Is There Really Something Evil Lurking On The Real US Route 666?

All of us are familiar with Route 66. Whether you grew up around it or you've just seen one of the innumerable references made to the Mother Road in popular media, you know all about where to "get your kicks." Did you know there was once a Route 666? It's an offshoot of the Mother Road, and supposedly there's evil waiting for those traveling along it.

Is there something evil lurking on US Route 666?

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US RT666 has been renamed in the states that it ran through. Yes, the fact that it shared its name with The Beast of the biblical book of Revelations did have a little to do with it. Part of the concerns regarding the designation of 666 was, in fact, image-related.

The anti-Christ is apparently a bad image for a highway.

The origins of the name have less than nefarious origins. It is, boringly enough, simply the sixth branch of Route 66.

Now, US Route 666 goes by the name US Route 491. It still exists. It just got a simple name change.

The legends that exist along what used to be Route 666 range from ghostly apparitions to demonic drivers of vehicles barreling down the road to run you off the road.

One of the stories regarding a deadly drive is the legend of the Mad Trucker.

According to the legends, someone driving alone at night on Route 666 would find themselves confronted by a semi-truck driving at an intense rate of speed in the middle of the road. Supposedly, in some cases, the truck would even be engulfed in flames. The demonic semi would then barrel toward the oncoming vehicle, leading to the poor unsuspecting individual being run off the road at best.

At least, that's how the stories go.

Then there are the hounds of hell that supposedly roam Route 666. They're exactly what you would expect. They are hounds, from hell, that roam the Route. If you should come upon their pack along RT666, the first thing they'll do is attack your tires. From there, just use your imagination. None of what comes next is good.

There have also been stories of disappearances and time loss, where people simply disappear and reappear at a later time with no idea what happened or where they had been. Legend has it that Satan's Sedan will find you along Route 666 and torment you as you drive along. There are even stories of skinwalkers who lurk along the route.

Another legend, less deadly, is that of a lady who haunts Route 666. Supposedly, she walks at night along the road. Travelers who pull over to help the lady wandering late at night will find that she has disappeared.

While I can't say for sure that there is any validity to any of these legends, they are great for campfires. If you're down for a road trip that might wind up with you being in another dimension or being tormented by denizens of hell, then you might want to make your way to old Route 666.