Discover Rolla: Route 66, Geology and Culture

Rolla brings together trails, water attractions and diverse reminders of regional history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Rolla, these themes can help you plan your trip: the Acorn Trail forms a loop through the central part of the city, while SplashZone offers a different focus with its water attractions. There are also geological exhibits, a Stonehenge replica and reminders of Route 66. Rolla cannot be reduced to a single attraction; you can plan your stay around the themes that interest you most.

Trails and water attractions

The Acorn Trail forms a loop through the central part of Rolla. SplashZone, by contrast, is an outdoor water park in Rolla with an interactive play feature, two water slides and a lazy river. The loop shape and central location describe the trail type and area of the city, while the water park features a variety of water attractions. This makes it easy to distinguish between a route through Rolla and a focus on water-based activities. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether the loop trail or the water attractions mentioned better match your interests; each offers a different kind of activity.

Geology and life-size architecture

The Ed Clark Museum of Missouri Geology illustrates Missouri’s geological history with an ongoing collection of exhibits on rocks, minerals and fossils. These subjects bring together mineral materials and fossils as evidence of earlier life, giving the museum a clear natural history focus. The Stonehenge replica in Rolla offers a different cultural point of interest. It is half-scale and made of 160 tons of granite. The scale comparison shows its size in relation to Stonehenge; the tonnage specifies the material and weight of the replica. A geological collection and a scaled granite replica therefore appeal to two clearly distinct interests.

Route 66 and railroad history

Rolla’s Route 66 history includes several points of interest. A ten-foot-tall sculpture in Buehler Park marks the route of the original road. The Edwin Long Hotel was built on Route 66 in 1931 and hosted the ceremony marking the opening of Route 66 in Rolla. The sculpture represents the original route, while the hotel adds an architectural and event-related perspective through its 1931 construction date and role in the opening ceremony. SLSF locomotive 1501 is located in Schuman Park in Rolla. This gives you the opportunity to explore road and railroad history as distinct themes: Route 66 is represented through its route and opening ceremony, while the locomotive can be seen in the park. Together with the geology and Stonehenge replica, these attractions show that Rolla’s cultural points of interest span different eras and types of subject matter. When deciding whether to visit Rolla, you can consider whether you’re more interested in natural history, transportation or distinctive structures.

For the broader travel overview: Phelps.