This National Park Is The Only One In America That Preserves Part Of Historic Route 66
Once running from Chicago all the way to Los Angeles, Route 66 has long been integral to United States road trip culture. Cars first hit the pavement of the Mother Road in 1926, and while it is no longer completely intact, road trippers can still follow much of its historic path and see plenty of famous sites along the way. Surprisingly, between the fun roadside attractions, midcentury motels, and museums loved by Route 66 enthusiasts, there is only one national park featuring a section of the original Mother Road.
Interstate 40 runs parallel to the original Route 66. Just under one hour east from Winslow on I-40 is Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park. The scenic Petrified Forest Road snakes through this park. Near the point at which this road intersects with Highway 40, look out for a row of old, wooden telephone poles. These relics show where Route 66 once ran in this part of Arizona, even decades before Petrified Forest became a national park. Petrified Forest Road has a pull-out to allow visitors to park and check out the site. The pull-out gives enough of a vantage point to see bits of the old roadbed too.
The remains of an old car help commemorate Route 66 in the national park
Petrified Forest Road's Route 66 pull-out is easy to find thanks to the inclusion of a 1932 Studebaker vehicle. Its rusty appearance serves as a unique reminder of how long Route 66 has been important to United States' driving culture. At the pull-out, you'll also see a large Route 66 emblem partially made with a bumper from a 1957 Cadillac Fleetwood. Another Route 66 favorite is the Painted Desert Trading Post on Pinta Road, which meets with both I-40 and Petrified Forest Road. This trading post was built around 1940 to sell Navajo craft items and gasoline to tourists, and it went through a volunteer-led restoration project in 2021.
More than its Route 66 commemorations, Petrified Forest National Park boasts fossils and colorful desert scenery. Stay on Petrified Forest Road for scenic vistas and walking trails. Use the Painted Desert Rim Trail to see the multicolored hills and cliffs which give the Painted Desert its name. The Crystal Forest, Long Logs, and Giant Logs trails are the ones to take if you want to see the park's huge chunks of petrified wood. All aforementioned trails are less than 2 miles in length. End the drive at Rainbow Forest Museum, where you can see skeletons of prehistoric animals and learn more about the park.
Keep following the original path of Route 66 to see more one-of-a-kind landmarks
For more Historic Route 66 landmarks in eastern Arizona, drive 26 miles on I-40 to reach Holbrook. Here you'll find one of many unique motels to hit on your Route 66 road trip. Holbrook's Wigwam Motel draws upon classic imagery of the Wild West by swapping hotel rooms for concrete wigwams. Staying in these distinctive structures will definitely be memorable for the whole family. The motel helped inspire the Cozy Cone Motel from the Disney Pixar film "Cars" and also features a rusty tow truck as an homage to the character of Mater from the film.
Another 30 miles on I-40 brings you to Winslow, which fans of The Eagles will know from the line, "I'm a-standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona" in their song "Take it Easy." Standin' on the Corner Park and the neighboring Route 66 Plaza are surrounded by historic buildings, murals, gift shops, and of course a bronze statue of a man quite simply standing on a corner. Barely outside of Winslow is the underrated and stunning Homolovi State Park, beloved for its archaeological sites preserving native history.