Most "frightening" road you have driven on?

[doorknob60]

I would say Owyhee Lake Rd on the way to Lake Owyhee State Park in SE Oregon. It's not bad in the canyon up until you get near the dam: mostly unpaved 35 MPH, just follows the river, not bad. Around and beyond the dam though, it's narrow, windy, and cliffside. Unfortunately no GSV anywhere in the area.

Also, it was hot as hell the July 4th weekend we stayed there, 100+ and even at night it was still like 80. We cut our camping trip a day short. Didn't have a lot of choices though, most campgrounds were full around then (understandably). Still had a good ~24 hours. We may go back sometime, but in May or something.

[adventurernumber1]

The road I've been on in which I have endured the most fear would have to be Alabama Highway 117 near Mentone, while climbing this plateau (a kind of mountain). I have been on this stretch of road in Fall 2011 and Fall 2012 on a bus during Fall Retreat trips with my Church. On both of those rides, there was absolutely no railing of any kind whatsoever on the side of the mountain - as a result, it was scary as hell for me. It was a beautiful stretch of mountain road, but I could not truly enjoy it, because my nerves were going nuts to the perceived (or actual) lack of safety. I was truly, undescribably anxious during those rides, especially since I was in a huge bus that could possibly lose control, so this has definitely got to be the most frightening road I have ever been on - I don't think anything else in my memory compares. But thankfully, as can be seen in the aforementioned link, there is now, according to current Google Maps Street-View, some new, very nice stone railing on the side of the mountain, along what seems to be the entire stretch of AL SR 117 higher up on the mountain. I am very glad that this is present in the modern day, so that no one else has to experience fear like that while driving on that stretch of road ever again.   

[Max Rockatansky]

The road I've been on in which I have endured the most fear would have to be Alabama Highway 117 near Mentone, while climbing this plateau (a kind of mountain). I have been on this stretch of road in Fall 2011 and Fall 2012 on a bus during Fall Retreat trips with my Church. On both of those rides, there was absolutely no railing of any kind whatsoever on the side of the mountain - as a result, it was scary as hell for me. It was a beautiful stretch of mountain road, but I could not truly enjoy it, because my nerves were going nuts to the perceived (or actual) lack of safety. I was truly, undescribably anxious during those rides, especially since I was in a huge bus that could possibly lose control, so this has definitely got to be the most frightening road I have ever been on - I don't think anything else in my memory compares. But thankfully, as can be seen in the aforementioned link, there is now, according to current Google Maps Street-View, some new, very nice stone railing on the side of the mountain, along what seems to be the entire stretch of AL SR 117 higher up on the mountain. I am very glad that this is present in the modern day, so that no one else has to experience fear like that while driving on that stretch of road ever again.   

Those guardrails and stone barriers are just a false sense of security.  The good news all those trees would probably catch a vehicle or slow it down considerably.    Kind of interesting to consider that are actually places in Alabama that aren't flat and boring near the Tennessee state line.

[SectorZ]

Mount Washington auto road.

Second this one. Without a doubt, the most terrifying road I've driven on or seen IRL.

I think for the simple fact that there are no guardrails in places that should have guardrails. If an accident happened on that road a car could be sent sliding down the mountain.

It's weird, I've been up three times, driving two of those, and it's never bothered me. The most frightening for me is in New Hampshire, and that is Sandwich Notch Rd, because you fear trashing even a well equipped truck/SUV on it.

[adventurernumber1]

The road I've been on in which I have endured the most fear would have to be Alabama Highway 117 near Mentone, while climbing this plateau (a kind of mountain). I have been on this stretch of road in Fall 2011 and Fall 2012 on a bus during Fall Retreat trips with my Church. On both of those rides, there was absolutely no railing of any kind whatsoever on the side of the mountain - as a result, it was scary as hell for me. It was a beautiful stretch of mountain road, but I could not truly enjoy it, because my nerves were going nuts to the perceived (or actual) lack of safety. I was truly, undescribably anxious during those rides, especially since I was in a huge bus that could possibly lose control, so this has definitely got to be the most frightening road I have ever been on - I don't think anything else in my memory compares. But thankfully, as can be seen in the aforementioned link, there is now, according to current Google Maps Street-View, some new, very nice stone railing on the side of the mountain, along what seems to be the entire stretch of AL SR 117 higher up on the mountain. I am very glad that this is present in the modern day, so that no one else has to experience fear like that while driving on that stretch of road ever again.   

Those guardrails and stone barriers are just a false sense of security.  The good news all those trees would probably catch a vehicle or slow it down considerably.    Kind of interesting to consider that are actually places in Alabama that aren't flat and boring near the Tennessee state line.

Yeah, northeast Alabama is actually full of incredible scenery, all along I-59, on some of I-20, in the Birmingham area, and even in Huntsville. Some of our Huntsville and northeast Alabama members on this forum can attest to that. There's all sorts of neat stuff in this region (roads, bridges, and scenery alike). 

[ColossalBlocks]

Missouri State Route 21. The road goes through the St Francis Mountains, so it sits pretty high up. And guardrails are practically nonexistent (if there is a guardrail it's more than likely a stone wall). Then there's impatient truck drivers from the industrial buildings in the area (Annapolis mines, a factory north of Centerville, etc).

[golden eagle]

US 51 bridge at the Illinois-Missouri border, because of its incline and is so narrow.

[noelbotevera]

I'll nominate the Schuylkill Expressway. This road is extremely narrow - four (yes, FOUR, on a major freeway) 10 foot lanes crammed between housing and the Schuylkill River, separated by a guardrail. Combine that with substandard interchanges - left exits all over the place, crap ton of weaving, and an extremely short ramp. Then, the drivers are probably going 70+ when traffic isn't a standstill, and they're weaving in and around all the cars. Makes it quite the challenge to drive.

[Flint1979]

US 51 bridge at the Illinois-Missouri border, because of its incline and is so narrow.

I think you meant US-62, US-51 goes between Illinois and Kentucky at the same location pretty much but US-62 goes between Illinois and Missouri. I know what you are talking about though I've been across both bridges and both are very narrow with no shoulder.

[cpzilliacus]

I'll nominate the Schuylkill Expressway. This road is extremely narrow - four (yes, FOUR, on a major freeway) 10 foot lanes crammed between housing and the Schuylkill River, separated by a guardrail. Combine that with substandard interchanges - left exits all over the place, crap ton of weaving, and an extremely short ramp. Then, the drivers are probably going 70+ when traffic isn't a standstill, and they're weaving in and around all the cars. Makes it quite the challenge to drive.

DC-295 has many similarities (though most of it is 6 lanes with no shoulders).

[cpzilliacus]

Then there's U.S. 50 between Echo Summit and South Lake Tahoe in California. Not dangerous per se, but it's a surprise anyway when headed eastbound down (signs say 5% descent) that mountainside  ledge, which means drivers really cannot pay much attention to the  views of the area.

[cpzilliacus]

Twisty mountain highways are quite common on many states in the East (and places in the West as well, see comment about U.S. 40 in Colorado upthread).

My favorites (probably not fun in the rain or snow but fine on a nice day):

U.S. 60 (Midland Trail) shunpiking part of the West Virginia Turnpike;

U.S. 250 between U.S. 219 at Huttonsville, W.Va. and West Augusta, Va. (over 70 miles);

U.S. 33 between Elkins, W.Va. and Rawley Springs, Va. (almost 90 miles);

WV-42/WV-93 (Union Highway) between Bismarck and Scherr (the routing via Corridor H is longer but vastly better);

U.S. 50 between I-79 and Gore, Virginia (about 160 miles of rough mountain highway);

MD-135 between Swanton and Bloomington, one of the most-deceptive mountain descents to be found (though less so with the numerous truck warning signs eastbound); and

U.S. 30 between Breezewood and Fort Loudon, Pennsylvania a road so bad that transit agencies across Pennsylvania  thank you for staying on the Turnpike and paying their Act 44 subsidies.

[paulthemapguy]

Mount Washington auto road.

Seconded.  Very steep, narrow, gravel road.  Luckily, I was on a trip with my friend from West Virginia, a veritable expert on driving mountain roads.  I let him take the wheel haha.  I thought brakes that steam was only something that happened in cartoons and old movies.  Nope!  I have seen steam emanate from my cars' tires from such intense braking during the downhill trip.  Those bumper stickers "my car climbed Mt. Washington" aren't bragging about nothing!

As for the roads I've driven personally, I've gone up AND down the Moki Dugway, satisfying a bucket list item of mine.  Driving through Custer State Park was especially memorable as well-- not to mention it was in my friend's grandparents' bulky boat of
a Buick whose brakes started squeaking halfway through the trip...

[bugo]

US 169 in Tulsa.

[OCGuy81]

The Road to Hana on Maui.

[MarkF]

The Road to Hana on Maui.

For me it was the continuation of that road (Piilani Highway, county 31) past Hana.

[jakeroot]

The Road to Hana on Maui.

For me it was the continuation of that road (Piilani Highway, county 31) past Hana.

Yes, I noticed that when I was there. Between Kahului and Hana, I found the road to be pretty tame. The single-track stuff southwest of Hana was far more interesting. It was like a really, really long driveway.

[Mark68]

My wife would say Rim of the World Dr (CA 18) in the San Bernardino Mountains. I grew up with that road, as my grandmother lived in Lake Arrowhead, so my parents were always going up there when I was a kid (and when I got a car, I'd explore myself).

The first time I took my wife on that road, it was night, and it was foggy...

For me, there was a recent (somewhat) scary road, and that was US 163 in SE Utah, between Monument Valley and Bluff. There are some steep grades (10%) and curves, it's in the middle of nowhere...and it was dark....and I had to get to Cortez, CO that night, so I might have been in a bit of a hurry.

[CrystalWalrein]

Matts Landing Road (Cumberland County 736) in Maurice River Township, New Jersey runs along a narrow land strip about three feet above the water with almost no shoulder – and no guardrails. Woe betide you if you're on that road in the rain.