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Detailed Description of Route 66

Driving Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica

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Find a Detailed description of Route 66's alignment between Chicago Illinois and Santa Monica California.
The complete alignment of U.S. Highway 66 as it crosses America from Lake Michigan to the "End of the Road" by the Pacific Ocean.

Route 66 was created in 1926, and its alignment has suffered many changes since then. Here we describe the original road and all the later alignments in its transcontinental course: see our custom interactive maps, image maps, vintage maps, and information about the towns along its course.

Plan your Route 66 road trip between Chicago IL and Santa Monica CA

< Head West
Santa Monica, where Route 66 Ends

Head East >
Chicago, where Route 66 Begins

Table of Contents

Index to this page: The alignments with maps and full information in each of these states:

The "End of the Trail" sign on Santa Monica Pier

The end of the trail sign of Route 66 on the pier in Santa Monica
"End of the Trail" sign in Santa Monica, CA

Illinois

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across Illinois

The complete itinerary of U.S. Hwy 66 from its starting point in Chicago to the Mississippi river in Southwestern Illinois. We have divided the state into the following legs:

The Largest Catsup Bottle in the whole World, Collinsville IL

enormous catsup bottle shaped water tank
World's largest Catsup Bottle Collinsville Il.

Missouri

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across Missouri

The course of Route 66 through Missouri from St. Louis in the Northeast to Joplin in the SW. These are each of the legs of the Mother Road across the state:

Munger Moss Motel Neon Sign, Lebanon MO

Munger Moss Motel's classic colorful neon sign on Route 66
Munger Moss Motel's classic neon sign on old Route 66 in Lebanon, Missouri. , click image for street view

Kansas

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across Kansas

Detailed description of the alignment of U.S. 66 across Kansas, starting at the border in Galena and ending a few miles away in Baxter Springs (this is the shortest leg in the whole of the itinerary):

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

Oklahoma

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across Oklahoma

Below are the legs we have split the course of U.S. 66 through Oklahoma, from East to West, starting at its NE corner in Commerce OK and ending on the state line in Texola. Find a detailed description with modern and old maps:

A Muffler Man on US 66 in Tulsa OK

Buck Atom, a modern Muffler Man in Tulsa Oklahoma
Buck Atom, the Space Cowboy Muffler Man in Tulsa, OK.

Texas

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across Texas

We divided the course of the highway across Texas into two legs, from Texola in the east to Glenrio on the NM state line. The midpoint of Route 66 is located in Adrian TX:

Midpoint Sign, Adrian TX

Route 66 Midpoint Sign, showing distance to Los Angeles and Chicago
Midpoint Sign, Adrian, Texas

New Mexico

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across New Mexico

We split the alignment of U.S. 66 into four legs to cover its longest segment, with 392 miles (631 km), in the whole of its alignment. From Glenrio on the eastern side to Lupton on the border with Arizona:

classic neon sign in red and yellow of La Mesa Motel
Neon Sign at La Mesa Motel, Santa Rosa NM Credits

Arizona

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across Arizona

Arizona has many stretches of original highway and amazing natural spots like the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest, Route 66's itinerary from east to west begins in Lupton and ends on the Colorado river in Topock:

The Frontier Motel and Café

classic sign of the Frontier Motel and Cafe in Truxton, Route 66, Arizona
The Frontier Motel and Café neon sign in, Truxton, Arizona

California

California ¦ Arizona ¦ New Mexico ¦ Texas ¦ Oklahoma ¦ Kansas ¦ Missouri ¦ Illinois

Route 66 itinerary across California

The complete itinerary of U.S. Hwy 66 from its starting point in Topock on the Colorado River across the Mojave desert, St. Andreas Fault, Cajon Pass and into Los Angeles, to reach the Pacific Ocean, the "End of the Road" in Santa Monica. We divided it into the following legs:

The Route 66 Motel Sign in Needles CA

Classic Route 66 Motel sign in Needles, Route 66, California
view of the Route 66 Motel Neon Sign, Needles, California.

More Useful Information about Route 66

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Credits

Banner image: Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, California by Perla Eichenblat
Jack DeVere Rittenhouse, (1946). A Guide Book to Highway 66.

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