gas stations along it. Visit the Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas, a listed Historic Place.

The road leaves town, curving around a Walmart (the 1926 alignment went behind it, along Roberts Rd. on the east and W 30th St. on the south). Keep straight until you reach the Oklahoma state line (13 mi).
This marks the End of your trip through Kansas.

US 66 keeps on southbound, along Alternate US 69 towards Quapaw in Oklahoma.

Spook Lights, the legend

The Tri-state corner area, where Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma meet is the site of a mysterious phenomenon known under various names: "spook lights", "ghost lights", "Indian lights" and "Hornet lights" (after the town of Hornet, Mo.).

> > Click to read about the Spook Lights on Route 66

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>> Book your Hotel in Kansas

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Credits

Banner image: Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, Arizona by Perla Eichenblat.

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