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.

Round Mountain

Round Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.216m (10,551ft) above the sea level, located in Inyo County, in the U.S. state of California. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of California.

How To Travel The Beaver Creek Road

County Road 655 (Beaver Creek Road) is a high mountain road located in Park County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. It’s one of the highest roads of Colorado.

A wild road to Pipestone Pass in MT

Pipestone Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.972m (6,469ft) above the sea level, located in Silver Bow County, in the U.S. state of Montana.

Magleby Pass

Magleby Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.216m (10,551ft) above the sea level, located in Sevier County, in the U.S. state of Utah. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Utah.

Revelation Lift

Located in San Miguel County, Colorado, in USA, the Revelation Lift lies at an elevation of 3.837m (12,588ft) above the sea level. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado.

Driving the scenic ME-17, the highest paved road in Maine

State Route 17 is a very scenic drive in the central part of the US state of Maine. It’s the highest paved road in Maine.

Empire Pass

Empire Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.678m (8,786ft) above the sea level, located in Clear Creek County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

What are the Most Scenic Roads In Nevada?

The geography of Nevada is defined by a rhythmic succession of linear mountain ranges separated by wide, arid basins. Beyond the high-density illumination of the Las Vegas strip, the state’s road network traverses some of the most geologically volatile and isolated terrain in North America. Navigating these roads requires a strategic approach to logistics—specifically fuel management and thermal regulation—as many corridors cross high-altitude passes and vast alkali flats with zero service availability.

Mustang Pass

Mustang Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.011m (9,878ft) above the sea level, located in Esmeralda County, in the U.S. state of Nevada. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Nevada.

Lookout Mountain

Lookout Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.707m (8,881ft) above the sea level, located in Sierra County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Cone Peak, the second highest mountain in the Santa Lucia Range

Cone Peak is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1.261m (4,137ft) above the sea level, located in Monterey County, on the Big Sur coast of California, USA.

Beckwourth Peak

Beckwourth Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.205m (7,234ft) above the sea level, located in Plumas County, in California, United States. The road is very steep: the average gradient is 8.59%.

Driving The Strip, the heart of Las Vegas

Located in Clark County, in the US state of Nevada, The Strip is the best-known street in all of Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. It is perhaps the most iconic and well-known street in the city, and indeed, one of the most famous streets in the world.

Mount Hamilton

Mount Hamilton is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.091m (10,141ft) above the sea level, located in White Pine County, along the central eastern boundary of the U.S. state of Nevada. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Nevada.

Upheaval Dome

Upheaval Dome is a striking volcanic-type crater located in the Canyonlands National Park of southern Utah, in USA, at an elevation of 1.737m (5,698ft) above the sea level.

Road to Eightmile Mesa: Driving the 2,494m USFS #651 in Colorado

Located in Archuleta County, Colorado, Eightmile Mesa is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,494m (8,182ft) above sea level. Situated within the San Juan National Forest, the summit is accessed via the Eight Mile Mesa Rd (USFS Road #651), a technical unpaved track that provides logistical access to a high-altitude fire lookout tower built in 1963.

Road trip guide: Conquering Crown Point Road in CO

Crown Point Road is the name of a very scenic high mountain drive located in Larimer County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

South Lake

South Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.999m (9,839ft) above the sea level, located in Inyo County, in the U.S. state of California. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of California.

Driving the unpaved Snake Creek Road to Johnson's Mill in Nevada

Johnson's Mill is a historic mining site at an elevation of 3,074 meters (10,085 ft) above sea level located in White Pine County, in the US state of Nevada. It is one of the highest roads of Nevada.

Highway 111 hugs the mountains and connects Palm Springs to the rest of the valley

State Route 111 (SR 111) is a significant state highway in the US state of California, spanning from Calexico in the south to Whitewater near Palm Springs in the north. It serves as a crucial north-south route through the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley.

Driving to Kerr Notch: The best view of Crater Lake’s Phantom Ship

Kerr Notch is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,038m (6,686ft) above sea level, located on the southeastern rim of Crater Lake in Oregon. It is one of the most significant geological and historical points on the Rim Drive, offering a unique perspective on the massive volcanic collapse that created the deepest lake in the USA.

Blue Lakes

Blue Lakes is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.573m (11,722ft) above the sea level, located in Summit County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Gentry Mountain

Gentry Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.066m (10,059ft) above the sea level, located in Emery County, in the U.S. state of Utah.

Pegleg Mountain

Pegleg Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.166m (7,106ft) above the sea level, located in Lassen County, in the U.S. state of California.

Arrastre Lake

Arrastre Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.120m (10,236fft) 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.

How to drive the unpaved road to Monumental Summit in Idaho?

Monumental Summit is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.628m (8,622ft) above sea level located in Valley County, in the U.S. state of Idaho.

An Analysis of the Worst Roads in the USA

The integrity of the United States' road network is subject to extreme regional variance, dictated by localized climate volatility, freight tonnage, and infrastructure investment. While some states maintain high-durability corridors, others operate under a state of chronic structural decay. Navigating the worst roads in the U.S. requires a technical understanding of surface failure—from thermal-induced black ice to the mechanical impact of pavement delamination—and a strategic approach to vehicle preservation.

Benson Ridge

Benson Ridge is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.906m (9,534ft) above the sea level, located in Otero County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

South Pass

South Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.248m (10,656ft) above the sea level located in the Saguache County, in Colorado, USA.

How to drive the paved road to Barker Dam in California?

Barker Dam is a high mountain dam at an elevation of 1.301m (4268ft) above sea level, located in Riverside County, in the US state of California.

Is the Great River Road Great Because of the River or Because of the Road?

The Great River Road follows the Mississippi River generally from New Orleans to Minnesota. For long stretches, the road is a wonderful panoply of river, bluffs, and picturesque small towns. For other long stretches, the road is too far from the river for travelers to see the river and the towns are less than picturesque.

Bare Cone

Bare Cone is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.386m (7,828ft) above the sea level, located in Ravalli County, in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana. Elk, mule deer, badgers, coyotes, and black bears can be seen along the trail.

The Great River Road Replaces Danger with the Amazing Natural Beauty of the Mississippi River

The Great River Road is one of the most extensive and strategically significant scenic corridors in the United States. Spanning approximately 3,000 miles from the headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, this road follows the complex hydrology of the Mississippi River. While it lacks the high-altitude hairpin turns of the Rockies, it presents its own set of navigational challenges: narrow river-town transits, significant humidity shifts, and the unique topography of the Driftless Area, where towering bluffs constrain the road to the river's edge.

An Unforgettable Drive to Blewett Pass in WA

Blewett Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.254m (4,114ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Kittitas and Chelan counties, in the U.S. state of Washington.

Last Chance Road

Last Chance Road (USFS Road 44-22) is a very demanding drive located. Placer County, California, in USA.

How to Drive High Park Road in Colorado?

High Park Road, also known as County Road 11, is a very scenic drive spanning Fremont and Teller counties in the U.S. state of Colorado.

How to drive the difficult road to Star Point in Utah

Star Point is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.067m (10,062ft) above sea level located in the Carbon County, in the US state of Utah.

Surprising Things That Can Cause A Dangerous Accident or Breakdown in the USA

While most drivers on America’s roads focus on hazards like speeding or distracted driving, the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) suggests that up to 96% of accidents could be avoided by addressing less obvious factors. From the backroads of Maine to the highways of Ohio, some of the most dangerous threats are also the most surprising.

How to drive the road to Highland Peak in Nevada?

Highland Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.862m (9,389ft) above sea level, located in Lincoln County, in the US state of Nevada.

Monument Peak

Monument Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.040m (9,973ft) above the sea level, located in El Dorado County, California, in USA. It’s one of the highest roads of California.

Travel guide to Hunt Mountain, in the Big Horn Range

Hunt Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.062m (10,045ft) above sea level, located in Big Horn County, in the U.S. state of Wyoming.

Sunset Pass

Sunset Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.806m (5,925ft) above the sea level, located in Garfield County, in south central Utah, United States. The road is normally an easy drive, but recommended doing it in dry weather.

Haystack Gate

Haystack Gate is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.963m (9,721ft) above the sea level located in the Pitkin County, in Colorado, USA.

Driving the unpaved Mahogany Road to Gunsight Pass in Oregon

Gunsight Pass is a high-altitude desert gap situated at an elevation of 1,930 meters (6,332 ft) above sea level in Malheur County, within the remote southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. The pass is traversed by Mahogany Road, a 33-kilometer (20.5 miles) unpaved mountain track that runs through the volcanic soil structures of the Succor Creek drainage basin near the Idaho border.