The Backroads of Route 66 : Your Guide to Adventures and Scenic Detours

**This wonderfully illustrated, up-to-date guide to the natural, cultural, and historical gems hidden just off the legendary Route 66 outlines 30 trips for curious travelers.** Route 66 is arguably the **world’s most famous highway** (more than 60% of Route 66 adventurers are from overseas!)—its motels, diners, and roadside attractions comprising a time capsule of America’s love affair with the automobile. While many of the road’s **iconic attractions** have disappeared with time (along with large stretches of the road itself), others are as enduring as ever. In this **completely revised and updated version** of __The Backroads of Route 66__ , author and **Route 66 expert Jim Hinckley** is your guide from the lowlands of the American Plains to the high plateaus of New Mexico and Arizona, from the Great Lakes to the mighty Pacific Ocean, and through major metropolises and remote country towns. But rather than take the road oft traveled and the sites most photographed, Hinckley encourages you to branch off the Mother Road and discover the hidden gems beyond today’s familiar motels and tourist traps— **quaint frontier communities** that date to westward expansion; the legacy of **native cultures** ; and the **awe-inspiring natural wonders** that have graced these lands since time immemorial. There to be explored **within a few hours’ drive from the path of Route 66** , discover: Outdoor attractions Museums Historic sites And much more The thirty trips in __The Backroads of Route 66__ offer **new travel opportunities** for you and the thousands of road-trippers who follow this legendary route, looking for something more. Cover Contents Acknowledgments Introduction PART ONE: ILLINOIS Drive One: Route 66 in “The Land of Lincoln” Drive Two: The Chicago Coast Drive Three: The Time Capsule PART TWO: MISSOURI Drive One: Route 66 in “The Show-Me State” Drive Two: Discover St. Louis Drive Three: An Ozark Adventure Drive Four: The Heart of the Ozarks Drive Five: Miners and Desperados PART THREE: KANSAS Drive One: Route 66 in “The Sunflower State” Drive Two: Ghost Towns and Outlaws Drive Three: The Pioneer Trail PART FOUR: OKLAHOMA Drive One: Route 66 in “The Sooner State” Drive Two: The Western Frontier Drive Three: Discover Tulsa Drive Four: Discover Sooner State Capital Drive Five: The Wilderness PART FIVE: TEXAS Drive One: Route 66 in the Texas Panhandle Drive Two: Canyonlands Drive Three: Trails West PART SIX: NEW MEXICO Drive One: Route 66 in “The Land of Enchantment” Drive Two: The Original Las Vegas Drive Three: Discover Albuquerque Drive Four: Timeless Wonders Drive Five: Fire and Ice PART SEVEN: ARIZONA Drive One: Route 66 in “The Grand Canyon State” Drive Two: Red Rock Wonderland Drive Three: The Grand Loop Drive Four: The Western Frontier PART EIGHT: CALIFORNIA Drive One: Route 66 in “The Golden State” Drive Two: The Caldron Drive Three: The High Road Drive Four: The Megalopolis Image Credits Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z About the Author "The Backroads of Route 66 explores the landmarks, natural wonders, and historical gems left to be explored off the beaten path of America's most famous byway"-- Provided by publisher