Yukon, OK to Poteau, OK is 207 miles and takes about 3h 50m via Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway and US 59, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Oklahoma, starting in the Great Plains and ending in the same region. You'll mostly be on surface roads, making it a more relaxed drive than a pure interstate cruise. It's a straightforward, one-day option if you're looking for a relatively short hop across the state.
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
103.5 miles from Yukon, OK
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
141.4 mi
2h 23m
Kerr Boulevard
20 mi
23m
US 59
12.3 mi
19m
Tinker Diagonal
11.8 mi
13m
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
10.8 mi
12m
Crosstown Expressway
5.8 mi
7m
Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway
1.4 mi
1m
Garth Brooks Boulevard
1.3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
— 141.4 mi, about 2h 23m
Traffic on I-40
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 66 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,936 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,476
Quietest
2 AM
~288 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yukon, OK and Poteau, OK.
1
Start on this road
0.2 mi·1 min·this road
2
Turn right onto Garth Brooks Boulevard
1.3 mi·3 min·Garth Brooks Boulevard
3
Turn left
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward I 40 East, US 270 East: Oklahoma CityUse the straight / left lanes.
4
Merge onto I 40; US 270
11 mi·12 min·Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 40; US 270
5.8 mi·7 min·Crosstown Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40; US 270
12 mi·13 min·Tinker Diagonal
Exit 128Toward I 240 East, US 270 East: Fort SmithUse the slight left lane.
7
Continue on I 40; US 270; OK 3
75 mi·1 hr 17 min·Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on I 40
1.4 mi·1 min·Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway
Toward I 40 East: Fort SmithUse the straight lane.
9
Continue on I 40
66 mi·1 hr 6 min·Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto I 40 Business
0.2 mi·31 sec·I 40 Business
Exit 308Toward I 40 Business East, US 59: Sallisaw, PoteauUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 59
20 mi·23 min·Kerr Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12
Turn right onto US 59; US 271
359 ft·7 sec·US 59; US 271
13
Continue on US 59; US 271
0.1 mi·10 sec·US 59; US 271
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Continue on US 59; US 271
12 mi·19 min·US 59; US 271
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Circle Drive
0.1 mi·12 sec·Circle Drive
16
Continue on Paul Mathies Drive
0.9 mi·1 min·Paul Mathies Drive
17
Turn left onto Beard Avenue
0.4 mi·41 sec·Beard Avenue
18
At end of road, turn left onto US 59 Business; US 271 Business
114 ft·6 sec·South Broadway Street
19
Turn right onto Dewey Avenue
56 ft·1 sec·Dewey Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Dewey Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 50m duration, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Leaving in the morning will give you plenty of time to reach Poteau, OK, with flexibility for an unscheduled stop if needed. The route involves a significant portion on surface roads, so factor in potentially slower speeds and more frequent turns. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially after the 141.4-mile segment on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway, as services might be more spread out on the non-highway portions.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 103.5 miles from Yukon, OK, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 141.4 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 46 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.5 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Poteau, OK than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yukon, 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 Yukon, OK
This is one driving day of about 207 miles and 3h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Yukon, 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 141.4 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 206.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.5 mi into trip|~4m in
Turn left toward I 40 East, US 270 East: Oklahoma City
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 40 East, US 270 East: Oklahoma City
5
1.9 mi into trip|~5m in|I 40; US 270 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge onto I 40; US 270 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
18.4 mi into trip|~25m in|I 40; US 270 / Tinker Diagonal
Keep slight left at fork onto I 40; US 270 / Tinker Diagonal toward I 240 East, US 270 East: Fort Smith
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 128
Toward I 240 East, US 270 East: Fort Smith
8
173 mi into trip|~3h 3m in|I 40 Business
Take the exit onto I 40 Business toward I 40 Business East, US 59: Sallisaw, Poteau
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 308
Toward I 40 Business East, US 59: Sallisaw, Pot...
5
206.9 mi into trip|~3h 50m in|US 59 Business; US 271 Business / South Broadway Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 59 Business; US 271 Business / South Broadway Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.53 one way
$69.06 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg72 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$37.53
$75.06
premium
$5.26
$42.86
$85.72
diesel
$6.18
$50.36
$100.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.1
0
$21.74
$9.94
Efficient EV
51.8
0
$18.11
$8.28
EV Truck/SUV
82.8
1
$28.98
$13.25
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Yukon, OK
Morning
in Yukon on Tuesday
Local time
7:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Sunny
S 9 to 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Poteau, OK
Morning
in Poteau on Tuesday
Local time
7:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
E 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
81°F
Eufaula, OK
104 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
11 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
3h 50m 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?
This route covers 207 miles with only a 9% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 141.4 miles on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway. After that, expect a change to more localized roads. You'll notice more frequent intersections and potential for slower traffic as you transition away from higher-speed routes.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 141.4 mi on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
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 207 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (I 40; US 270 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles (I 40; US 270 / Tinker Diagonal): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Poteau is a town in the Choctaw Country of Oklahoma and near Cavanal Hill, also known as "The World's Highest Hill". Poteau was selected as one of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America" in Norman Crapton's book by the same title.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 50m. Total distance: 207 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (9%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 141.4 miles on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.9 miles (I 40; US 270 / Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.4 miles (I 40; US 270 / Tinker Diagonal): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Oklahoma City National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Poteau, OK, but most travelers stay overnight.
