Take a ride through the rolling hills of northeast Oklahoma and into the Missouri Ozarks as we follow Interstate 44 from Tulsa to Joplin. This 110-mile journey carries us along the Will Rogers Turnpike, one of the state’s most important toll highways, and into the corner of Missouri where three states nearly meet. What begins as a metropolitan departure quickly becomes a landscape of rivers, farmland, and small towns that recall the days when U.S. Route 66 first brought travelers this way.
Leaving Tulsa at the interchange with I-244, we head northeast on I-44 past the industrial sprawl and suburbs of the city. The highway almost immediately crosses the wide Verdigris River, a reminder of the waterways that helped define Oklahoma’s early trade routes. On our left lies Catoosa, known for the whimsical Blue Whale of Route 66, a roadside icon still drawing visitors today. The traffic is brisk here, a mix of commuters, cross-country travelers, and trucks linking Tulsa with points east.
Beyond Catoosa, the road begins to rise and fall gently as it carries us through Rogers County. Soon we reach Claremore, hometown of humorist Will Rogers—the namesake of the turnpike. Rogers’ life and wit are preserved at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, perched on a bluff above the city. Passing the exits for Claremore, we notice how the highway threads between prairie farmland and wooded ridges, a blend of open fields and green breaks that typify this part of Oklahoma.
East of Claremore, the turnpike begins to feel more rural. Long stretches run past ranchland and scattered communities, while interchanges connect to state routes like OK-20 and OK-28, carrying traffic toward nearby lakes and towns. At Big Cabin, U.S. Highway 69 joins the corridor briefly, reminding us of the busy north-south trade routes that cross this part of the state. It’s here that the turnpike service plazas first appear, essential features of Oklahoma’s toll roads.
Perhaps the most memorable stop on this drive comes just past Vinita, where the Will Rogers Archway straddles the turnpike itself. Built in 1957, this mid-century marvel still serves food and fuel, with glass windows offering diners a direct view of the traffic rushing beneath. Once billed as the “world’s largest McDonald’s,” it remains one of America’s truly unique highway landmarks. Whether or not we stop, its looming presence above the lanes feels like a rite of passage for anyone traveling I-44.
Past Vinita, the highway bends north toward Miami, a town long tied to mining, Route 66 culture, and the nearby Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma. The landscape flattens here, opening into wide farm fields broken by the Neosho River. The tollway gradually winds toward the northeastern corner of the state, where Oklahoma gives way to Missouri. Crossing the state line, the Will Rogers Turnpike ends, and Interstate 44 continues toll-free toward Joplin.
The final miles into Joplin bring a return to urban activity. After long stretches of open country, the interstate funnels us into the busy interchange with Interstate 49, the main route north toward Kansas City. Here in Joplin, a city with deep ties to mining, industry, and Route 66 history, our journey concludes. We’ve crossed two states, traced the heart of a tollway named for America’s “cowboy philosopher,” and followed a corridor that remains as vital to commerce and travel today as when it first opened.
Every mile of this drive blends speed with history—modern interstate lanes paired with the memory of the Mother Road just to the side. Whether you stop at Claremore, pause at Vinita, or push on straight through to Missouri, the Tulsa–Joplin stretch of I-44 reminds us that even the fastest roads are full of stories when we take the time to notice them.
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