Origin
Yale, OK
Late night in Yale on Tuesday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yale, OK to Tulsa, OK
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
42.5 mi
68 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yale, OK
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick excursion through the Oklahoma Great Plains, the 42.5-mile journey from Yale to Tulsa is a straightforward trip that fits perfectly into a single day. Expect to spend about 53 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal choice for a casual morning or afternoon drive. With a fuel budget of just $6, it is an incredibly economical route that keeps your travel costs low. Because the destination is only about an hour away, you do not need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated travel logistics. This simple, mixed-drive route offers a reliable way to navigate between these two Oklahoma communities without the stress of a long-haul trek.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Thorpe Memorial Highway | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Sand Springs Expressway | 13.9 mi | 15m |
| 42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division Memorial Highway | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| OK 151 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Mannford Expressway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| East Chicago Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Archer Street North | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| North Boulder Avenue West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jim Thorpe Memorial Highway
— 16.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yale, OK and Tulsa, OK.
1
Start on North Main Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto OK 51
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
East Chicago Avenue
3
Continue on OK 51
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Jim Thorpe Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on OK 51
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on OK 51
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mannford Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on OK 51
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on OK 51
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Mannford Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn slight right onto OK 151
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
OK 151
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Take the ramp onto OK 151
85 ft
·
2 sec
·
OK 151
10
Keep slight right at fork onto OK 151
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
OK 151
Toward US 64 East, US 412 East: Tulsa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 64; US 412
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Sand Springs Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Quanah Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto North Quanah Avenue
451 ft
·
22 sec
·
North Quanah Avenue
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto West Archer Street North
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Archer Street North
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto North Boulder Avenue West
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
North Boulder Avenue West
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
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
21 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 42.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 miles from Yale, 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 27.1 and 42.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
27.1 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
OK 151
Keep slight right at fork onto OK 151 toward US 64 East, US 412 East: Tulsa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 64 East, US 412 East: Tulsa
6
41.3 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward Quanah Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Quanah Avenue
7
41.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
North Quanah Avenue
Turn right onto North Quanah Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
41.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
West Archer Street North
Turn left onto West Archer Street North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
42.3 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
North Boulder Avenue West
Turn right onto North Boulder Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.64 one way
$13.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.30 | $14.59 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.18 | $16.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.38 | $18.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.72 | $1.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17 | 0 | $5.95 | $2.72 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Tulsa, OK
Late night in Tulsa on Tuesday
Local time
5:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°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
2 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
53m 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 varied driving experience as you transition from smaller local corridors to faster arterial roads. You will spend roughly 46% of your time on highways, utilizing the Jim Thorpe Memorial Highway, the Sand Springs Expressway, and the 42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division Memorial Highway. The longest uninterrupted segment you will encounter is a 16.7-mile stretch along the Jim Thorpe Memorial Highway, which provides a steady rhythm to the middle portion of your trip. As you move toward Tulsa, the road character shifts from rural stretches to the more structured environment of the expressway system. It is a functional, mixed-drive profile that requires you to stay alert as the traffic patterns change from quiet two-lane roads into the busier approaches of the city.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.7 mi on Jim Thorpe Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 27.1 miles in near OK 151.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 42.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 27.1 miles (OK 151): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 41.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.5 miles (North Quanah Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
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 53m. Total distance: 42.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.7 miles on Jim Thorpe 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 Tulsa, 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 27.1 miles (OK 151): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 41.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.5 miles (North Quanah Avenue): 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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