Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Tulsa, OK to Chelsea, OK

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

1h

Distance

47.7 mi

77 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Fair

3 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 55m ★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Chelsea, OK, OK

Chelsea, OK

gina bichsel

Trip Overview

This short 47.7-mile drive from Tulsa to Chelsea, Oklahoma, can easily be completed in about an hour, making it a perfect day trip. The route primarily utilizes I-44, Clem McSpadden Highway, and Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway, with 55% of the journey on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of just $7, this is an economical option for a quick excursion. As both your origin and destination are within the Great Plains region, you'll experience a consistent landscape throughout. This drive is straightforward and requires no overnight stays, offering flexibility for your schedule.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 47.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a mixed drive on this route, with a significant portion, 55%, on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.4 miles on I-44, providing a good opportunity to make steady progress. While much of the drive involves highway speeds, you'll also navigate other main roads, offering some variation. This isn't a monotonous interstate grind; it's a blend of efficient travel and local road access, keeping you engaged without being overly demanding.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 44 is the longest continuous segment at about 17.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 2nd Street South.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.7 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (West 2nd Street South): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (I 44): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 2nd Street South

Turn left onto West 2nd Street South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
8
14.4 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 44

Keep slight right at fork onto I 44 toward I 44 East: Joplin, Claremore

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 44 East: Joplin, Claremore
8
27.5 mi into trip | ~32m in

Take the exit toward OK 20: Claremore, Pryor Creek

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 255 Toward OK 20: Claremore, Pryor Creek
6
28.3 mi into trip | ~34m in | OK 20 / East Will Rogers Boulevard

At end of road, turn left onto OK 20 / East Will Rogers Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
28.7 mi into trip | ~34m in | North Dorothy Avenue

Turn right onto North Dorothy Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Tulsa, OK and Chelsea, OK, road signs point toward Claremore and Pryor Creek.

Claremore

14.4 mi in | ~18m | via I 44

Pryor Creek

27.5 mi in | ~32m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 44 17.4 mi 18m
Clem McSpadden Highway 10.2 mi 11m
Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway 9.1 mi 10m
Admiral Joe "Jocko" Clark Trailways 5.7 mi 6m
North Sioux Avenue 1.9 mi 3m
West 2nd Street South 0.8 mi 2m
Walnut Street 0.5 mi <1m
North Dorothy Avenue 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 44 — 17.4 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tulsa, OK and Chelsea, OK.

1

Start on South Boulder Avenue West

9 ft · 5 sec · South Boulder Avenue West
2

Turn left onto West 2nd Street South

0.8 mi · 2 min · West 2nd Street South
Use the straight / left lanes.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Toward I 244 East, US 412 East: Joplin
4

Merge onto I 244; US 412

9.1 mi · 10 min · Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Continue on I 44; US 412; OK 66

4.3 mi · 5 min · I 44; US 412; OK 66
Use the straight lane.
6

Keep slight right at fork onto I 44

13 mi · 13 min · I 44
Toward I 44 East: Joplin, Claremore Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 255 Toward OK 20: Claremore, Pryor Creek Use the slight right lane.
8

At end of road, turn left onto OK 20

0.3 mi · 38 sec · East Will Rogers Boulevard
Use the left lane.
9

Turn right onto North Dorothy Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Dorothy Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Turn right onto East 9th Street

0.1 mi · 18 sec · East 9th Street
11

At end of road, turn left onto Maiden Lane

359 ft · 6 sec · Maiden Lane
12

Continue on CR S4160

1.9 mi · 3 min · North Sioux Avenue
13

Turn right onto OK 66; US Historic 66

10 mi · 11 min · Clem McSpadden Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14

Continue on OK 66; US Historic 66

5.7 mi · 6 min · Admiral Joe "Jocko" Clark Trailways
15

Continue on OK 66; OK 28; US Historic 66

0.5 mi · 57 sec · Walnut Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn left onto OK 28

0.2 mi · 33 sec · West 6th Street
Use the left lane.
17

Arrive at destination

OK 28

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 23.8 mi from Tulsa, OK · 28m into the drive

town in Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Verdigris, OK

24 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Catoosa, OK

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Verdigris, OK

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from Tulsa, OK, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Chelsea, OK

The final approach into Chelsea, OK usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.46 one way

$14.91 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.19 $16.38
premium $4.89 $9.18 $18.36
diesel $5.61 $10.53 $21.06

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.3 0 $5.01 $2.29
Efficient EV 11.9 0 $4.17 $1.91
EV Truck/SUV 19.1 0 $6.68 $3.05

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Tulsa, OK

Evening in Tulsa on Thursday

Local time

8:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

S 15 mph 77% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 14 at 7:13PM CDT until April 14 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 14 at 7:01PM CDT by NWS Norman OK

Destination

Chelsea, OK

Evening in Chelsea on Thursday

Local time

8:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

7 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

1h 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Tulsa, OK to Chelsea, OK covers 47.7 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 44, Clem McSpadden Highway, Martin Luther King, Junior Memorial Expressway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.8 miles from Tulsa, OK. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.46 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.7 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 2nd Street South): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (I 44): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Tulsa, OK and Chelsea, OK, road signs point toward Claremore and Pryor Creek.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Chelsea, OK to Tulsa, OK

Plan the drive back the other way.

47.3 mi 59m

Continue From Chelsea, OK

Norman, OK 168.4 mi · 3h 9m Oklahoma City, OK 151.9 mi · 2h 47m Stillwater, OK 115.2 mi · 1h 56m Copeland, OK 42 mi · 53m

More from Tulsa, OK

Altus, OK 242.9 mi · 4h 22m Burns Flat, OK 209.4 mi · 3h 41m Mooreland, OK 192.3 mi · 3h 33m Lawton, OK 190.7 mi · 3h 21m Alva, OK 188.9 mi · 3h 36m Apache, OK 179.6 mi · 3h 24m

More trips to Chelsea, OK

Midwest City, OK 153.3 mi Edmond, OK 146.4 mi
Weekend drives from Tulsa, OK Scenic drives in OK

Explore more options from Tulsa, OK or browse trips ending in Chelsea, OK.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse OK road trips.

Explore maps for Tulsa, OK or Chelsea, OK on MapSof.net.