Texas Old Route 66 East End

Eastern Texas Route 66

  

Starting your journey at Texola, take the south service road into Shamrock, staying on Business 66. Enjoy the vintage motel district and the famous (and newly restored) U-Drop Inn. The U-Drop Inn now houses the Shamrock Chamber of Commerce offices, gift shop, and a visitor's center.

Shamrock's U-Drop Inn

Leaving Shamrock, stay on the south frontage road and enjoy the most authentic stretch of Old Route 66 in existence. Be sure to note Lela and the "Rattlesnakes Exit Now" sign on the north side of I-40. At Exit 143, you will enter cross under I-40 and enter McLean on Westbound Business 66. Please observe one-way traffic while driving in the city.

While in McLean, visit the Devil's Rope Museum/Texas Route 66 Exhibit complex and watch for great murals on the buildings. Main Street, houses the Avalon Theater and The McLean/Alanreed Area Museum showing area history including The McLean P.0.W. Camp Exhibit.

Westbound 66 also passes the First Phillips 66 Service Station in Texas. Pull in to this restored Icon and video your car and family "fillin' up". Stop at the Cactus Inn on the west side of town, and dine at the Red River Steak House located directly west of it.

Leaving McLean, continue on the south service road to Alanreed, which contains the oldest cemetery, and the oldest Baptist Church on Texas Route 66. Also see the 66 Super Service Station. Sadly, the Regal Reptile Ranch has been totally destroyed. Due to dirt roads, Re-enter I-40 at Alanreed.

Route 66 Oasis

At mile marker 129, on east bound I-40, you will see the new Route 66 theme rest area. If you are going west on I-40 you will have to cross over the Interstate at the Lake McClellan exit and back-track on the eastbound side. Watch for the Lake McClellan Exit as the Lake offers excellent camping, RV spaces, lots of trees, and wildlife.

  

  

Central Texas Old Route 66

Central Texas Route 66

  

The Old Route turns into dirt roads, missing segments, and private property in this area. Take I-40 to Highway 70 at Jericho. Turn south on Highway 70 to Jericho. Jerico is worth a side trip. This was the beginning of the infamous Jerico Gap, a sometimes muddy break in paved Route 66 that was not bypassed until the late 1930s.

This segment of the Route was famous for the sticky, gumbo mud that stalled travelers in the rainy season. Back to the south service road, you come to Groom and the Leaning Water Tower, Ruby and her Golden Spread Cafe, and the tallest Cross in the Western Hemisphere.

Groom Leaning Water Tower

Leave Groom on the south service road and travel to Conway. The new segment at Conway (on I-40) features "The Bug Farm" ~ five VW beetles buried nose down adjacent to the Trading Post. Stop here, stretch your legs and "sign a bug" if you wish.

Bug Farm

From Conway to the I-40 rest stop is another open stretch of original 66 complete with "thumpety-thump" road joints.Route 66 crosses over I-40 near the rest area and from here until the dead end at the Rick Husband International Airport in Amarillo we recommend staying on the Interstate.

Two eras of Route 66 history are represented in Amarillo. Old Third Street and Sixth Street are favorite journeys. Later, Amarillo Boulevard became a favorite. Both contain many vintage 66 sites for the travelers. Contact the Amarillo Convention and Visitor's Center for directions through the city and further guidance.

Amarillo Route 66

Leave Amarillo on the north service road. Watch for the Cadillac Ranch, as you will have to cross I-40 to see it. From Amarillo west visit Bushland and Wildorado. Many of the early buildings were torn down during I-40 construction.

  

  

Texas Old Route 66 West End

Western Texas Route 66

  

From Amarillo west, the old route is the north frontage road. Continue on Route 66 to the towns Bushland and Wildorado. When I-40 was constructed, most of the original Route 66 buildings in Bushland and Wildorado were condemned and torn down.

The old route jogged in Vega. The original route went straight into town to the present 4-way stop, turned right and went north to the bank, then back west towards Adrian. Many great vintage buildings can be seen in the town with Dot's Mini-Museum, located at the dead end of the original road, a "must see" for tourists. One of the original service stations is standing near the beautiful Court House Square. The Vega Motel, of 66 vintage, is still operating. In the late 1930s, Route 66 was re-routed to go straight through Vega at the 4-way stop.

As you travel west to from Vega , watch to the north for two old Route 66 concrete bridges. One bridge can be seen from the rest area 4 miles west of town; the other is just before you arrive in Adrian. In Adrian, be sure to stop at the Mid-way Cafe for the best burger in Texas and a slice of homemade pie.

Midpont Cafe

Adrian is considered the official mid-point of Route 66, halfway between Chicago and Los Angeles. The service road will dead-end at the Cap rock west of Adrian. The old route completely disappears under the I-40 alignment until a mile before you reach Glenrio. It re-appears as the south service road into town.

Although Glenrio is now a ghost town, many original buildings still stand. We recommend a stop in this present-day ghost town, as most of the buildings are still intact, recalling a bygone era now frozen in time. Photo opportunities abound! Half way through Glenrio the Route 66 enters New Mexico and leaves Texas behind.

Glenrio Cafe