Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 Route Stops
In Partnership with the National Park Service
Route Stops
Solar cars competing at the Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 will stop at 10 locations from Tennessee to Wyoming. Starting from Nashville, teams will have three stage stops and five checkpoints along the way to Casper. See the map below to learn about each stop.
Adventure Science Center Nashville, TN
The Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 Start Line is in Nashville. The Adventure Science Center is a hands-on science museum located just south of downtown. On Saturday, July 20th, solar cars will start the challenge. Additionally, they will be on display on the afternoon of Friday, July 19th for the public to see the cars up close and meet the teams.
Paducah, KY
Surveyed and named by explorer William Clark, Paducah is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers—right on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Paducah is the only checkpoint on Stage 1. Solar cars will make a stop here in the afternoon of July 20th. During this stop, teams will have the option to drive loops to gain additional miles before continuing on the route.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL
Stage 1 ends at SIUE, located just north east of St. Louis. On July 21st, solar cars will follow the Mississippi River north through Illinois before arriving for the stage end. Teams who arrive early enough will be able to complete loops following Route 66 for additional miles. Stage 2 starts here on July 22nd.
Missouri State Capitol Jefferson City, MO
The first checkpoint on Stage 2 will be at the Missouri State Capitol. Teams will follow the Missouri River west from Edwardsville along the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail and arrive here for a stop on July 22nd. During this checkpoint teams will have the opportunity to gain additional miles by driving loops. Jefferson City was a Checkpoint at ASC 2010.
Uptown Farmers Market Independence, MO
The second checkpoint on Stage 2 is Independence, MO. On July 23rd, teams will make a stop at the Independence Uptown Farmers Market located adjacent to Independence Square and the Historic Truman Courthouse. Independence was the Start Line for both ASC 2021 and 2022.
Pony Express National Museum St. Joseph, MO
Stage 2 will end at the Pony Express National Museum which marks the start of the Pony Express National Historic Trail. Solar cars will arrive here on July 23rd. Teams arriving early enough will have a loop available to complete more miles. Stage 3 will depart from here along the Pony Express Trail on July 24th.
Homestead National Historical Park Beatrice, NE
The first checkpoint of Stage 3 will be located just outside Beatrice, NE. Homestead National Historical Park commemorates the Homestead Act of 1862 and is located on some of the first acres claimed under the act. Solar cars will stop here on July 24th. A loop will be available for additional miles before continuing west. Homestead National Historical Park (then called Homestead National Monument of America) was a checkpoint at ASC 2016.
Kearney Archway Kearney, NE
After following the Pony Express National Historic Trail from St. Joseph, the route meets up with the California, Oregon, and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails in Kearney. The route will follow all four of these trails to the finish line. The Kearney Archway is a monument and historical experience that tells the story of American History along the Great Platte River Road. Teams will stop here on July 25th and have a loop available for extra miles before continuing west.
Scotts Bluff National Monument Gering, NE
Stage 3 will finish at Scotts Bluff National Monument. Towering 800 feet above the prairie, Scotts Bluff served as a landmark for those who traveled the National Historic Trails and the Native Americans before them. Teams must arrive here on July 26th. Teams arriving early enough will have one last chance to gain additional miles by completing a loop. On July 27th, the final stage will start here. Scotts Bluff has been a stage stop previously at ASC 2016 and 2018 as well as a checkpoint at ASC 2022.
National Historic Trails Interpretive Center Casper, WY
The Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 will finish at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. Located on four National Historic Trails, Casper served as a crossing point of the North Platte River as well as a trading post for settlers on these trails. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center was a checkpoint at ASC 2018 and 2022.
National Historic Trails
In Partnership with the National Park Service, the Electrek American Solar Challenge will once again follow a National Historic Trail. In fact, the 2024 event will follow seven trails as a part of our "See America by National Historic Trail" theme.
Learn more about these trails below!
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a winding 4,900 mile route that follows the path of the historic expedition into the American West. The Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 will follow this trail for large portions of both Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Stops in Paducah, Edwardsville, Jefferson City, and St. Joseph are along this trail.
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail remembers and commemorates the survival of the Cherokee people. Forced from their homelands in the southeast, they traveled by road and river as they were relocated to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. Many did not survive this journey.
From the start line in Nashville solar cars will follow this trail to Paducah, crossing the modern bridge located on the site of the Historic 1823 Nashville Toll Bridge and following portions of the Auto Tour Route.
The start line in Nashville and checkpoint in Paducah are located on this trail.
Santa Fe National Historic Trail
Established as a trade route between Western Missouri and Santa Fe, the Santa Fe National Historic Trail was important for Mexican and American traders alike. For decades the Santa Fe Trail served as the commercial highway to the southwest, until February 1880 when the railroad reached Santa Fe.
At American Solar Challenge 2021 solar cars followed this trail from Independence to Santa Fe. This year they will pick it up from its start in west central Missouri (near Boonville) and follow it until the checkpoint in Independence. This will make the Santa Fe Trail the first National Historic Trail that solar cars have driven in its entirety.
The Independence Checkpoint is located on this trail.
Pony Express National Historic Trail
The Pony Express National Historic Trail follows the route of the famed Pony Express - the first high speed communications link to the West Coast. In 1860 and 1861, a chain of riders and horses used this route to carry news and mail from St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento, CA. The Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 will follow this trail from its start in St. Joseph through the finish line in Casper, picking up other co-located trails along the way.
Stops in St. Joseph, Beatrice, Kearney, Gering, and Casper are located on this trail.
Starting near Kearney, the 2024 route will follow four National Historic Trails
Oregon National Historic Trail
Perhaps the most famous of the National Historic Trails, the Oregon National Historic Trail follows the route of westward expansion of American settlers from Missouri to Oregon. The 2,000+ mile trail follows the route these settlers took in by wagon and foot.
Both the 2018 and 2022 American Solar Challenges followed portions of the Oregon Trail. In 2024, the Electrek American Solar Challenge will pick up the Oregon Trail in Kearney, NE and follow it west to the finish line in Casper.
Stops in Independence, Kearney, Gering, and Casper are located on this trail.
California National Historic Trail
Over 250,000 emigrants traveled west looking for gold and rich farmland in California in the 1840's and 1850's. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles of trails in 10 states including many starting points, destinations, and routes used by the emigrants.
At the Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024, the solar cars will join this trail in southeastern Nebraska and follow it all the way to the finish in Casper, WY.
Stops in Independence, Kearney, Gering, and Casper are located on this trail.
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
On March 1, 1846, over 500 Mormon wagons left their city of Nauvoo, IL and fled west to find a new place to settle. Their route became the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, UT. The Mormon Pioneers would follow other existing trails for portions of their journey, including the Oregon and California Trails.
The Electrek American Solar Challenge 2024 joins this trail at the same place as the others—in Kearney. The Mormon Pioneer is co-located with these other trails through the finish line in Casper.
Stops in Kearney, Gering, and Casper are located on this trail.
Historic Route 66
Could the solar cars drive on 8 National Trails in 2024?
Legislation currently in Congress would make Historic Route 66 the newest National Historic Trail. The 2024 route crosses Route 66 in the St. Louis area. The optional loop from the Edwardsville Stage Stop will be on a portion of Historic Route 66.
Both the 2001 and 2003 American Solar Challenges followed Historic Route 66.
The Edwardsville Stage Stop is located on this trail.
Keep an eye on the American Solar Challenge website for more information on the 2024 event and details about the historic sites along the route.
