I've done a lot of road trips but there are some that have just stuck with me for the experience. A few that I've made several times over. Just wondering the experiences from other forum members.

The ALCAN. The most recent major road trip. Drove from Phoenix to Denver and picked up my best friend as a co-driver. From Denver we headed north to Anchorage. Along with some magnificent scenery there was some absolute desolation. It made Wyoming look downright metropolitan. Always the constant thought, "Oh, shit if we go off in the ditch, we're going to be here a LONG time."


California Highway 1. Originally made the trip in middle school with my dad. I have a love/hate relationship with California but Highway 1 definitely falls in the love category. I've made the drive a few times on my own and it never gets old. A fun road to drive provided you aren't stuck behind a Winnebago and absolutely gorgeous scenery.

Interstate 70 Colorado, Glenwood Canyon between Dotsero and Glenwood Springs. My dad tried to get out there every fall with his camera to catch the aspen trees turning gold. I've made the drive several times and it never ceases to amaze me, first for its natural beauty and then for the beauty of engineering to route I-70 through it. It's always a special trip when I can follow in my dad's footsteps.

US-550 Colorado between Ouray and Durango, Red Mountain Pass, the Million Dollar Highway. First time I drove this was with my dad. Raining in Ouray when we started, then climbed above the clouds. Absolutely stunning seeing the bare red rock peaks above the cloud layer, ethereal, fully expecting to see 13 Valkyries riding down the mountain slopes. Made the same drive last summer with my daughter. Started up the pass and she said, "Dad, when I turn 16 bring me up here, I'll be an expert driver in 15 minutes." Um, no.


There are other favorite drives for me, but these are the four that will always be special.

Road to Hana.

quote:

US-550 Colorado

Been on that one, on a motorcycle, circa 1984. Others:

US 212, Beartooth Highway, WY/MT, motorcycle
UT Route 12, car
I-70, UT, through the San Rafael Swell between Green River and Salina, motorcycle (before the freeway was completed) and car (after).
I-15 where it clips a corner off AZ, through the Virgin River Gorge, motorcycle and car

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Road to Hana.

Only if you don’t get stuck behind someone afraid of curves. It’s the stops along the way that really make that one for the books, IMO. Now, if you finish the loop and return along the southern route (which is mostly paved now, but still not heavily travelled by tourists), there are miles and miles of beautiful coastal views. Makes for a spectacular sunset.

-Rob

Yes, that drive along the million dollar highway from Ouray to Silverton, CO.

So absolutely beautiful and terrifying at the same time. If you make a mistake there is little chance for recovery and they will read about you in the paper.

I follow Ouray Mountain Rescue on FB. They are an incredible group of volunteers!

Although not Epic, very beautiful, is M22 from Onekama to Glen Arbor, MI. You certainly do not feel like you are in MI, especially when standing at the top of the Arcadia overlook.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P-220,

New River Gorge Bridge in WV. The drive itself, while scenic, is nothing special, and if you just drive across the top of it, you won't really see anything. Pull off at the visitor center on the north side to see everything.

U.S. 191 between Moran Jct. and Jackson, WY—in the early spring, before the tourists get there. Wildlife migration in the Snake River Valley.

Blue Ridg Parkway through Pisgah.

I've done the full length of the Blue Ridge Parkway twice and the run from Miami to Key West more times than I can count. Both great drives.

US Route 191 north from Morenci AZ 68 miles to Hannigan Meadow (Alpine) AZ. To coin words from C.W. McCall, it looks like a bunch of "Z"s and "W"s strung together! 68 miles will take over 2 hours to drive.

The Beartooth Highway. NE gate of Yellowstone up to Red Lodge,Montana. Hwy 212

12 in UT, amazing scenery colors open spaces. Also 70 between Richfield UT and Green River.

Some great drives mentioned so far -- I am taking notes and filling up my bucket list.

I don't know if it qualifies, but the first epic drive that comes to mind for me is northern Door County, Wisc in the Fall. I didn't take this picture, but it perfectly captures what that drive is like.

Years ago, before kids, my wife and I took the ferry from Vancouver up to Prince Rupert in British Columbia. We then drove across (in our new BMW) to Prince George and then down the through Jasper and Banff National parks (stayed at Lake Louise). We cut back across through Kamloops to Vancouver and back home to SoCal. Spectacular Drive!!

All the roads in the Vicinity of the Tail of the Dragon. The Dragon itself isn't that great these days, but the rest of the roads in the area are terrific.

US-395 Victorville, CA to Oregon border. One of my favorite drives, runs along the eastern edge of CA opposite of CA-1 PCH. You travel through the Mojave Desert, through the Owens Valley against the Eastern wall of the Sierras. Traveling over 5 easy mtn passes, through Lone Pine where Mt.Whitney is and Manzanar NHS, Bishop and Mammoth Lakes, massive ghost town of Bodie, Mono Lake and Lee Vining which is also the eastern entrance to Yosemite, and access to Tuolumne Meadows. Northward you dip into Nevada, dropping into Carson Valley, then Reno, before running back into CA and the high-valley ranching communities around Honey Lake. Very picturesque, I prefer driving it North-South in the Fall when the aspens are turning, however both directions are enjoyable. It can get packed with RV/5th wheels, every town has at least one service garage working on a worn & tired RV in it.

Prescott AZ to Jerome, up the back of the Mingus Mountain by motorcycle. Truly amazing stuff.

Landstuhl, Germany to Interlaken, Switzerland in a rented Hyundai hatchback redlining whenever allowable was pretty damn cool, too.

quote:

Originally posted by jerkyjer:
12 in UT, amazing scenery colors open spaces. Also 70 between Richfield UT and Green River.

I've driven both of these a few times, outstanding! My wife hates the hogsback on RT12, I make sure we drive it a couple of times a year.

I'll add the Beartooth Hwy in Montana, beautiful!

Utah Rt 12 Fall, 2016:

Leaving St. Louis going north through Green Bay and following the southern shore of the upper peninsula. Crossing into Canada at Sault Saint Marie and continuing the drive east around the Great Lakes and then down to Toronto and continuing on to Niagara Falls.

The sun is rise, the sun is set, and we is still in Texas yet.



This sign is a few miles from the Texas/Louisiana line on I10.

Parts of that drive aren't much, but other parts, especially once you are west of San Antonio, are fantastic.

This is Six Mile Mountain, near Van Horn. They have a lot of space out there in West Texas. I was born out there, and I love it.