Interstate 40: Sallisaw to Arkansas – Oklahoma

Take a scenic ride through the Oklahoma River Valley as we follow a short but vital stretch of Interstate 40 from Sallisaw to the Arkansas state line. This 22-mile drive marks the final leg of I-40 in Oklahoma before it rolls into the Natural State. Though brief, this segment captures the transition from Oklahoma’s rolling lowlands to the wooded foothills of western Arkansas, offering a compelling snapshot of two neighboring landscapes stitched together by one of America’s busiest transcontinental highways.

We begin at Exit 308, just south of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, a historic town once settled near the old Butterfield Overland Mail route. To our west, the outskirts of Sallisaw fade behind as we accelerate past open fields and low, forested ridges that ripple across the horizon. I-40 here is a classic four-lane divided highway with wide shoulders and good visibility, but it doesn’t feel empty—this corridor serves as a key freight route, and trucks are a constant presence. As we continue east, the terrain becomes increasingly wooded. The land here transitions into the western edge of the Ouachita Mountains, a range older than the Rockies and rich in both geologic and cultural history. Exit 311 provides access to the small community of Muldrow, whose name comes from the Cherokee family that once owned land in the area. Past Muldrow, the highway bends gently southeast, offering glimpses of the Arkansas River through breaks in the trees. You can feel the shift as we near the state line—both in the landscape and the sense of anticipation. Traffic picks up slightly, and more billboards begin to appear, hinting at attractions and stops just across the border.

Crossing the state line at mile marker 0, we leave Oklahoma behind and officially enter Arkansas. This short drive may not boast dramatic overlooks or mountain switchbacks, but its understated charm lies in how effortlessly it connects two states, two ecosystems, and two stories of American development. Whether you’re headed east toward Fort Smith and Little Rock or retracing your path westward to Oklahoma City, this brief segment of I-40 serves as a quiet but meaningful transition.