Top 10 most scenic drives

[Gumby]

The young wife and I love driving, and even more so on a breathtakingly beautiful road. I thought I'd list the ten best drives we've been on and encourage others to list their favorites.

1. Needles Highway, Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota (SD 87)- 14 miles of incredible rock formations, beautiful views, hairpin turns and really narrow tunnels through the granite.

2. Iron Mountain Road, Custer State Park, Black Hills of South Dakota (US 16A)- the road back north. Incredible tunnels, pigtail bridges, hairpin turns and great views of Mt. Rushmore framed by every tunnel. If I had limited time, I'd skip Mt. Rushmore and just drive on Iron Mountain Road and the Needles Highway.

3. Spearfish Canyon (US 14A), Black Hills of South Dakota -- 22 miles of a river and a road and nearly vertical canyon walls. Incredibly beautiful.

4. Beartooth Highway (US 212) from Cooke City to Red Lodge Montana -- the highest highway in the US (10,947 ft. at the summit of the pass), with remarkable switchbacks and stunning views.

5. Logan Canyon, Utah -- US 89 winds through beautiful formations from Logan to the aquamarine colored Bear Lake.

6. Firehole Canyon Drive, Yellowstone Park, Wyoming -- waterfalls, rushing river, great rock formations.

7. Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - beautiful ocean vistas, rocky headlands, winding road.

8. Amalfi Coast, Italy -- road from Sorrento to Ravello and Amalfi (SS163) - achingly beautiful ocean views, scenic old houses, and hairpin turns.

9. Overseas Highway (US 1) from Islamorada to Key West, Florida - what could be better than a seven mile long bridge over beautiful tropical waters?

10. The Old North Road on Madeira Island, Portugal -- breathtaking ocean views, waterfalls over the road, precipitous cliffs right out the window. Incredibly thrilling.

 

[gerntz]

We've done 4 & 6-9. Scratch my head that Yosemite Valley drive & east entrance drive into Zion aren't listed above several of those we've taken. Water drives of the Napali Coast & Glacier Bay are up there too.

 

[Gumby]

We've done 4 & 6-9. Scratch my head that Yosemite Valley drive & east entrance drive into Zion aren't listed above several of those we've taken. Water drives of the Napali Coast & Glacier Bay are up there too.

Yosemite and Zion aren't listed because we have not yet been there. I just listed the ones I have actually driven.

PS - since most people have probably not been to Madeira, here's a video of what of what I mean by precipitous cliffs (skip to about 1:50).
https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...c642d9b5b5060df609fe527b30a50a56&action=click

 

[aja8888]

Twisted Sisters, Hill Country, Texas:

https://ridermagazine.com/2013/07/08/twisted-sisters-the-texas-hill-countrys-most-famous-trio/

 

[Gumby]

Twisted Sisters, Hill Country, Texas:

https://ridermagazine.com/2013/07/08/twisted-sisters-the-texas-hill-countrys-most-famous-trio/

Our preferred ride is our 2001 BMW Z3 Roadster. Although we do not ride a bike, I bet it would still be a great ride.

 

[Bamaman]

I traveled for many years working out of Atlanta. And the many vistas I've seen are almost forgotten. And we usually spend a more or so in Europe yearly. But my favorites are:
1. Grossglockner High Alpine Road south of Zell-am-See, Austria and north of Lintz, Austria. The Alps go up to 14,000 feet here, and it's the most beautiful place I have ever seen.
2. U.S. 1 south of Monterrey/Carmel, CA and north of Morro Bay. Road goes up to 2,000' above the ocean.
3. The Hawaiian Islands of Hawaii, Maui and especially Kauai where the mountains go up to 10,000 feet straight up.
4. Blue Ridge Parkway southwest of Asheville, NC at 5:00 a.m. on a clear, cold winter day.
5. Cherohala Skyway--40 miles mountain road east of Tellico Plains, TN going to Robinsonville, NC. It's 200,000 acres of wild mountain bear habitat. Yosemite has better water falls, but the scenery is about equal.

We keep a RV in the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains. I came over the Richard Russell Highway a couple of weeks ago at daybreak, and the view from the Appalachian Trail was world class @ 4500' elevation.

 

[aja8888]

Our preferred ride is our 2001 BMW Z3 Roadster. Although we do not ride a bike, I bet it would still be a great ride.

Roadsters are welcome. I drove it last year with my 2002 BMW 325 Ci, 5 speed. Great BBQ stops also.

 

[timo2]

I've done 1-6. I would add Hwy 1 in California around Big Sur; Hwy 191 between Springerville and Clifton AZ; Hwy 160 between Pagosa Springs and South Fork Colorado; and Hwy 2 between Sandpoint Idaho and Glacier Nat. Park

 

[Gumby]

I traveled for many years working out of Atlanta. And the many vistas I've seen are almost forgotten. And we usually spend a more or so in Europe yearly. But my favorites are:
1. Grossglockner High Alpine Road south of Zell-am-See, Austria and north of Lintz, Austria. The Alps go up to 14,000 feet here, and it's the most beautiful place I have ever seen.
2. U.S. 1 south of Monterrey/Carmel, CA and north of Morro Bay. Road goes up to 2,000' above the ocean.
3. The Hawaiian Islands of Hawaii, Maui and especially Kauai where the mountains go up to 10,000 feet straight up.
4. Blue Ridge Parkway southwest of Asheville, NC at 5:00 a.m. on a clear, cold winter day.
5. Cherohala Skyway--40 miles mountain road east of Tellico Plains, TN going to Robinsonville, NC. It's 200,000 acres of wild mountain bear habitat. Yosemite has better water falls, but the scenery is about equal.

We keep a RV in the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains. I came over the Richard Russell Highway a couple of weeks ago at daybreak, and the view from the Appalachian Trail was world class @ 4500' elevation.

We've been on the PCH, but only from Santa Monica to Ventura. It was beautiful there, and I hear it is even better further north. When I was a boy, we lived in Hawaii; I recall the old road from Honolulu up to the Nuuanu Pali and then on down to Kaneohe Bay to be quite beautiful, although I was only ever a passenger.

 

[Ronstar]

Been on a lot of road trips - mostly US. These come to mind:

Rte 89A Sedona to Flagstaff, Arizona
Million dollar highway - Colorado 550 Durango to Ouray
Pacific Coast Highway, California
17 mile road Monterrey/Carmel Ca
The Road to Hana, Hawaii
Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire
Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park
Zion - Mount Carmel Highway, Utah
US 1 Florida Keys
Highway 101, Oregon
North shore highway - north of Duluth Mn along Lake Superior
Route 163/191 from Kayenta Az to Blanding, Ut (mainly Monument Valley)
Trans Canada Highway - Banff, Al to Field, BC
Ring of Kerry, ireland
Route 191 east of the Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake, Wy
Route 14a - Spearfish to Lead, South Dakota
Yosemite - tunnel view to El Capitan, Ca
Beartooth Highway north side of Yellowstone NP

 

[DrRoy]

We drove from Springdale, UT to Moab, taking in 5 national parks, 3 national monuments, and 3 state parks.

 

[donheff]

The Amalfi Drive has to be one of the best in the world. I have been on several of the others and they were great. I thought CA Hwy 1 from Bodega Bay to the Russian River was spectacular - I did that one by bike.

Last Tuesday I drove from the Joshua Tree National Park to the Salton Sea along the Box Canyon Road. It might not quite make this list but it was a beautiful surprise when all I expected was flat desert.

 

[folivier]

Don't forget "Tail of the Dragon".

 

[dirt_dobber]

Twisted Sisters, Hill Country, Texas:

https://ridermagazine.com/2013/07/08/twisted-sisters-the-texas-hill-countrys-most-famous-trio/

Absolutely the nest drive I have ever been on.
Frequently pulled over and stopped got out and just take it all in - amazing.
Then a small side trip to Lost Maples state park in the Fall.

 

[REWahoo]

Absolutely the nest drive I have ever been on.
Frequently pulled over and stopped got out and just take it all in - amazing.

If the idiot in front of me* on that drive last year had done that I would have had a much better day. Instead, he crept around every curve in the road (and there are a LOT of them) at 15-20 mph, even when the suggested speed was 40. To make matters even worse, when we came to the rare passing zone, he sped up to at or near the speed limit.

After 20+ frustrating miles of this I passed him, but due to him speeding up I could not get back in my lane in time, resulting in a strategically located county constable ticketing me for passing in a no-passing zone.

To this day I suspect the irritating driver in front of me was in cahoots with the county cop.


* Or the one driving my car!

 

[Beststash]

I think the Davis Mountains’ scenic drive, a 75-mile loop around the beautiful, high desert mountain country near Ft. Davis, Tx is one of the best on a clear day. If your a hiker the hike to "Old Baldy" (not the one near Wimberley) is good and the views are amazing.

 

[Midpack]

I haven't spent much time out west where many of the above mentioned are.

Probably doesn't compare, but I never pass up an opportunity to experience Ten Mile Drive or what locals call "The Drive."

https://www.newport-discovery-guide.com/ocean-drive.html

There are quite a few wonderful drives all along the New England coastline from Maine down to eastern CT and out on eastern Long Island.

 

[Bir48die]

Columbia Gorge in the Fall or Spring

Hwy 1 and 101 in Oregon

 

[RockyMtn]

Colorado 550 Durango to Ridgeway. Hwy 62/145 from Ridgeway to Telluride and Hwy 145/185 from Telluride back into Durango. Great three to five day loop through the Colorado mountains.

 

[MRG]

Colorado 550 Durango to Ridgeway. Hwy 62/145 from Ridgeway to Telluride and Hwy 145/185 from Telluride back into Durango. Great three to five day loop through the Colorado mountains.

We drove that a couple years ago in the fall. It's a great drive, unfortunately I had vertigo and it wasn't as much fun as you might think.

 

[RunningBum]

If the idiot in front of me* on that drive last year had done that I would have had a much better day. Instead, he crept around every curve in the road (and there are a LOT of them) at 15-20 mph, even when the suggested speed was 40. To make matters even worse, when we came to the rare passing zone, he sped up to at or near the speed limit.

After 20+ frustrating miles of this I passed him, but due to him speeding up I could not get back in my lane in time, resulting in a strategically located county constable ticketing me for passing in a no-passing zone.

To this day I suspect the irritating driver in front of me was in cahoots with the county cop.


* Or the one driving my car!

I get this sometimes on the Blue Ridge parkway. There's a 13 mile stretch that's barely longer than taking other roads for most places I drive, so I take it a lot. Most people will pull off at an overlook or picnic area when they notice I've caught them and they realize they're holding me back, but there are some oblivious drivers. I try to take it in stride, and avoid the parkway if I'm in a time crunch. I also know where the passing spots are, but it would be really frustrating to have them speed up there. I'd probably use my horn to get them to let me pass before the zone ended, or give up and fall back behind them. There are some really blind curves and hills so I'm putting everyone's life at risk if I haven't finished my pass when the zone ended.

Anyway, I put a lot of sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive (parkway extended into Shen. Natl Park) on the list of scenic drives.

 

[kgtest]

Been on a lot of road trips - mostly US. These come to mind:

Rte 89A Sedona to Flagstaff, Arizona
Million dollar highway - Colorado 550 Durango to Ouray
Pacific Coast Highway, California
17 mile road Monterrey/Carmel Ca
The Road to Hana, Hawaii
Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire
Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park
Zion - Mount Carmel Highway, Utah
US 1 Florida Keys
Highway 101, Oregon
North shore highway - north of Duluth Mn along Lake Superior
Route 163/191 from Kayenta Az to Blanding, Ut (mainly Monument Valley)
Trans Canada Highway - Banff, Al to Field, BC
Ring of Kerry, ireland
Route 191 east of the Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake, Wy
Route 14a - Spearfish to Lead, South Dakota
Yosemite - tunnel view to El Capitan, Ca
Beartooth Highway north side of Yellowstone NP

+1 for the North Shore Hwy north of Duluth...beautiful in the summer or winter!

 

[Keim]

The Avenue of Glaciers from Bannf to Jasper in Canada is #1 for me. By a mile, err couple kilometers. Otherwise, listed in no particular order:
Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park.
Beartooth Hwy near Yellowstone.
17 Mile Drive in Monterey.
Spiral Hwy near Lewiston ID.
Rattlesnake Grade also near Lewiston.
Columbia River Gorge from Tri-Cities to Portland.

 

[Chuckanut]

Don't forget "Tail of the Dragon".

Forget it?

I have never heard of it and have no idea what it is.

 

[Chuckanut]

The Natchez Trace National Parkway - 444 miles of two lane road without so much as one stop sign or stop light on the road itself. Filled with scenery, hiking trails and history. You will touch three states - Tennessee, Mississippi, and clip the corner of Alabama.

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile recreational road and scenic drive through three states. It roughly follows the "Old Natchez Trace" a historic travel corridor used by American Indians, "Kaintucks," European settlers, slave traders, soldiers, and future presidents. Today, people can enjoy not only a scenic drive but also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping along the parkway.