Elk City, OK Road Trips

With 2 routes heading out and 4 heading in, Elk City, OK works well as a modest departure point in the Great Plains. The route mix is balanced, with options ranging from 214-mile quick runs to 250-mile cross-state drives. Most routes from Elk City, OK head east, giving the route network a clear directional lean.

Photo: Steve Burcham

Trip Routes

6

Longest Drive

300.4 mi

Copeland, OK

Quickest Drive

3h 45m

Jenks, OK

Plan Around Elk City, OK

Popular Incoming Routes

Useful if Elk City, OK is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.

Copeland, OK to Elk City, OK 300.4 mi · 5h 18m Bartlesville, OK to Elk City, OK 261.9 mi · 4h 44m Owasso, OK to Elk City, OK 231.7 mi · 4h 6m Broken Arrow, OK to Elk City, OK 225.2 mi · 4h 1m

Continue From Elk City, OK

Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.

Elk City, OK to Muskogee, OK 249.7 mi · 4h 25m Elk City, OK to Jenks, OK 214.4 mi · 3h 45m

Trips from Elk City, OK

Elk City, OK to Muskogee, OK

249.7 mi 4h 25m

Elk City, OK to Jenks, OK

214.4 mi 3h 45m

Driving from Elk City, OK

Expect an average of 232 miles and about 4h 5m behind the wheel when leaving Elk City, OK. This is long-haul territory. Most routes stretch past the 250-mile mark, so pack snacks and plan fuel stops. The longest mapped route runs 250 miles (4h 25m), while the shortest is just 214 miles.

Popular Destinations

Top road trip destinations from Elk City, OK are Muskogee, OK (249.7 mi, 4h 25m) and Jenks, OK (214.4 mi, 3h 45m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

Regular gas in OK currently averages around $3.79 per gallon. For the typical 232-mile trip from Elk City, OK, budget about $34 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.

Most trips take a half-day, so a morning start gets you there in time for lunch or an afternoon of exploring. Routes tend to go east, so afternoon departures put the sun at your back on the return leg.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 2 mapped routes leaving Elk City, OK and 4 routes heading into Elk City, OK, covering 6 total connections. Distances range from 214 to 250 miles.

The longest mapped route from Elk City, OK covers 250 miles and takes approximately 4h 25m. Shorter options start at just 214 miles.

The average route from Elk City, OK runs about 232 miles with a drive time of roughly 4h 5m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

At current gas prices (about $3.79/gallon for regular), the average 232-mile trip from Elk City, OK costs roughly $34 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.

The most popular road trip destinations from Elk City, OK include Muskogee, OK and Jenks, OK. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Elk City, OK at a Glance

Founded

1901

Elevation

1,919 ft

Area

16 mi²

Notable People from Elk City, OK

A sampling of people born in Elk City, OK.

Jimmy Webb

1946

American songwriter, composer, and singer

Tex Gibbons

1907–1984

basketball player (1907–1984)

Grant Woods

1954–2021

Arizona attorney general (1954–2021)

Susan Powell

1959

American beauty pageant winner

Traveler Guide to Elk City, OK

Elk City is in the Great Plains Country region of southwest Oklahoma. It owes its existence to the railroad as well as to agriculture, oil extraction, and transportation services, being as it is on the busy interstate thoroughfare that is I-40. But perhaps what it is best known for is its location on the historic Route 66.

1 Parker Drilling Rig #114 (E 3rd St (Rt. 66) and N Madison St, by the historic Casa Grande Hotel). Elk City's tallest structure, in tribute to its heritage and right in the heart of town. (updated Oct 2021) National Rt 66 and Transportation Museum (Old Town Museum Complex), 2717 W 3rd St, ☏ +1 580 225-2207. Labor Day - Memorial Day: M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 2PM-5PM; Memorial Day - Labor Day: M-Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Houses several museums, including the National Transportation Museum, Pioneer Museum and Beutler Brothers Rodeo Hall, Farm and Ranch Museum, and the Blacksmith Museum. $5/4/Free (Adults/Seniors & Children 6-16/Children under 6 (Price is for entire complex. If you're interested in just one museum the price is $3/person.

1 Foss State Park, 10252 Oklahoma, OK-44, Foss, ☏ +1 580 592-4433. Daily 8AM-4:30PM. A recreational park on a very barren prairie lake (i.e. reservoir), with a beach and camping and trailheads. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Washita National Wildlife Refuge, 20834 E 940 Rd, Butler, ☏ +1 580 664-2205. On the other end of Foss Lake where marshy ground makes for suitable wildlife habitat. (updated Oct 2021)

Bedford Inn, 2004 S Main St, ☏ +1 580 225-6775. OYO Hotel Elk City OK Route 66, 2015A W 3rd St, ☏ +1 580 232-4513. Sparse landscaping but cringe factor is not too bad. $31. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Elk City, 2611 E Highway 66, ☏ +1 580 303-4536. Interior corridors so that you don't have to have the raw wind and snow blowing down your back as you're trying to get the hotel key out, plus a hot tub. $56. Super 8 Motel, 2801 E Highway 66, ☏ +1 580 275-2459. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Indoor pool and hot tub and good views of truck drivers parking their rigs at the Love's next door. $35. Americas Best Value Inn Elk City, 2500 South Main St, ☏ +1 580 225-0305. This place is pretty cool with its restaurant and bar that has billiard tables on site. Flamingo Inn, 2000 W 3rd St, ☏ +1 580 225-1811. A chance to stay on Route 66. $44. Kings Inn, 1918 W 3rd St, ☏ +1 580 225-1442. Hiway Inn Express of Elk City, 301 Sleepy Hollow CT, ☏ +1 580 303-7759, [email protected].

Travel tips adapted from Elk City on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.