This 104.5-mile drive from Tulsa to Spencer, Oklahoma, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 54 minutes. Primarily on the Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike, the route is almost entirely highway, making it a convenient option for a single-day trip. With an estimated fuel cost of $16, it's an economical choice for exploring the Great Plains region. This highway-focused drive offers a direct path, with no planned stops, and is well-suited for those looking for an efficient commute or a quick excursion within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.3 miles from Tulsa, OK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike
86.6 mi
1h 25m
Northeast 63rd Street
5 mi
8m
Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
4.8 mi
5m
World War II Veterans Memorial Highway
3.2 mi
3m
Skelly Bypass
0.7 mi
<1m
Spencer-Jones Road
0.7 mi
1m
North Bryant Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
I 44
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike
— 86.6 mi, about 1h 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tulsa, OK and Spencer, OK.
1
Start on South Boulder Avenue West
0.3 mi·1 min·South Boulder Avenue West
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn right onto West 6th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·West 6th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Continue on West 7th Street
0.3 mi·54 sec·West 7th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 244 West, US 75 SouthUse the straight lane.
5
Merge onto I 244
2.3 mi·2 min·Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 244
2.6 mi·2 min·Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Toward I 244 West: Oklahoma CityUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 44; OK 66
0.7 mi·55 sec·Skelly Bypass
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on I 44
87 mi·1 hr 25 min·Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike
Toward I 44 West: Oklahoma CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto I 44
0.5 mi·58 sec·I 44
Toward I 35 South, I 44 West, OK 66 West: Dallas, LawtonUse the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Merge onto I 35; I 44; OK 66
3.2 mi·3 min·World War II Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Exit 134Toward Wilshire BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto East Wilshire Boulevard
0.2 mi·32 sec·East Wilshire Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn right
0.3 mi·36 sec
14
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·19 sec·this road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Continue on North Bryant Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·North Bryant Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto Northeast 63rd Street
5.0 mi·8 min·Northeast 63rd Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto North Douglas Boulevard
0.3 mi·1 min·North Douglas Boulevard
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Turn slight right onto Spencer-Jones Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Spencer-Jones Road
Use the straight / sharp left / slight right lanes.
19
Turn slight left onto Palmer Avenue
178 ft·13 sec·Palmer Avenue
20
Turn left onto Main Street
56 ft·2 sec·Main Street
21
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Given the short 1 hour and 54-minute duration, this route offers great flexibility. You can depart at your leisure, perhaps in the morning to enjoy cooler temperatures, or later in the day to avoid early traffic. Since it’s a short, highway-focused drive, you won't need to plan for extensive rest stops. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the longest stretch is over 80 miles, and consider filling up before you depart Tulsa to ensure you have ample range for the entire 104.5 miles.
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 52.3 miles from Tulsa, OK, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.6 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 23 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.3 miles or 55m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Spencer, OK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tulsa, OK so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Tulsa, OK
This is one driving day of about 104.5 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Tulsa, OK.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike for about 86.6 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 96.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|West 6th Street
Turn right onto West 6th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
0.9 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 244 West, US 75 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 244 West, US 75 South
7
3.4 mi into trip|~6m in|I 244 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 244 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway toward I 244 West: Oklahoma City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 244 West: Oklahoma City
7
93.3 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|I 44
Take the exit onto I 44 toward I 35 South, I 44 West, OK 66 West: Dallas, Lawton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 35 South, I 44 West, OK 66 West: Dalla...
7
96.9 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward Wilshire Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 134
Toward Wilshire Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.34 one way
$32.67 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$17.94
$35.88
premium
$4.89
$20.11
$40.22
diesel
$5.61
$23.07
$46.14
Estimated Tolls: $4.33
Turner Turnpike
(86.6 mi)$4.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.3
0
$10.97
$5.02
Efficient EV
26.1
0
$9.14
$4.18
EV Truck/SUV
41.8
0
$14.63
$6.69
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Tulsa, OK
Night
in Tulsa on Saturday
Local time
11:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Partly Cloudy
S 10 to 15 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Spencer, OK
Night
in Spencer on Saturday
Local time
11:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Bristow, OK
52 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
10 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
1h 54m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect an 88% highway experience on this route, predominantly on the Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 86.6 miles, indicating long periods of consistent driving. This profile suggests a drive characterized by smooth, high-speed travel with minimal interruptions. The road's personality leans towards efficiency rather than varied scenery, offering a focused journey through the Oklahoma landscape.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.6 mi on Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike and Northeast 63rd Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West 6th Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 104.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.3 miles (West 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles (I 244 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
On the drive from Tulsa, OK to Spencer, OK, road signs begin pointing toward Lawton along the way.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 54m. Total distance: 104.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.6 miles on Governor Roy Joseph Turner Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.33 in tolls one way, starting with Turner Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Spencer, OK before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 0.3 miles (West 6th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles (I 244 / Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Spencer, OK before heading back.
