by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:15 AM ET, Thu March 12, 2026
The American Indigenous Tourism Association (AIT) is leading a national movement to showcase the Indigenous origins of Route 66, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, by partnering with the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership.
The “Mother Road” is built upon ancient Indigenous trade routes that visit the ancestral homelands of over 25 Tribal Nations throughout the United States, with more than half of its length passing directly through Indian Country.
Reclaiming that heritage, AIT is offering a new, definitive resource: a guidebook created in partnership with the National Park Service and the tribal nations located along Route 66. It provides historical content for the road—including its impact on local tribes—as well as guides on proper etiquette when visiting tribal lands.
“As we approach the Route 66 Centennial, we are inviting the world to look beyond the chrome and the stereotypes to see the true heart of this road,” said Sherry L. Rupert (Paiute/Washoe), CEO of the American Indigenous Tourism Association. “For too long, our stories were treated as an afterthought or a marketing gimmick. The American Indigenous Tourism Association is proud to provide the tools for travelers to journey with intention, honoring the sovereignty and resilience of the Native Nations who remain the heartbeat of the Mother Road.”
Additionally, AIT is offering digital resources like the Route 66 travel portal, which includes a digital guidebook, trip-planning guides, and educational resources; Destination Native America’s interactive map, which now features Route 66 and the Indigenous experiences that can be found alongside it; and more.
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