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.

ID-64 is a short mountain road located in Lewis County, Idaho, United States. The road is 14.1 miles long.

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Salt Creek Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.967m (9,735ft) above the sea level located in the Park County, in Colorado, USA.

The Grouse Creek Gap is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.020m (6,640ft) above the sea level, located in the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon, in USA.

Ford Ridge is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.858m (9,376ft) above the sea level, located in Carbon County, in the U.S. state of Utah.

Isabel Pass is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.005m (3,297ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Valdez–Cordova Census Area and Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, in the U.S. state of Alaska.

Haystack Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.613m (8,572ft) above the sea level located in the Salmon River Mountains, in Idaho, USA.

Ryan Brothers Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3,181m (10,436ft) above sea level, situated in Carbon County, Wyoming. This area features one of Wyoming's highest roads to a remote alpine lake.

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Dry Park is a high mountain lookout tower at an elevation of 2.655m (8,710ft) above the sea level, located in Coconino County, in the U.S. state of Arizona.

Summit Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.597m (11,801ft) above the sea level, located in the Rio Grande County, in Colorado, USA. There are a few water crossings along the way. 

Muddy Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.884m (9,461ft) above the sea level located in Albany County, in Wyoming, USA.

Weaver Bally is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.132m (6,994ft) above the sea level, located in Trinity County, California, in USA.

Uncle Bud's Hut is a high mountain refuge at an elevation of 3.474m (11,397ft), located in Lake County, central Colorado, United States.

Rattlesnake Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.620m (5,314ft) above the sea level, located in Box Elder County in the US state of Utah.

Oreana Ridge is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.470m (8,103ft) above the sea level located in Lemhi County, in Idaho, USA.

Rock Creek Trail Pass, also known as Lost Park Divide, is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.260m (10,695ft) above the sea level located in the Park County, in Colorado, USA.

Mineral Hill is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.590m (8,497ft) above the sea level located in Idaho County, Idaho, in USA.

Onyx Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.782m (9,127ft) above the sea level, located in the southwestern part of San Bernardino County, in the US state of California.

Located in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains in the US state of California, Mulholland Drive is one of the most iconic roads in the country, providing a captivating journey through Los Angeles. The views of the city skyline and distant landscapes are unparalleled.

Most of us associate traveling by car with traffic, and this is not something that should surprise us. In 2015 alone, there were no less than 263.6 million registered vehicles in the US alone. Even more so, statistics show that in 2019, there are over 276 million vehicles that are operating on our roads. 

Silver Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.311m (10,862ft) above the sea level, located in Inyo County, California, United States. It’s one of the highest roads of California.

Success Summit is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.742m (8,996ft) above the sea level, located in White Pine County, along the central eastern boundary of the U.S. state of Nevada. On the ascent up to the pass, the traveler goes through groves of aspen trees.

Betty Jumbo Mine is an abandoned tungsten mine at an elevation of 2.219m (7,280ft) above the sea level, located in Inyo County, in the US state of California.

Blair Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3,496m (11,469ft) above sea level, located in Garfield County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Dangerous roads might be exciting but not every exciting road is dangerous. So, in this article we will talk about one of the most unsung great roads in the United States: the Great River Road. There are many much more famous roads in the US such as Route 66 or the Pacific Coast Road also known as Highway 1.

Jackson Peak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.477m (8,126ft) above the sea level, located on the northern fringes of the vast Boise Mountain Range, in the western United States, in Boise County, Idaho.

Castle Butte is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.032m (6,666ft) above the sea level, located in Idaho County, in the US state of Idaho.

The point framework is a graduated scale that doles out relative qualities to feelings. At the point when you are tagged, you may procure points against your driving record, which when amassed may make your permit be suspended.

Miller Flat Road is a very scenic journey in the heart of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, in Utah, USA.

Located along the northern California coast, in USA, the Redwood National and State Parks offers many scenic drives through ancient forests, rugged coastline, upland prairies, and oak woodlands.

Tetilla Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.283m (10,771ft) above the sea level, located in Colfax County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of New Mexico.

Sacramento Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.904m (9,529ft) above the sea level, located in Otero County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Realistically, you can’t totally eliminate accidents. As much as you do not want it to happen, it will occur. However, every state’s goal is to lower the number of vehicle accidents in the area. 

Lightning Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.553m (8,375ft) above the sea level located in the Salmon River Mountains, in Idaho, USA.

Meadow Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.045m (6,709ft) above the sea level, located in Flathead County, Montana, in USA.

Rose Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.653m (8,705ft) above the sea level, located in Greenlee County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Arizona.

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.

Schellbourne Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.317m (7,601ft) above the sea level, located in northern White Pine County, in northeastern Nevada in the western United States.

Marcellina Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.153m (10,343ft) above the sea level located in the Gunnison County, in Colorado, USA.

Dickson Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.190m (10,465ft) above the sea level, located in San Juan County, in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Utah.

Located in the Spring Mountains of Clark County, in Nevada, Potosi Mountain South is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.491m (8,172ft) above the sea level.

Cougar Ridge is a high mountain ridge at an elevation of 2.792m (9,160ft) above the sea level, located in Clark County, in the U.S. state of Nevada.

Mount Union is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.431m (7,975ft) above the sea level, located in central Yavapai County, Arizona, in USA.

Forest Road 306 is a high mountain road located in Fremont County, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. 

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.

Eddy Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.093m (6,866ft) above the sea level, located in Sanders County, Montana, in USA.

Gold Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.487m (8,159ft) above the sea level, located in San Bernardino County, in Southern California, United States. The average gradient is 12.37%.

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With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click here to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.