Missouri contains Route 66 State Park beside the Meramec River.
Route 66 State Park occupies land near Eureka, west of St. Louis, where the historic highway once ran through the Meramec River valley. The park preserves a section of the former roadway and interprets the route’s history through trails, views, and a visitor center housed in the former Bridgehead Inn building.
The park was established on land affected by the realignment and later decommissioning of Route 66. Flooding damaged parts of the former roadway and contributed to changes in how visitors access the site, but the park remains an important Missouri heritage destination.
Missouri is sometimes overlooked because Route 66 is often associated with Arizona or California. In fact, the original route crossed Missouri from the St. Louis area toward Joplin, and the state retains many historic bridges, motels, diners, museums, and road segments.