Route 66 Meets the Smoky Hills
Joplin knows something about legendary American roads. Route 66 carved its way through town, bringing generations of travelers past Bonnie and Clyde's hideout apartment and the neon signs that still line the old highway. At Smoky Valley Distillery, we're on a different kind of road — KS-4, winding through the Smoky Hills of central Kansas — but we share Route 66's spirit of discovery and the open road.
The drive from Joplin to Marquette crosses some of the most dramatic landscape transitions in the Great Plains, from the Ozark foothills to the wide-open prairies to the rolling sandstone hills around our distillery.
Getting Here from Joplin
The most direct route takes US-69 N from Joplin to the Kansas Turnpike (I-35), then north to Wichita. From Wichita, take I-135 N through McPherson and connect to KS-4 W to Marquette. Total drive time is about 3 hours and 45 minutes.
For a more adventurous route, take US-400 W across southern Kansas through Pittsburg and Independence, then cut north on US-77 or KS-15. This adds time but takes you through genuinely untouched small-town Kansas.
Buy Our Spirits
Missouri distribution through Vintegrity is in the works — ask your Joplin liquor store to request our products. The nearest current retailer is Brook's Liquor in Salina, KS. At the distillery, our retail shop is open Thursday through Saturday with all 10 spirits plus limited releases.
A Road Tripper's Distillery Weekend
Joplin residents appreciate a good road trip — it's in the town's DNA. Here's a two-day itinerary that makes the most of the drive:
Day 1:
- Depart Joplin in the morning and head north through the Kansas prairies
- Stop in Wichita for lunch — try the Old Town district
- Continue north to Marquette, arriving by mid-afternoon
- Check into Preston House and walk to the distillery for a late afternoon tasting
- Enjoy live music and cocktails at the venue Saturday evening
Day 2:
- Explore Lindsborg ("Little Sweden USA") — 25 minutes east
- Visit the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery and browse Swedish shops
- Stop at Grand Falls — Missouri's largest natural waterfall — on the way home through Joplin
More Than a Tasting — An Experience
What sets Smoky Valley apart from any distillery you'll find along Route 66 or in the Ozarks is the personal touch. Owners Stan and Michele Von Strohe run every aspect of the operation, from grain selection to the pour in your glass. Our Kernza Whiskey is made from a grain you've never tasted — a perennial wheat developed in Kansas that produces a whiskey unlike anything else in production. Our Wild Plum Vodka uses fruit from the same hills you'll see on the drive in.
Joplin has Grand Falls, the largest natural waterfall in Missouri. We have Bud & Dewey's — the smoothest wheated bourbon in Kansas. Both are worth the trip.