Historic U.S. Route 66 crossed eight U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
The route began in Chicago and traveled southwest through the central United States before ending in Santa Monica. Its path connected major cities, agricultural regions, desert communities, and roadside towns across a remarkably varied landscape.
Kansas had the shortest section, at about 13 miles, while the route's distances in the other states were much longer. Route 66 is sometimes mistakenly described as crossing only seven states because Kansas's short segment is easy to overlook.
Although the original highway was decommissioned in 1985, preservation groups in all eight states maintain historic segments, museums, signs, bridges, diners, motels, and other roadside sites. The eight-state span remains central to centennial celebrations in 2026.