Traveling from Sallisaw to Shawnee covers 128.1 miles of Oklahoma landscape, typically taking about 2 hours and 17 minutes behind the wheel. Because this journey is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $19 for fuel to complete the transit. Navigating through the heart of the Great Plains, you will spend your time on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway, the Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway, and North Harrison Street. This route offers a straightforward connection between these two Oklahoma hubs, making it an efficient option for travelers who prefer a direct path.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
64.1 miles from Sallisaw, OK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
119.6 mi
2h
North Harrison Street
3.8 mi
8m
Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway
1.5 mi
1m
East 10th Street
0.7 mi
1m
North Wheeler Street
0.6 mi
1m
West Ruth Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
East Iola Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
I 40 Business
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
— 119.6 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sallisaw, OK and Shawnee, 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
54 mi·53 min·Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 186Toward OK 18: Shawnee, MeekerUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto OK 18
3.8 mi·8 min·North Harrison Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto East 10th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East 10th Street
14
Turn left onto US 270 Business
0.2 mi·33 sec·North Beard Street
15
Turn right onto West Main Street
139 ft·3 sec·West Main Street
16
Arrive at destination
West Main Street
Trip Plan
Since this 2-hour and 17-minute drive is designed as a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to depart whenever best suits your schedule. Because there are no designated stops included in the route data, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave, as the estimated $19 fuel cost may fluctuate depending on your specific vehicle's efficiency. Keep in mind that the majority of your travel occurs on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway, so pace yourself for that 119.6-mile stretch. Since the route is turn-heavy, prioritize staying alert during the transitions between the Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway and North Harrison Street. Taking advantage of the short duration allows you to arrive in Shawnee refreshed and ready to go.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 64.1 miles from Sallisaw, OK, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 119.6 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 28 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.1 miles or 1h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Shawnee, 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 128.1 miles and 2h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Sallisaw, OK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway for about 119.6 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 123.2 — 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
5
2.1 mi into trip|~5m in|I 40 / Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 40 / Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
123.2 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Take the exit toward OK 18: Shawnee, Meeker
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 186
Toward OK 18: Shawnee, Meeker
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.03 one way
$40.05 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg45 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$21.99
$43.98
premium
$4.89
$24.65
$49.30
diesel
$5.61
$28.28
$56.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.4
0
$13.45
$6.15
Efficient EV
32
0
$11.21
$5.12
EV Truck/SUV
51.2
0
$17.93
$8.20
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Sallisaw, OK
Late night
in Sallisaw on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Shawnee, OK
Late night
in Shawnee on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 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 17m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. While you will spend a significant 119.6 miles on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway, the route maintains a zero-percent highway share, emphasizing local roads over high-speed transit. The personality of this drive shifts as you navigate through various turns, moving away from long, uninterrupted stretches into more technical segments. You will experience a blend of road types that keep the drive engaging for the duration of the 128.1-mile trip. Preparing for frequent adjustments in speed and steering will help you stay comfortable throughout the journey.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 119.6 mi on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near East Iola Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 17m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
Shawnee is in the Frontier Country region of Oklahoma.
While normally not on the sight-seeing itinerary of those who do not know someone already living there, Shawnee could prove to be an interesting day trip.
Shawnee is known for its numerous Native American casinos, maybe lesser-so that it is where Brad Pitt and Jim Thorpe hailed from or the origin of Sonic restaurants.
The longest stretch is about 119.6 miles on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Shawnee, OK before heading back.
