Frog Rock on Route 66

Phyllis Schaffer, a longtime Waynesville resident, was driving the historic Route 66 alignment outside town in the mid-1990s when she noticed — really noticed, for the first time — that the big sandstone boulder near the road looked an awful lot like a frog. Other locals had apparently been pointing it out for decades, but no one had ever done anything about it. Schaffer mentioned the observation to her family, who agreed the resemblance was uncanny, and the idea of actually painting the rock to make the frog official took hold.

In 1996, with permission from the local landowner, Schaffer and a small group of volunteers spent a weekend painting the rock with exterior-grade green paint, adding white circles for eyes with black pupils, and outlining a friendly mouth. The first paint job was modest, but the response from passing travelers was immediate and enthusiastic. Cars started pulling over to photograph the rock, and within a year Frog Rock had become a recognized Route 66 attraction.

The rock has been repainted several times in the decades since to keep the colors fresh — the green fades after a few years of sun and rain, and the eyes occasionally need touching up. The Pulaski County Tourism Bureau now coordinates the periodic repainting, treating Frog Rock as a small but important piece of the county's Route 66 heritage. Local schoolchildren sometimes help with the repainting as a community art project.

Frog Rock is located on the original alignment of Route 66 (now also designated as Historic 66 / Highway Z) just west of downtown Waynesville. From the courthouse square in Waynesville, head west on Historic Route 66 for about 2 miles and watch for the gravel pullout on the right (north) side of the road just before a bend. The rock itself is impossible to miss once you are within a few hundred feet — its green color stands out against the gray sandstone and surrounding forest.

The pullout has room for maybe 4-5 cars and is not paved, so be cautious in wet weather. Step out of your car, walk a short distance to the rock (about 30 feet from the parking area), and take your photos from the road side for the best frog-on-display angle. Morning light is generally best for photography, with the sun coming from the east and lighting the frog's face. Late afternoon also works, though shadows can fall across the eyes.

Visitors are welcome to walk right up to the rock and even pose alongside it, though climbing on it is discouraged — both for visitor safety and to protect the paintwork. The rock has become an Instagram favorite for Route 66 travelers, and you will often see people taking photos of pets, kids, or themselves alongside the frog. There is no formal sign or interpretive plaque at the rock, just the frog itself.

Frog Rock sits on a particularly scenic stretch of original 1926 Route 66 that has changed remarkably little since the road was first laid out. The current Highway Z / Historic 66 alignment follows the original road grade through the Big Piney River valley, with the same curves, the same shoulders, and largely the same roadside views that 1930s travelers would have seen. Driving this stretch with Frog Rock as your destination is a genuine experience of unmediated historic Route 66.

Combine Frog Rock with the other Pulaski County Route 66 highlights: the Devils Elbow Bridge a few miles further west (the marquee Route 66 attraction in the county), Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ for lunch or beer, the Old Stagecoach Stop Museum in downtown Waynesville, and Roubidoux Spring in the city park. A morning visit to Frog Rock and Devils Elbow pairs naturally with an afternoon in downtown Waynesville and dinner at Cookin' From Scratch or Elbow Inn.

For the 2026 Centennial year, the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau is planning enhanced Route 66 signage along Highway Z including improved markers for Frog Rock, and there will likely be a fresh paint job for the centennial. Travelers passing through during 2026 should expect to see Frog Rock looking its best for the milestone year.