Cadillac Ranch on Route 66
Amarillo is the largest city on the 178 mile portion of Route 66 from Oklahoma to Texas and into New Mexico. The city is flush with historic sites, Route 66 memorabilia, hotels and restaurants, and lots of fun places to see.
Interstate Highway I-40 traverses the city east to west, much as Route 66 did in earlier years. I-27 heads south to Lubbock, while U.S. Highway 87 leads north to Dumas, Clayton and Raton.
As one heads westbound out from Amarillo today on I-40 between exits 60 and 62, the Cadillac Ranch comes into view quickly, on the south side of the road, on a privately owned pasture.
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This "interactive" folk art site of ten Cadillacs is the work of financier Stanley Marsh. Creators included Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, who were a part of the art group "Ant Farm".
 The Cadillac Ranch ... graffiti gone wild! |
It was created in 1974 and consists of what were old or junked Cadillac automobiles, many sporting those classic tail fins. The cars, from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville, face west in a straight line.
The cars are half-buried nose-first in the ground, at an angle corresponding to that of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. As the city of Amarillo grew and encroached on the original site, the cars were moved two miles west to its current location in 1997.
The mountain range that dominates the Radiator Springs landscape in the movie “Cars” is the Cadillac Range, in Carburetor County, inspired by the Cadillac Ranch. The mountain range seems to copy the angles of the Cadillacs!
The ranch resides between I-40 Exit 60 (Arnot Road) and Exit 62 (Hope Road). The physical address is 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX. Access is from the service road on the south side of the interstate. Park along the frontage road, cross over the fence gate, and walk across the field about 100 yards ... free admission. Note that it can be muddy after rain, and hot in the Texas summers, so be prepared.
Graffiti is allowed as you will quickly learn!
| The Cadillac Ranch on Interstate 40 just west of Amarillo (Photo by Jamie Hudson - Travel Texas) |
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If you are traveling in a recreational vehicle or trailer, the Cadillac RV Park is located nearby, at the intersection of I-40 and Hope Road. A bit further west is the Oasis RV Resort.
| The Cadillac RV Park on I-40 west of Amarillo |
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The 2nd Amendment Cowboy near Amarillo, TexasThe Cadillac RV Park is located just west of Amarillo, at the intersection of I-40 and Hope Road near the Cadillac Ranch. The 2nd Amendment Cowboy stands tall at the RV Park. |
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More Things to See & Do Around the Amarillo Area
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The Route 66 Sixth Street Historic District preserves 13 blocks of cafes, antique shops, boutiques, nightspots and restaurants. The district includes commercial development in the San Jacinto Heights Addition west of Amarillo’s central business district.
Modern-day travelers through the city probably know about "The Big Texan" steak house! It was originally on Route 66, but is located today not far away, on I-40 ... it's a place many tourists to Amarillo want to check out. In 1960 Bob Lee opened the famous Big Texan Steak Ranch on Route 66 in Amarillo. The Big Texan moved to the east side of Amarillo on I-40 in the 1970s.
The Jack Sisemore RV Museum is located at 4341 Canyon Drive in Amarillo. The Sisemores began restoring and collecting unusual vintage RVs over 25 years ago. Their museum houses many of the RVs in their collection including a Flxible Clipper Bus, the first Itasca motor home ever built, the oldest Fleetwood in existence and many other RVs from the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Several vintage motorcycles are also on display. The museum is free to the public. Phone 806.358.4891 for information and hours of operation.
Located 25 miles south of Amarillo is Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the nation's second largest canyon system after the Grand Canyon. It is also 14 miles from the town of Canyon.
The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum celebrates and preserves the history of the American Quarter Horse. Changing, one-of-a-kind exhibits are on display year-round, as is a gallery of western art. It is located at 2601 East I-40, and is open from 9:00 am to 5:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
Other popular attractions include ...
- Amarillo Botanical Gardens
- Amarillo Zoo
- Slug Bug Ranch
- Cowgirls and Cowboys of the West
- Panhandle Plains Historical Museum
- Amarillo Museum of Art
- Texas Air & Space Museum
- The Helium Monument
Lodging Options in Amarillo
We travel through, and to, Amarillo on a frequent basis. We have stayed there dozens of times over the decades. Today, the city offers more than 100 hotels and places to stay. It is a great stopping point for those traveling Historic Route 66, with not only many lodging options, but dining possibilities as well.
There are three primary clusters of lodging in Amarillo - downtown, on the east side of the city along I-40, and on the west side near Soncy Road (exit 64 from I-40). We prefer the Soncy Road area, near I-40 and the medical district, but that is just a personal preference.
Listed below are some popular Amarillo lodging options, with reviews from TripAdvisor.
| This website has no affiliation or connection with the listed hotel properties. Listings from TripAdvisor are provided as a starting point in your hotel research. It is always recommended that travelers do their own research and make informed decisions about the hotels they book. |
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More Information about Amarillo & Route 66 |
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Interactive Map of the Cadillac Ranch Area
MORE TEXAS ROUTE 66
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