Route 66 was named in Springfield, Missouri, with a telegram on April 30, 1926, and the road crosses the state from St. Louis to Joplin. VisitMO says 317 miles; another VisitMO page says more than 280, so we print both.
This guide follows the road west with 19 stops that an official or operator page describes, read October 30, 2026. Hours and prices are as printed there, and a blank means the page printed none.
A Short History
Springfield’s tourism page says a telegram from the Colonial Hotel on April 30, 1926 accepted the number 66, and the Secretary of Agriculture approved the route on November 11, 1926, the official birth date. Interstate 44 replaced the road in Missouri in 1972, it was decommissioned in 1985, the Missouri Route 66 Association formed in 1990, and more than 350 MoDOT markers line it. Source: Springfield: history of Route 66.
The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission lists a national kickoff in Springfield from April 30 to May 3, 2026 (Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission), and Route 66 State Park lists a Route 66 Centennial Celebration on November 7, 2026 with no details (Missouri State Parks).
Nineteen Stops From St. Louis to Joplin
Listed west to east along the road, in driving order.
| Stop | Town | What the page says | Hours and cost as printed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Chain of Rocks Bridge | St. Louis area | One-mile bridge described as the longest pedestrian and bicycle-only bridge in the world; park on the Illinois side and cross to Missouri. | Not listed | VisitMO: Route 66 part one |
| Red Cedar Inn Museum and Visitor Center | Pacific | Museum, visitor center and gift shop in a log building that opened in 1934 as a restaurant. | Not listed | VisitMO |
| Route 66 State Park | Eureka | A park along the original road; the visitor center is in a 1935 roadhouse with Route 66 displays. | Grounds 7 a.m. to half an hour after sunset daily; visitor center March to October 9 to 4 daily, November to February only the second week of December; fees not printed | Missouri State Parks |
| Meramec Caverns | Stanton | Largest commercial cave in Missouri and a hideout the page says Jesse James once used. | Daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. per the operator; prices not shown | Meramec Caverns |
| Route 66 Splash Park | Sullivan | Splash pad with car-themed sprayers. | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., May 1 to October 1; free | VisitMO |
| Cuba murals | Cuba | 14 outdoor murals on local and national history; a mural map is at the I-44 Visitor Center, exit 208. | Open year-round; free | VisitMO |
| Route 66 Rocker | Near Cuba | A 42-foot-1-inch steel rocking chair, recognized by Guinness in 2008, by the Fanning Route 66 Outpost. | Not listed | VisitMO: Route 66 part one |
| Route 66 Neon Park | St. Robert | Open-air museum of restored vintage neon signs in the George M. Reed Roadside Park. | Open year-round; signs lit dusk to midnight; free | VisitMO |
| Devil’s Elbow trestle overlook | Devil’s Elbow | Scenic overlook off Teardrop Road; the page says the old wooden trestle was built in 1941 for Fort Leonard Wood supplies. | Not listed | VisitMO: Route 66 part two |
| Old Stagecoach Stop Museum | Waynesville | 1850s building with 10 rooms; stage stop, Civil War hospital and hotel; an 8-foot Route 66 shield stands on the square. | April to October 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., other times by appointment; free | VisitMO |
| Route 66 Museum | Lebanon | Self-guided museum in the library, with gas station and diner recreations. | Mon-Thu 8 to 8, Fri 8 to 5, Sat 10 to 4, closed Sunday; free | Lebanon-Laclede County Library |
| Hubble Space Telescope replica | Marshfield | Quarter-scale replica on the west side of the square; Edwin Hubble was born in Marshfield in 1889. | Not listed; free | VisitMO |
| Springfield: Birthplace of Route 66 | Springfield | A telegram from the Colonial Hotel on April 30, 1926 accepted the number 66, and the Secretary of Agriculture approved it on November 11, 1926. | Visitor center at 318 Park Central E, #106; hours not listed | Springfield: history of Route 66 |
| Route 66 Car Museum | Springfield | 75 or more vintage and movie cars. | Daily 9 to 5; adults $15, seniors and veterans $13, under 10 $5 (as printed) | VisitMO |
| Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven | Springfield | Eight sandstone cottages from 1938, on the National Register of Historic Places. | Rates printed as $79 to $129 a day | VisitMO |
| Gary’s Gay Parita | Ash Grove | A recreation of a 1930 Sinclair station with original pumps and memorabilia. | Not listed | VisitMO: Route 66 part two |
| Red Oak II | Carthage | A village of moved early-1900s buildings; a private community, so stay on the gravel road. | Not listed | VisitMO |
| Carthage Route 66 Highway Tour | Carthage | Bus tour; Carthage is where Route 66 meets the Jefferson Highway, with more than 550 buildings on the National Register. | Weekdays 8 to 5; free; group tours need advance contact | VisitMO |
| Route 66 Mural Park | Joplin | Three large tile murals and a red mock 1964 Corvette; wheelchair accessible. | Free; hours not printed | VisitMO |
Plan a Drive
Use the drive times page for road times between stops and the Missouri State Parks guide for places to stop and stretch. Historic places along the way are on the historic sites page.
What We Could Not Verify
- A Missouri Route 66 Association page: we did not read one, so none is cited.
- Hours for most stops: several VisitMO pages print none.
- Other 2026 centennial events, including any August festival: we read no official page for them.
- The Chain of Rocks Bridge parking and hours: the page says to park on the Illinois side and prints no hours.
- Boots Court in Carthage: VisitMO names it as the Carthage place to stay, but its own page did not load, so we describe nothing about it.
- Whether the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon is open: VisitMO says it is closed for renovation with its neon sign viewable.
- Uranus and other roadside stops: not researched, so not listed.
More Missouri Guides
Questions People Ask
Where did Route 66 get its name?
Springfield, Missouri says a telegram from the Colonial Hotel on April 30, 1926 accepted the number 66.
How long is Route 66 in Missouri?
VisitMO says 317 miles from St. Louis to Joplin on one page and more than 280 on another.
Is there a Route 66 state park in Missouri?
Yes. Route 66 State Park in Eureka has a visitor center in a 1935 roadhouse.
What replaced Route 66 in Missouri?
Interstate 44, in 1972, per Springfield’s tourism page.
Sources
- VisitMO: Route 66 at a glance
- VisitMO: Route 66 part one
- VisitMO: Route 66 part two
- Springfield: history of Route 66
- Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission
- Missouri State Parks: Route 66 State Park
- Meramec Caverns
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/things-to-do/route-66/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.