North American Scenic Highways
My wife and I have just returned from a vacation in the Canadian Rockies; in particular, Banff and Jasper National Parks, where the Icefields Highway is promoted as one of the most spectacular drives in North America and the world. His proclamation made me think of the best scenic drives I’ve taken in North America.
Here is a description of five of my favorite scenic drives in North America, followed by a list of several others.
I invite you to submit your thoughts and comments, whether you agree or disagree. If you have a favorite scenic drive that I didn’t mention, I’d love to hear about it. Here it goes:
1) Big Sur, Highway 1
Many people consider the 100-mile drive through Big Sur to be the greatest drive in the world. Too spectacular to be called a highway, Big Sur Highway is the crown jewel of the famed Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), many sections of which qualify for exceptional scenic status. Every mile allows you to experience the ocean crashing against the bottom of the cliffs a hundred meters below you or, across the road, the fields of bright green grass. If you can’t travel in both directions, I recommend starting your trip from the far north; you will be next to the ocean during the entire trip. The northern tip of Big Sur, between Carmel and Carmel Highlands and 2.5 hours south of San Francisco, has one of my two favorite road signs: It shows the meandering line, indicating a curvy road, with the text “Next 84 miles”. The highway passes Point Lobos (one of California’s best state parks), Carmel Highlands, and soon crosses the Bixby Creek Bridge, one of the most photographed spots in California. Many people consider the view from Rocky Point Restaurant, a little further south, to be the best sunset in the world. Between here and Cambria, the southern tip of Big Sur, you’ll pass Nepenthe (another world-class viewing spot), Hearst Castle (the most expensive home in the US), and countless stunning photo opportunities. The entire Big Sur coastline is a National Marine Sanctuary (sea otter refuge). The fog in midsummer surprises most visitors. The temperature rarely exceeds 70 degrees and most of the time hovers around 55. The best weather is between November and April, when migrating whales can be seen from the road.
2. The Overseas Highway (Florida Keys), US 1
This voyage is exceptional, if only for the fact that it stretches 100 miles into the Straits of Florida, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The Keys Highway leaves the Florida peninsula just outside the Everglades, an hour south of Miami, and immediately takes you through the city and the island of Key Largo. The trail then continues 100 miles to the southernmost point of the continental United States, Key West, just 90 miles from Cuba. It seems that you spend half the trip over water and half the trip on various small islands, with names like Duck Key and Pine Key (or Big Pine Key and Little Pine Key). One of the highlights of the trip is crossing the seven-mile bridge, featured in the movie “True Lies,” and inevitably wondering if hurricanes can suddenly appear out of nowhere (ocean) like their tornado cousins. Otherwise the boost is so relaxing and calming. Unlike Big Sur, you almost have to drive this road in both directions, so it might as well take at least a week. Be sure to try the conch fritters and the lime pie!
3) Tioga Highway, Highway 120
At 9,945 feet, Tioga Pass, the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park, is the highest automobile pass in California. You can’t enter this area of the park during the winter and you should be able to see snow in places during the middle of summer. This year, the campground at Tuolumne Meadows, less than 5 miles west of Tioga Pass, didn’t open until July or August due to additional winter snow. Tuolumne Meadows is a beautiful alpine paradise with wildflowers throughout the spring and summer. Tioga Road passes Lake Tenaya and Yosemite Creek on its 40-mile drive into Yosemite Valley. However, by far the most spectacular scenery is found between Tuolumne Meadows and Highway 395 near Mono Lake.
4) Trail Ridge Road, Highway 34
Trail Ridge Road offers a convenient way to experience arctic tundra conditions without traveling to northern Canada or upper Alaska. This trail, in Rocky Mountain National Park, is above 11,000 feet for at least 10 miles, peaking at 12,183 feet near the Alpine Visitor Center at Fall River Pass. The road crosses the continental divide four miles west of here at Milner Pass. I like to enter through the entrance of the Fall River Ranger Station near Estes Park. Almost immediately you will reach Sheep Lakes and hopefully see some bighorn sheep.
5) Teton Park Road, Grand Teton National Park, US 29
The Tetons are different from other mountain ranges because they rise directly from the ground and don’t have any hills to obscure the view. From the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park, take US 29, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway into Grand Teton National Park. You will pass Jackson Lake and the Colter Bay Visitor Center. Take Teton Park Road into Jackson Lake Junction. A special side trip is the turnoff to Signal Mountain with a vast panorama of the entire park. The three lugs (Grand, Middle, and South) dominate the view as you drive south. In addition to the rugged, rugged mountains, you may see moose, coyotes, or deer.
Here are some lesser-known scenic drives that represent the beauty of North America:
Canada
Icefields Highway (Alberta)
North Vancouver to Whistler (British Columbia)
USA
Skyline Drive (better than Blue Ridge Parkway)
Highway 101 through Northern California and Southern Oregon
drive around Crater Lake, Oregon
Chain of Craters Road and Crater Rim Drive in Volcanoes NP, Hawaii
Highway 462, Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Natzhez Trace Trail (Columbus, TN to Natchez, MS)
Wolf Creek Pass, Highway 160, Colorado (Best Continental Divide Crossing)
Durango to Silverton (Southwest Colorado)
Million Dollar Road outside of Ouray, Colorado
drive around Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada border
US 1 along the coast of Maine (and Highway 3 to Acadia Nat’l Park)
Mohawk Trail, MA
Kancamagus Highway (Highway 112), New Hampshire (Conway to Lincoln)
Highway 82, J. Davis Memorial Highway (Tifton, GA to Columbus, MS)
Highway 191 around Moab, Utah and Arches National Park
Portuguese Bend, California
Interstate highways (here are some particularly scenic parts):
I-10 west of New Orleans (via Swampland)
I-15 Arizona (beautiful canyons)
I-24 Western Kentucky (beautiful scenery)
I-25 Cheyenne to Denver (amazing sunsets and scenery)
I-80 Truckee, CA to Reno, NV (Donner Pass)
I-84 Columbia Gorge, Oregon
I-90 Missoula to Billings (city dwellers should try this one)
I hope this inspires you to drive some of North America’s scenic highways and byways on your next vacation.
