What are the most spectacular roads in the USA?

Located in North America, the USA is a true paradise for drivers, as it hosts more than 2,000 roads listed as the most spectacular in the world.

Featuring mountains, deserts, coasts, and snow, in the USA you’ll get your dream road. And you’ll never want to wake up. For instance, at the top of your list, you need to drive the Million Dollar Highway, the most beautiful road in America, and probably in the world. Built in the late 1880s, you'll be on the "outside" for a while with a hell of a view to your right (let the passenger enjoy the view; you'll want to watch the road). Another paved option must be the Iron Mountain Road, featuring 17 miles, 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails, and 3 tunnels in the Black Hills of South Dakota. No list would be complete without the winding Tail of the Dragon: 318 curves in 11 miles. Spanning Tennessee and North Carolina, it is one of the most scenic drives in the USA. You also can’t skip driving Mount Evans Scenic Byway, the highest paved road in North America, climbing up to 4,310m (14,130ft) in Colorado. It is said to be the highest paved road in North America.

For those who prefer unpaved experiences, the country hosts some of the most defiant yet scenic roads in the world. You can’t miss Black Bear Pass, a high mountain adventure in the Colorado Rockies. Climbing up to 3,915m (12,844ft) above sea level, it's one of the highest roads in Colorado. You can also discover the beauty of Engineer Pass, a mountain pass at an elevation of 3,901m (12,800ft) above sea level in Colorado. It’s mostly a first-gear ride because the road is rough and rocky. The legendary Shafer Trail Road in Utah's Canyonlands National Park is an iconic drive located on the east-central edge of Utah. At times, the road is so narrow that only one car can pass. And Lippincott Mine Road in California is for experienced 4WD drivers using high-clearance vehicles only. You'll need a good map, as the routes are not marked and there are no signs. It’s one of the challenging backcountry roads in Death Valley National Park.

Lobo Overlook sits at an elevation of 3.585m (11,761ft) above the sea level in Mineral County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. The summit offers breathtaking panorama views of the San Juan Mountains and west toward Pagosa Springs.

Located in Iowa, in USA, the 320th Avenue Bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Snow Valley Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.813m (9,229ft) above the sea level, located in Carson City, in the U.S. state of Nevada.

Currant Creek Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.891m (9,485ft) above the sea level, located in the Front Range of central Colorado, USA.

Woody Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.440m (8,006ft) above the sea level, located in Coconino County, in the north central part of the U.S. state of Arizona.

This 18-kilometer highway abounds with steep turns, bends, and junctions, and is very popular with fans of fast driving. I decided to look at it with my own eyes.In the 1950s, the federal government paved the highway and turned it into Highway 129. This road, which connects sleepy villages deep in the Appalachian forests, is of secondary importance, and it was not used much until the 1990s, when information about 318 turns began to circulate in online forums.

Hanson Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.890m (12,762ft) above the sea level, located in San Juan County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado.

Glenn Highway (part of Alaska Route 1) is a very scenic drive located in southcentral Alaska, in USA. The road takes you through several towns and natural wonders of Alaska.

Manastash Ridge is a mountain pass at an elevation of 825m (2,706ft) above the sea level, located in Kittitas County, in central Washington state in the United States.

Located in Butler County, Iowa, in USA, the 265th Street Bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Saddleback Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.843m (9,327ft) above the sea level, located in Clear Creek County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Highland Lakes are a pair of freshwater alpine lakes at an elevation of 2.631m (8,631ft) above the sea level, located in Alpine County, in the U.S. state of California.

Mount Werner is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.222m (10,570ft) above the sea level, located in the Rocky Mountains of northwestern Colorado, in USA.

Fox Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.864m (9,396ft) above the sea level, located in Catron County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Parker Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.622m (8,602ft) above the sea level located in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA.

White Bark Vista is a natural overlook at an elevation of 2.943m (9,655ft) above the sea level, located up the mountain above Fresno, in Fresno County, California, in USA. It’s one of the highest roads of California.

Fishhook Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.249m (10,659ft) above the sea level, located in Carbon County, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Wyoming.

Lookout Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.683m (5,522ft) above the sea level, located in Okanogan County, Washington, United States.  At the summit there’s a fire lookout.

Bigelow Divide is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.866m (9,403ft) above the sea level, located in Custer County, Colorado, in USA.

South Mountain is a high peak in the La Sal Mountains of San Juan County, Utah. While the summit towers above the range, the real challenge for drivers is the gravel track that climbs the southern flank of the mountain to an elevation of 3,258m (10,688ft) above sea level, making it one of the highest roads in Utah.

Sourdough Peak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.076m (6,811ft) above the sea level located in Idaho County, Idaho, in USA.

White Pine Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.924m (9,593ft) above the sea level, located in Larimer County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

McCord Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.296m (10,814ft) above the sea level located in the Eagle County, in Colorado, USA.

Malemute Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.899m (12,791ft) above the sea level, located in Pitkin County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. It’s one of the highest roads of Colorado.

Mount Guyot is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.571m (11,715ft) above the sea level, located in southeastern Summit County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

In June 2018, the technical limits of the Pikes Peak Highway were redefined when Romain Dumas piloted the electric Volkswagen I.D. R to an all-time record. This performance was critical from a logistical perspective, as it was the first time a vehicle completed the 19.99 km (12.42 miles) course in under eight minutes. Unlike internal combustion engines, which lose significant power at the 4,302m summit, the electric drivetrain provided a consistent torque profile throughout the 156 turns of the Pikes Peak ascent.

Promontory Divide is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.621m (8,599ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Custer and Huerfano counties, in southern Colorado, USA.

Metroz Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.581m (11,748ft) above the sea level located in Mineral County, Colorado, In USA.

North Tent Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.214m (10,544ft) above the sea level, located in Sanpete County, in the U.S. state of Utah. It’s one of the highest roads of Utah.

Feltham Creek Point is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.744m (9,002ft) above the sea level located in the Salmon River Mountains, in Custer County, Idaho, in USA. It's one of the highest roads of Idaho.

TX-166 is a winding mountain road through the Davis Mountains located in Jeff Davis County, Texas, in the USA. It's one of the highest roads in Texas.

Thompson Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.669m (8,756ft) above the sea level, located in Sublette County, Wyoming, in USA.

UM Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.208m (10,524ft) above the sea level, located in Sevier County, in the central section of the U.S. state of Utah. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Utah.

Porphyry Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) above sea level, located in the US state of Montana.

Islip Saddle is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.036m (6,680ft) above the sea level, located within the Angeles National Forest, in San Bernardino County, California, in USA.

Upper McCain Spring Road is a gravel road located in the Lake Owyhee State Park, in eastern Oregon, USA.

Long Tom Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.493m (8,179ft) above the sea level located in Lemhi County, in Idaho, USA.

Elk Park Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.936m (6,352 ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Silver Bow/Jefferson counties, in southwestern Montana, USA.

The historic Lolo Motorway is the name of a very scenic drive travelling through central Idaho, in the United States.

The Apache Point Observatory is a high-altitude research facility at an elevation of 2,801m (9,189ft) above sea level, located in Otero County, New Mexico. Technically, the access is via Apache Point Road, a short but specialized mountain spur that connects the observatory with the Sunspot Highway (NM Hwy-6563). Navigating this high-altitude paved section requires attention to surface grip volatility due to the dense forest canopy that characterizes the Sacramento Mountains.

With annual traffic fatalities in the United States consistently exceeding 40,000, the margin for error on high-consequence routes has reached a critical minimum. While automotive safety technology has advanced, the fundamental variables of road geometry, seasonal volatility, and human factors remain the primary drivers of risk. Navigating elite dangerous routes—such as the notorious Million Dollar Highway (US-550)—requires a shift from casual driving to a protocol-based expedition mindset.

Vermilion Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.838m (6,030ft) above the sea level located in Sanders County, in Montana, USA.

Black Lake is an alpine lake at an elevation of 2,206m (7,237ft) above sea level, located in Adams County, a rural county in the US state of Idaho.

Located in the U.S. state of Montana, Bitterroot-Big Hole Road is a very exciting journey through history. It is a narrow one-lane road.

Smith Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.340m (7,677ft) above the sea level, located in Plumas County, in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California.

Burnt Knob is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.466m (8,090ft) above the sea level, located in the southern Clearwater Mountains of Idaho County, Idaho, in USA.

Cass House Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.203m (10,508ft) above the sea level, located in Elko County, in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Nevada. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Nevada.

North Oscura Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.437m (7,995ft) above the sea level, located in Socorro County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

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