Take a ride through the rolling hills of eastern Missouri as we follow a classic stretch of Historic Route 66 from Allenton to Gray Summit. This 9-mile journey travels through a mix of small-town Americana, Ozark foothills, and roadside history, all tucked just far enough from the modern interstate to retain the charm of a bygone era.
We begin in Allenton, near the gates of Six Flags St. Louis, where Route 66 once funneled families straight toward the thrills of rollercoasters and cotton candy. Today, we turn onto Business Loop I-44, which still carries the legacy of the Mother Road through this part of Franklin County. The road heads southwest past the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center, a stark reminder of the many uses Route 66 has supported over the decades—from joyful tourism to institutional access. On our right, glimpses of wooded terrain and service roads hint at the corridor’s dual role as both a community lifeline and a historic travel route.
Soon, we enter the town of Pacific, a community long intertwined with railroads, Route 66, and the growth of St. Louis’s western suburbs. In Pacific, Historic Route 66 continues along Osage Street, where faded signage and preserved architecture whisper of the road’s golden age. We pass mom-and-pop storefronts and small motels that once catered to weary travelers making their way cross-country. The street briefly widens, revealing its past as a heavily trafficked highway before I-44 siphoned off most through traffic. Still, locals and enthusiasts alike keep its legacy alive. Pacific’s blend of modern life and mid-century nostalgia makes it one of the more authentic Route 66 towns in the region.
Leaving Pacific, we find ourselves paralleling Interstate 44, but the pace slows as we follow the curves and dips of the original road. The landscape begins to shift—more wooded and undulating as we approach the edge of the Missouri Ozarks. It’s easy to imagine 1940s Chevys and 1950s Airstream trailers making their way along this same alignment, engines humming against a backdrop of redbud trees and rolling pasture. The road dips under a railroad trestle, curves past a few rural homesteads, and eventually reaches the outskirts of Gray Summit, a small community that acts as a gateway to Shaw Nature Reserve and the scenic byways beyond. We wrap our journey by merging back onto Interstate 44 at Exit 253, where the old and new roadways converge once again.
Driving this stretch of Historic Route 66 is less about speed and more about the layers of stories embedded in the asphalt. From the theme park crowds of Allenton to the railroad town of Pacific, and the peaceful greenery of Gray Summit, it’s a ride through Missouri’s living Route 66 heritage—one that still pulses gently alongside the rumble of the Interstate.
🗺️ Route Map
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