U.S. Route 66, often called the “Mother Road” or the “Main Street of America,” is one of the most iconic highways in the United States. Established in 1926, Route 66 originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, covering a total of approximately 2,448 miles. It passed through eight states—Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California—linking countless small towns and major cities across the American heartland and Southwest.
More than just a road, Route 66 played a crucial role in American history, especially during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and the post-war tourism boom. It symbolized freedom and opportunity, becoming a favorite path for families, adventurers, and dreamers heading west. Over the decades, countless diners, motels, gas stations, and roadside attractions sprung up along its path, many of which have become nostalgic landmarks preserved by enthusiasts and preservation societies.
Although Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985 and replaced by the modern Interstate Highway System, large portions of the route are still drivable today as “Historic Route 66.” It remains a bucket-list journey for road-trippers from around the globe, celebrated in pop culture, music, and literature. From the neon lights of Tucumcari to the deserts of Arizona and the piers of California, Route 66 continues to offer a timeless slice of Americana.
![Interstate 40: Needles to Barstow, California [Remastered]](https://media.openroadarchive.com/file/ora-media/uploads/2026/05/glorrw4-y0wmaxresdefault.webp)
Drive west across California’s Mojave Desert on Interstate 40 from Needles to Barstow, following a historic Route 66 corridor through remote basins, rugged mountains, railroad towns, and vast desert landscapes on one of Southern California’s classic interstate drives.
Drive 55 miles west on Interstate 40 from Kingman, Arizona to Needles, California, descending through remote desert terrain toward the Colorado River and Mojave Desert.
Experience the changing landscapes of northern Arizona on Interstate 40 from Flagstaff to Ash Fork. This 52-mile drive transitions from cool pine forests beneath the San Francisco Peaks to the wide-open high desert plateau, following a historic Route 66 corridor through one of the Southwest’s most dynamic regions.
Drive Interstate 40 from Winslow to Flagstaff, Arizona, covering 62 miles of dramatic elevation change from open high desert to dense ponderosa pine forest. Experience historic Route 66 parallels, Meteor Crater access, and one of Arizona’s most striking landscape transitions.
Drive Interstate 40 from Holbrook to Winslow, Arizona, crossing 29 miles of open high desert and historic Route 66 territory. Experience expansive landscapes, quiet desert beauty, and classic Southwest travel history along this scenic stretch of I-40.
Drive Interstate 40 from Lupton to Holbrook, Arizona, covering 69 miles of high desert, historic Route 66 alignments, mesas, and Painted Desert landscapes across northeastern Arizona.
Drive Interstate 40 from Albuquerque to Gallup, New Mexico — a 123-mile journey through high desert mesas, volcanic landscapes, and historic Route 66 country. Experience sweeping Southwest scenery, lava fields near Grants, and the rugged beauty leading to Gallup.
Drive 61 miles west along Interstate 40 from Clines Corners to Albuquerque, New Mexico. This scenic high-desert journey crosses the Estancia Basin before approaching the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande corridor.
Drive 54 miles west on Interstate 40 from Santa Rosa to Clines Corners, New Mexico, crossing wide-open high desert plains, historic travel corridors, and one of the Southwest’s classic crossroads along I-40.
Drive 52 miles west on Interstate 40 from Tucumcari to Santa Rosa, New Mexico, across wide-open High Plains, historic Route 66 alignments, sandstone mesas, and the Pecos River valley. Experience classic eastern New Mexico landscapes and roadside history along this scenic stretch of I-40.
Drive west on Interstate 40 from Amarillo to Glenrio, Texas, beginning before dawn through construction near Loop 335 and continuing into a wide-open Panhandle sunrise. This 66-mile journey follows the historic Route 66 corridor past Vega and into Glenrio at the Texas–New Mexico state line.
Drive the historic and scenic Arizona State Route 66 from Seligman to Kingman. This iconic segment of Historic U.S. Route 66 travels through desert plains, ghost towns, and tribal lands, showcasing classic Americana and the rugged beauty of Arizona’s high desert.