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.

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.

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.

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.

6 Tips for Making Sure You Are Well-Prepared for a Flat Tyre on a Road Trip in the USA

A tyre failure on a high-consequence route—such as the gravel-heavy Dalton Highway or the sharp volcanic tracks of the Mojave Desert—is a critical operational risk. Unlike standard highway driving, a flat tyre in remote sectors of the USA demands total mechanical autonomy. Continuing to operate a vehicle on a compromised carcass not only destroys the wheel rim but can lead to catastrophic lateral instability. Preparedness in these zones is defined by the quality of your recovery gear and your ability to execute repairs in hostile environments.

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%.

Don’t glance down at your phone on the County Road 867

County Road 867 is a high mountain road located in Gunnison County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Quartzite Mountain

Quartzite Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.654m (8,707ft) above the sea level located in Lemhi County, in Idaho, USA.

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.

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.

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 Old Kern Canyon Road is not a piece of cake

Located in Kern County, in the U.S. state of California, Old Kern Canyon Road is a very challenging drive.

Farwell Mountain

Farwell Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.302m (10,833ft) above the sea level located in Routt County, Colorado, In USA.

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.

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.

Road trip guide: Conquering Pilot Peak in ID

Pilot Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.476m (8,123ft) above the sea level, located in Boise County, in the U.S. state of Idaho. The top is adorned with a building, solar panels, and a bunch of communication gear.

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.

The Most Iconic Coastal Roads in Louisiana

Louisiana’s road network is a marvel of hydraulic engineering, traversing some of the most complex wetland ecosystems in North America. Beyond the urban grid of New Orleans, the state’s infrastructure relies on extensive causeways and elevated byways designed to withstand tropical storm surges and the shifting silt of the Mississippi Delta. Navigating these roads offers a study in maritime-terrestrial transition, requiring drivers to manage high-velocity crosswinds and the unique mechanical stress of high-humidity environments.

State Highway 103 is a chillout in the high mountains of Colorado

Colorado State Highway 103 is a high mountain road located in Clear Creek County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. Join us as we explore the story of this scenic road.

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.

Dixie Mountain

Dixie Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.525m (8,284ft) above the sea level, located in Lassen County, in northeastern California, USA.

Gooseberry Point

Gooseberry Point is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.154m (10,347ft) above the sea level located in Iron County, in Utah, USA.

A graded dirt road to Jefferson Lake

Jefferson Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.271m (10,731ft) above the sea level, located northwest of Jefferson off US Highway 285, in Park County, Colorado, in USA.

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.

Ulysses Mountain

Ulysses Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.333m (7,654ft) above the sea level located in the Salmon River Mountains, in Idaho, USA.

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.

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.

Lost Trail Road

Lost Trail Road is a high mountain trail located in Gunnison County, in the Crested Butte, Colorado area, USA.

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.

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.

How to drive the unpaved road to Middle Mountain in Coloado

Middle Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.610m (11,843ft) above sea level, located in Chaffee County, in the US state of Colorado.

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.

Mount Ogden

Mount Ogden is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.915m (9,563ft) above the sea level, located in Weber County, in the U.S. state of Utah.

Willow Divide

Willow Divide is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.182m (10,439ft) above the sea level located in Dolores County, in southwest Colorado, USA.

Star Point

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

Signal Peak: Ultimate 4wd destination in NM

Signal Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.744m (9,002ft) above the sea level, located in Grant County in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Shafer Butte

Shafer Butte is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.315m (7.595ft) above the sea level, located in Boise County, Southwest Idaho, in USA.

Alberta Park Reservoir

Located in Mineral County, in the U.S. state of Colorado, Alberta Park Reservoir sits at an elevation of 3.127m (10,259ft) above the sea level.

Cameron Mountain Pass: Driving the technical Ute Trail in Colorado

Cameron Mountain Pass is a high-altitude mountain gap reaching an elevation of 3,030m (9,940ft) above sea level in Chaffee County, Colorado. Situated within the rugged landscape of the central Rockies, the pass is accessed via County Road 175, also known as the Ute Trail. This is a historic unpaved transit that serves as a technical link through the high country, where the combination of loose gravel, rocky outcrops, and volatile weather defines the driving experience for any 4WD expedition.

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.

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.

Snowshoe Mountain

Snowshoe Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.494m (11,463ft) above the sea level located in Routt County, Colorado, In USA.

Andrews Lake

Andrews Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.285m (10,777) above the sea level, located in San Juan County, Colorado, in USA.

Silver Pass

Silver Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.004m (9,855ft) above the sea level, located in La Plata County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

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

Johnson's Mill is a high-altitude historic mining site reaching an elevation of 3,074m (10,085ft) above sea level, located in White Pine County, Nevada. Situated within the Great Basin National Park, the route to the ruins follows the Snake Creek Road, one of the highest and most isolated unpaved transits in the state, right on the border with Utah. It's one of the highest roads in Nevada.