Your favorite US Highway?

[MNHighwayMan]

As any good Minnesotan should say, US-61. US-52 is second, not necessarily because it's scenic, but because it's one of the few weird diagonal routes that zig-zag across the country. Third choice would be US-6.

[Super Mateo]

I'll pick US 52.  I've been on a good percentage of it, which is everything from Sabula, IA to Winston-Salem, NC and a short segment that crosses the NC/SC border.  There is great variety and tons of great scenery.

Things to see:
-Sabula, IA:  Iowa's only island town.  It's surrounded by water and there are nice views off to the west.
-Cincinnati, OH:  Smale Park and the homes of the Reds and Bengals
-Bland, VA:  Big Walker Lookout
-Mount Airy, NC:  Mount Pilot

And in each of the six states I've traveled significant distances on it, the road had a different feel.
IL:  Rural two lanes in the plains; it does have arterial segments in the Dixon, Joliet, and Kankakee areas
IN:  Quiet four lane in the western half; major freeway in Indianapolis; two lane road east of there
OH:  Runs through downtown Cincinnati; scenic river drive from there to Ironton
WV:  Mostly a fun mountain drive with few straightaways.  Don't plan on getting anywhere fast, though.
VA:  Scenic byway in the northern half with almost no traffic.
NC:  Major four lane; bumps up to full freeway in Winston-Salem.

[MNHighwayMan]

I'll pick US 52.  I've been on a good percentage of it, which is everything from Sabula, IA to Winston-Salem, NC and a short segment that crosses the NC/SC border.  There is great variety and tons of great scenery.

If you get the chance, definitely check out the rest between Sabula and Rochester, MN. There are some quite scenic parts in there, what with the Mississippi River valley and all, and the Dubuque to Guttenberg section gets rather hilly and twisty (for an Iowa highway, anyway) in places. The part between Rochester and St. Paul is kind of bland since it becomes four lanes and the terrain flattens out.

[plain]

US 113 for me. Use it to duck all the traffic signals and petty speed limit drops on US 13. Seems just faster to go this route.

US 58 as a 2nd choice, particularly between Emporia and South Hill. Westbound pretty straight forward while eastbound is up and down in many spots like a roller coaster... love it! Don't ask me why 

[doorknob60]

1. 101 (yes I know it's not my avatar, oh well)
2. 97
3. 20
4. 95
5. 395

[jmd41280]

In PA, I would go with US 30 and US 40.  I always like to take US 30 instead of the PA Turnpike whenever I go to Gettysburg.  It's a much nicer drive and goes through a variety of terrain and scenery, from the Allegheny Mountains to small towns to farms. 

I like US 40 in PA because of the history associated with the road and the small towns on it.  Plus, when the water is drawn down in the Youghiogheny Reservoir, you can see the old stone arch bridge that used to carry the National Road before the dam was completed.

[ColossalBlocks]

191. You get Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone!

Wow, Just wow. So many places.

[Max Rockatansky]

191. You get Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone!

Wow, Just wow. So many places.

Not forget the stuff I mentioned about 191 also in Arizona.  191 will take you close to a lot of other really good things also like; Monument Valley, The Valley of the Gods, the Flaming Gorge, and within 25 miles of Petrified Forest National Park.  Really it probably is the best all rounder a remote mountain trip out of all the US Routes.

Incidentally US 180 has just as many National Parks with; Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Guadalupe Mountains, and Carlsbad Caverns.  Actually US 180 technically beats out US 191 since Canyonlands doesn't ever really touch the highway while Carlsbad barely touches 180.  I don't think US 180 would even qualify for my top ten given the huge long stretches of multiplexes with I-10 and I-40.  I think Sparker mentioned US 89 which is another really good choice.  Not only does it share venues with 191 with Yellowstone and Grand Teton it will take you close to; Zion, Bryce Canyon, and if you follow US 89A to the north Rim of the Grand Canyon.  US 89A south of Flagstaff (current AZ 89A) is one of my favorite historic US Routes that doesn't exist anymore with Sedona and Jerome to be enjoyed. 

[Rothman]

I am also thinking of US 3, especially in the Boston area and the remote stretch in NH at the headwaters of the Connecticut River.

[hotdogPi]

I am also thinking of US 3, especially in the Boston area and the remote stretch in NH at the headwaters of the Connecticut River.

I was thinking US 3, too, but I don't have much experience with US routes. The only ones I've been on for more than 10 miles are US 1 (barely), US 3, US 4 (under 10 miles if excluding I-93 overlap), US 27, and US 202.

[Gulol]

395 from I-15 up through Reno, especially
93 from Roosville (Canadian border) down through Missoula
95 from Coeur d'Alene up to the Canadian border

Honorable mention to 287 from Fort Collins north to Laramie.  Bad wrecks aren't uncommon on the 2 lane portion which keeps you on your toes and it sounds like there is consideration to relocate some of the road north of Fort Collins onto the mesa and build a dam in the existing valley the road goes through.  That would be a bummer to see that portion go.

[adventurernumber1]

My favorite US Highway is US 76. My rationale:

1) It hits close to home (it goes through both the town I've grown up in - Dalton, GA - and the city I was born in - Chattanooga, TN).

2) It goes through some very scenic mountains in Georgia and northwest South Carolina.

3) It goes over the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge (steel vertical-lift bridge) in Wilmington, North Carolina, which is a very cool bridge.

4) It is very possible that US 76 goes on other neat bridges or through pretty rolling hills or small mountains elsewhere that I am unaware of or have not mentioned.


Well, I love US Highway 76, so it is no wonder that US 76's shield is currently my avatar on this forum. I hope you guys like it too. 

[Rothman]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

[inkyatari]

Never thought about this much.  I'd say US 52 in NW Illinois, but also US 66 (if we count decommissioned), as I've ridden my bicycle on the portion from Dwight to Gardner, IL

[RobbieL2415]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

202 is not my favorite because it's an un-useful route in my area and there's always heavy traffic on it.

[jwolfer]

I would say 301. A lot of time on the road growing up traveling from NJ to north Florida to visit my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins.

My parents usually took 301 instead of 95. Waldorf wasnt as developed back then and a lot of times it was at night. I love the Eastern Shore of Maryland part. Back then there was almost no traffic and nice fourlane almost interstate quality road. Not to mention going over the Bay Bridge which was cool and a bit scary too.. More scary to drive it!. Crazy memory of when i was a kid in the late 70s or early 80s the rest area being glorified outhouse, a hole in the ground with a porceline toilet on top in a regular rest area looking building

It wound around 95 in Virginia and the Carolinas. When i was real young there were still a few places where 95 was not complete so we had to use 301. I still like to use multiple route numbers and kinds of roads, makes the drive more interesting although staying on the interstate is much faster

Also we took 301 from Jacksonville to Gainesville to visit family, slowing down to 30mph through Lawtey, Starke, Hampton and Waldo.

Last year i took 301 from near Santee SC all the way to SW of Jacksonville. Nice change from 95. It was cool to see the abandoned bridge and viaduct over swamps near the Savannah River in SC. I would have stopped for some pics but it was getting dark. Its a bittersweet feeling to see the small towns that have seen better days. Abandoned restsurants, service stations and motor court motels at least the motels that have not been turned into low cost aparments for rural poor.

Roadgeek adventure next long weekend i can get out of town.
I'll have to bribe someone to be a traveling companion LOL


LGMS428

[cl94]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

202 is not my favorite because it's an un-useful route in my area and there's always heavy traffic on it.

If there's any US route that should be decommissioned, it's US 202. Except in a couple places, it's generally a winding corridor that makes a miserable way to get from A to B. There's almost always a faster route.

[texaskdog]

As any good Minnesotan should say, US-61. US-52 is second, not necessarily because it's scenic, but because it's one of the few weird diagonal routes that zig-zag across the country. Third choice would be US-6.

Well 61 is not so great anymore.  I guess thinking back to my Minnesota days it would be 169, but still 191 nationally

[TheHighwayMan3561]

As any good Minnesotan should say, US-61. US-52 is second, not necessarily because it's scenic, but because it's one of the few weird diagonal routes that zig-zag across the country. Third choice would be US-6.

Well 61 is not so great anymore.  I guess thinking back to my Minnesota days it would be 169, but still 191 nationally

Heh. 61 still has the Great River Road sections which are pretty awesome in their own way. Probably still the most scenic US route in MN even with the loss of the North Shore portion.

[Rothman]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

202 is not my favorite because it's an un-useful route in my area and there's always heavy traffic on it.

If there's any US route that should be decommissioned, it's US 202. Except in a couple places, it's generally a winding corridor that makes a miserable way to get from A to B. There's almost always a faster route.

It is the fastest route between Ashburnham and Pelham, MA.

[Max Rockatansky]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

202 is not my favorite because it's an un-useful route in my area and there's always heavy traffic on it.

If there's any US route that should be decommissioned, it's US 202. Except in a couple places, it's generally a winding corridor that makes a miserable way to get from A to B. There's almost always a faster route.

It is the fastest route between Ashburnham and Pelham, MA.

I always thought it was pretty useful when I was living in Connecticut.  Really US 202 north of Danbury is pretty much it's own thing, I personally never had an issue with that segment.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

US 322

[SD Mapman]

US 14

[RobbieL2415]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

202 is not my favorite because it's an un-useful route in my area and there's always heavy traffic on it.

If there's any US route that should be decommissioned, it's US 202. Except in a couple places, it's generally a winding corridor that makes a miserable way to get from A to B. There's almost always a faster route.

It is the fastest route between Ashburnham and Pelham, MA.

Isn't it still multiplexed with MA 10 up that way?

[Rothman]

...and I can't believe I didn't mention US 202 from the get-go.  A crazy, nonsensical spur that went almost through my childhood backyard.  As I have said elsewhere, I would like to take a trip down its entire length someday.

This is a real slow-burner of a thread for me, I guess.

202 is not my favorite because it's an un-useful route in my area and there's always heavy traffic on it.

If there's any US route that should be decommissioned, it's US 202. Except in a couple places, it's generally a winding corridor that makes a miserable way to get from A to B. There's almost always a faster route.

It is the fastest route between Ashburnham and Pelham, MA.

Isn't it still multiplexed with MA 10 up that way?

No.  10 is on the other side of the river.