Origin
Nowata, OK
Night in Nowata on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nowata, OK to Tulsa, OK
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
49.5 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nowata, OK
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Nowata to Tulsa is a straightforward 49.7-mile journey that typically takes about 53 minutes. Because of the short distance, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend approximately $7 on fuel, making it a very budget-friendly transit across the Great Plains. You will primarily navigate via US 169 South, eventually transitioning onto I-244 West and Martin Luther King Boulevard to reach your destination. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, the route is simple enough to manage without extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 39.7 mi | 47m |
| Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| Maple Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| East 1st Street South | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| South Boulder Avenue West | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| US 169 Alternate | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 39.7 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nowata, OK and Tulsa, OK.
1
Start on US 169 Alternate
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Maple Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
2
Continue on US 169 Alternate
107 ft
·
5 sec
·
US 169 Alternate
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Continue on US 169
21 mi
·
25 min
·
US 169
Use the left / right lanes.
4
Continue on US 169
19 mi
·
21 min
·
US 169
Toward US 169 South: Owasso
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 244 West, US 412 West: Tulsa, Tulsa International Airport
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 244; US 412
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 6C
Toward 1st Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on East 1st Street South
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East 1st Street South
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto South Boulder Avenue West
372 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Boulder Avenue West
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
South Boulder Avenue West
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.7 miles from Nowata, OK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 49.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 169 Alternate / Maple Street
Depart onto US 169 Alternate / Maple Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
41.7 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I 244 West, US 412 West: Tulsa, Tulsa International Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 244 West, US 412 West: Tulsa, Tulsa In...
5
42.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
I 244; US 412 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Merge onto I 244; US 412 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
48.4 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward 1st Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 6C
Toward 1st Street, Downtown
6
49.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
South Boulder Avenue West
Turn left onto South Boulder Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.74 one way
$15.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.50 | $16.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.53 | $19.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.93 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Tulsa, OK
Night in Tulsa on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 2m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy, local-style drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend your time navigating a mix of roads, as the route is characterized by a 0% highway share according to standard classification, emphasizing the local nature of the connection. Because there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches, you should stay alert for frequent turns as you transition between US 169 South and the city approach. The road demands your focus, shifting from rural surroundings into the more complex traffic patterns of the Tulsa metropolitan area. It is a practical, functional drive that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.7 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 169 Alternate / Maple Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 2m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 169 Alternate / Maple Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 41.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles (I 244; US 412 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Nowata, OK to Tulsa, OK, road signs begin pointing toward Tulsa International Airport along the way.
Tulsa International Airport
41.7 mi in
|
~51m
About the Cities
Arriving in Tulsa, OK
Full guide →Tulsa calls itself the "Oil Capital of the World." Here, the age of the oil boom found its center. A small town by US standards, metropolitan luxuries such as theater, fine dining, nightlife, and shopping are found in a state known for sparsely populated farming communities. The picturesque downtown is surrounded by rolling hills covered with prairie grasses and ancient forests, a first impression that soon reveals world-class architecture and museums of art, miles of biking and walking trails, and huge parks. With a wealth of iconic sights and neighborhoods to explore, a trip to Tulsa can easily fit several weeks of touring.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 49.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.7 miles on US 169. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 169 Alternate / Maple Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 41.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.1 miles (I 244; US 412 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tulsa, OK before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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