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.

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

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.

1925 Italian Bar Bridge is a very scenic bridge located on the boundary of Fresno County and Madera County, at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. It’s one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Central Valley of California represents one of the most stressed road environments in the United States. Federal road condition data consistently ranks the region's urban and rural arterials among the most deteriorated in the nation. This systematic degradation of the pavement is not merely a matter of driver discomfort; it is a critical safety variable that introduces unpredictable hazards, increases vehicle mechanical failure rates, and compromises the integrity of the state's primary agricultural logistics corridors.

The remote Top of the World Highway is a very scenic drive between Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska. Built in 1955, the winding road is only open during the summer months. It’s one of the highest roads in Alaska.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Selecting a used 4x4 vehicle for high-consequence off-road expeditions is a technical challenge that goes beyond aesthetics. In remote areas where recovery services are non-existent, your vehicle is your primary life-support system. Whether you are navigating the rocky passes of the San Juan Mountains or the isolated tundra of the Dalton Highway, understanding the mechanical hierarchy of off-road platforms is essential for ensuring both operational success and personal safety.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

On June 2018, the French auto racing driver Romain Dumas climbed behind the wheel of the electric Volkswagen I.D. R and beat the all-time Pikes Peak record from Sebastien Loeb by setting the first-ever time under eight minutes.

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.

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.

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.

Las Vegas Convention Center Loop is the name of an underground tunnel system located in Las Vegas, in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada.

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.

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.

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

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.

South Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.258m (10,688ft) above the sea level, located in San Juan County, in the U.S. state of Utah. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Utah.

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.

Sacramento Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 9,262ft (2.823m) above the sea level, located in Otero County, in the south-central part of the US State of New Mexico.

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.

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.

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.

Mid-Basin Road is a short gravel road located in the the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, in Nevada, USA. It’s a 4wd track.

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.

Webb Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.043m (9,984ft) above the sea level, located in Graham County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Arizona. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Arizona.

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