A stop in Elk City, Oklahoma along Route 66

A couple of times along the way back from journeys out west, I've been intrigued by what remains of the old Route 66. Sure, certain cities like Tulsa and Tumcumcari have the clear route running through their downtowns, but for much of the path today, it merges to become one with I-40, or a boring frontage road right alongside I-40. One time when coming back eastbound from Tumcumcari on my Triumph Tiger (ADV bike), I tried to to trace out the original path and made it down a long, middle of no-where dirt road just south of I-40, eventually making my way back to I-40.

If you're on Route 66 or I-40 cruising through the heartland, and you happen to be passing near Elk City, Oklahoma, I may suggest a stop by the National Route 66 & Transportation Museum. I stopped by here in early November 2025, and this place is quite fascinating.

As alluded to earlier, much of the original "Historical Route 66" now is essentially indistinguishable from the interstate. However, that doesn't mean it isn't worth the journey. The key is to map out which portions are most interesting and sufficiently spaced from the interstate. Elk City is one perfect example of this - meaning it's worth the detour.

Old Route 66 as Frontage Rd Between Elk City and Clinton, OK

As you can see in the image (left) the Historical Route 66 path merely parallels the interstate like this in many (if not most by mileage) places. So, if you make a concerted effort to stick to the real route, and if you're like me, you'll eventually say "heck with it, might as well hop back on the interstate." This is especially the case when the only difference between the road you're on and the interstate beside you is that the interstate is a faster, smoother ride.

On this trip, I made it into Elk City the evening prior, fueling up right across from the museum and staying the night nearby.

Museum at Night

The next day, I ventured on over to check this place out. The farm and blacksmith exhibits were particularly amazing. Everything was labeled well and easy to follow. This is the kind of place where you can get up close and take you time to see how the relics of the industrialization era were designed and used. I'd been curious about the windmill designs, pumps, trip hammers and tractor implements. This place had everything from tractor cast iron seat collections to a peanut picking machine and everything in between.

And of course, the main exhibits of life along Route 66 speak for themselves.

There's a Carl's Jr. just down the street, so made the stop for a western burger.

While there are other Route 66 themed museums along the route, including one in nearby by Clinton, this one is the largest, especially when including the old town replicas. There are several decent places to stay and dine in the area, and while the museum itself isn't right on I-40 (a good thing), it is only a few minutes away if you want to minimize deviation from the main road.

While the likes of Amarillo, Albuquerque, and Tulsa are undoubtedly great places along this route, Elk City provides a nice smaller town option - perhaps comparable in size to Tucumcari (Elk City is a litle larger by population but felt about the same in terms of attractions along the route.

Till next time, happy trails.