Connecting Sallisaw to Midwest City, this 152.9-mile journey across the Oklahoma Great Plains takes approximately 2 hours and 41 minutes. It is a straightforward trip that fits perfectly into a single day, making an overnight stay unnecessary unless you prefer a slower pace. You should budget about $23 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. Navigating through the heart of the state, you will transition from the Sallisaw area toward the more developed surroundings of Midwest City. Because the drive is relatively short, it serves as an efficient link between these two regional hubs without requiring significant logistical planning.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76.4 miles from Sallisaw, OK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
141.2 mi
2h 23m
Tinker Diagonal
5.2 mi
5m
Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway
1.5 mi
1m
Southeast 15th Street
1.5 mi
2m
South Douglas Boulevard
1.1 mi
2m
North Wheeler Street
0.6 mi
1m
West Ruth Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
East Iola Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
— 141.2 mi, about 2h 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sallisaw, OK and Midwest City, OK.
1
Start on this road
37 ft·1 sec·this road
2
Turn slight right onto North Wheeler Street
0.6 mi·1 min·North Wheeler Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Turn right onto South Opdyke Street
0.2 mi·30 sec·South Opdyke Street
4
Turn right onto East Iola Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·East Iola Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on West Ruth Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·West Ruth Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto I 40 Business; US 59
301 ft·10 sec·Kerr Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp onto I 40 Business
0.3 mi·35 sec·I 40 Business
Toward I 40 West: Oklahoma CityUse the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 40
66 mi·1 hr 6 min·Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 40
1.5 mi·1 min·Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on I 40
75 mi·1 hr 16 min·Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40; US 270
5.2 mi·5 min·Tinker Diagonal
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 159B
13
Keep slight right at fork
375 ft·9 sec
14
Turn straight onto South Douglas Boulevard
1.1 mi·2 min·South Douglas Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Southeast 15th Street
1.5 mi·2 min·Southeast 15th Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto Felix Place
115 ft·7 sec·Felix Place
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right
34 ft·4 sec
18
Turn right
34 ft·2 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable drive of under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility in your departure time. Aim to leave during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion as you near the Midwest City area. You only need to plan for one strategic stop to stretch your legs or refresh, which keeps your momentum steady throughout the 152.9-mile transit. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you leave Sallisaw, as setting aside the $23 budget ensures you won't need to hunt for stations unexpectedly. A helpful tip for this route: pay close attention to signage when transitioning from the long stretch of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway onto the local connectors, as the road character shifts noticeably toward the end of your trip.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 76.4 miles from Sallisaw, OK, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 141.2 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 34 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.4 miles or 1h 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Midwest City, OK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sallisaw, OK so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sallisaw, OK
This is one driving day of about 152.9 miles and 2h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Sallisaw, OK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway for about 141.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 152.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|East Iola Avenue
Turn right onto East Iola Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in|I 40 Business; US 59 / Kerr Boulevard
Turn left onto I 40 Business; US 59 / Kerr Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in|I 40 Business
Take the ramp onto I 40 Business toward I 40 West: Oklahoma City
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 40 West: Oklahoma City
6
144.8 mi into trip|~2h 29m in|I 40; US 270 / Tinker Diagonal
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40; US 270 / Tinker Diagonal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
152.8 mi into trip|~2h 41m in|Felix Place
Turn left onto Felix Place
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.90 one way
$47.81 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg54 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$26.25
$52.49
premium
$4.89
$29.42
$58.85
diesel
$5.61
$33.76
$67.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
45.9
0
$16.05
$7.34
Efficient EV
38.2
0
$13.38
$6.12
EV Truck/SUV
61.2
0
$21.41
$9.79
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Sallisaw, OK
Night
in Sallisaw on Saturday
Local time
11:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Midwest City, OK
Night
in Midwest City on Saturday
Local time
11:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Eufaula, OK
76 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
16 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 41m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Oklahoma City National Memorial
National Memorial
The outdoor symbolic memorial is a place of quiet reflection, honoring victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995. It encompasses the now sacred soil where the Al...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
$18
near mile 152.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local driving experience as you make your way across the state. While the journey covers 152.9 miles, the character of the road is defined by its mix of local paths and major stretches, including the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway, the Tinker Diagonal, and the Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway. You will spend the vast majority of your time on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway, which accounts for a 141.2-mile stretch of your trip. The road feels less like a monotonous interstate grind and more like a localized navigation task. Be prepared to adjust your driving style as you move off the main highway segments and onto the secondary roads that define the latter portion of your approach.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 141.2 mi on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near East Iola Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 152.9 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (East Iola Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 40 Business; US 59 / Kerr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (I 40 Business): Lane positioning matters here.
Sallisaw is in the Green Country region of Oklahoma and the county seat for Sequoyah County. A town that was designated as the Depression-scene setting at the beginning of The Grapes Of Wrath, an image Sallisaw isn't always terribly proud of.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 41m. Total distance: 152.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 141.2 miles on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Midwest City, OK before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (East Iola Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 40 Business; US 59 / Kerr Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (I 40 Business): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Oklahoma City National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Midwest City, OK before heading back.
