The best drives no one knows about

[kurumi]

Burr Trail, east of Boulder, Utah. I can't really claim "no one knows about it", since there's Google Street View. In early May a couple years ago, we had the road to ourselves, miles and miles from anywhere. Gorgeous red rock -- looks like Mars, except for the scattered plant life and breathable air.

[empirestate]

Colorado 141- everybody gets caught up in US 191 (Moab) and US 550 (better marketing), but 141 is amazing. I drove it during the height of summer last year on a beautiful day and had sixty miles of breathtaking scenery all to myself.

Was it you who made a post about this very road recently? Because that was another thing that inspired me to create this thread...I saw someone mention CO 141 on this board and, having never heard of it before, did some research and was blown away by how awesome it looked.

Agreed wholeheartedly; one of my most memorable drives to date. You pass through maybe a half-dozen canyons, each totally different in character. Actually, CO 141-145 is an advertised scenic byway, though not a very well-known one, perhaps because nobody can pronounce it to recommend it by word-of-mouth:
http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/scenic-byways/southwest/unaweep-tabeguache.

Going back to the original PA example, I find that if you look on the PennDOT highway maps for any relatively through-routing that's made up of quadrant routes (4-digit secondaries) you'll have pretty good luck in scenery and/or character of the landscape. It's also worthwhile to explore the former alignments of routes like US 11/15 and US 22; they tend to remain relatively intact and have their former days sort of frozen in time.

[agentsteel53]

I like the roads of Wyoming.  I like US 16 west of Newcastle.  May seem boring to some but Wyoming has some long trains and you follow the track.  Also love 14A across the Bighorns.  May not be unknown but everyone talks about 14 (also nice) and 16 (somewhat boring)

speaking of Wyoming: US-20/26 through Wind River Canyon is fantastic.

[agentsteel53]

The drawback to 36 across Kansas is that there's little way to drive it without also having to drive 36 from Kansas to Denver, which is one of the most brutally boring drives I've ever been on.

you're right on this one.  for some reason all the towns peter out, and then 36 itself is overloaded with trucks and in bad physical condition, so you can barely keep 60mph.  If I were there again, I'd consider taking K-27 to Nebraska. 

(I looked on the map real fast and it looks like there is an old alignment heading into Haigler, NE across the state line.  anyone want to see if there's any old signs there?  Google Street View does not cover it.)

[texaskdog]

I like the roads of Wyoming.  I like US 16 west of Newcastle.  May seem boring to some but Wyoming has some long trains and you follow the track.  Also love 14A across the Bighorns.  May not be unknown but everyone talks about 14 (also nice) and 16 (somewhat boring)

speaking of Wyoming: US-20/26 through Wind River Canyon is fantastic.

Good one, drove that one to go by Independence Rock & Casper

[texaskdog]

I'm sure y'all know about it but I'm surprised how on travel sites you never hear about Utah 12.  One of my favorite roads.

[corco]

I like the roads of Wyoming.  I like US 16 west of Newcastle.  May seem boring to some but Wyoming has some long trains and you follow the track.  Also love 14A across the Bighorns.  May not be unknown but everyone talks about 14 (also nice) and 16 (somewhat boring)

I like 14A too. 16 is a weird one- it's fairly boring eastbound but very scenic westbound.

[J N Winkler]

I have "driven" Colorado SH 141 using CDOT photologging imagery.  I agree it is scenic, but isn't it also twisty and rather slow (innumerable 40 MPH bends)?

Edit:  I'm referring to the part between Naturita and Grand Junction--the part between Naturita and US 491, which I have actually driven, has some twisty lengths and a mountain pass crossing, but also a long length of 65 MPH straight at the south end.

[corco]

I did it in a rental Kia Soul- since there's not much traffic you can open up and make good time. I think I averaged about 58 from Naturita to the US 50 junction- I don't remember exactly but I do remember it took a lot less time than I budgeted it taking when I was scheduling the day's drives, and I even got out a few times to take pictures. It's a lot easier drive than, say, 191 north of Morenci AZ which I'd define as "twisty and rather slow"

There isn't a massive contingent of RV traffic as there is in much of that part of the country and even if one was to bump into one, you can often see far enough around the corners/down the canyon to safely pass. I'd bet it's no slower to drive 141 than it is, say 191 at parallel latitudes in Utah at the height of tourist season simply because the tourists mostly aren't on 141. Either way it's a more pleasant experience because you get to drive at your own pace and take in the scenery instead of devoting 90% of your attention to passing the RV in front of you, giving cursory glances to the parallel scenery.

[texaskdog]

I like the roads of Wyoming.  I like US 16 west of Newcastle.  May seem boring to some but Wyoming has some long trains and you follow the track.  Also love 14A across the Bighorns.  May not be unknown but everyone talks about 14 (also nice) and 16 (somewhat boring)

I like 14A too. 16 is a weird one- it's fairly boring eastbound but very scenic westbound.

hmm never thought of it that way.  I guess you're more excited heading TO Yellowstone. 

[texaskdog]

I have "driven" Colorado SH 141 using CDOT photologging imagery.  I agree it is scenic, but isn't it also twisty and rather slow (innumerable 40 MPH bends)?

Edit:  I'm referring to the part between Naturita and Grand Junction--the part between Naturita and US 491, which I have actually driven, has some twisty lengths and a mountain pass crossing, but also a long length of 65 MPH straight at the south end.

Hey it's not about speed

[corco]

hmm never thought of it that way.  I guess you're more excited heading TO Yellowstone.

The results of Yellowstone (all those mountain/river systems coming together) give Wyoming quite a few routes like that. For instance, 191 southbound from Pinedale is terribly boring, but 191 northbound from Rock Springs isn't bad. Same with 287.

[Duke87]

NY 97 from Port Jervis north past Barryville is squeezed between the Delaware River and Mountains - very picturesque, but not very well travelled.

[kphoger]

Colorado 141- everybody gets caught up in US 191 (Moab) and US 550 (better marketing), but 141 is amazing. I drove it during the height of summer last year on a beautiful day and had sixty miles of breathtaking scenery all to myself.

Was it you who made a post about this very road recently? Because that was another thing that inspired me to create this thread...I saw someone mention CO 141 on this board and, having never heard of it before, did some research and was blown away by how awesome it looked.

Agreed wholeheartedly; one of my most memorable drives to date. You pass through maybe a half-dozen canyons, each totally different in character. Actually, CO 141-145 is an advertised scenic byway, though not a very well-known one, perhaps because nobody can pronounce it to recommend it by word-of-mouth:
http://www.coloradodot.info/travel/scenic-byways/southwest/unaweep-tabeguache.

Going back to the original PA example, I find that if you look on the PennDOT highway maps for any relatively through-routing that's made up of quadrant routes (4-digit secondaries) you'll have pretty good luck in scenery and/or character of the landscape. It's also worthwhile to explore the former alignments of routes like US 11/15 and US 22; they tend to remain relatively intact and have their former days sort of frozen in time.

I remember being pleasantly surprised by CO-90 coming from Utah, not too far away.



For a way to cut from I-57 to I-24, I recommend Tick Ridge road in far southern Illinois, from New Grand Chain to Joppa.

[empirestate]

I have "driven" Colorado SH 141 using CDOT photologging imagery.  I agree it is scenic, but isn't it also twisty and rather slow (innumerable 40 MPH bends)?

If it is, I didn't retain any meaningful recollection of the fact. I don't remember any characteristics of the road itself that detracted from my enjoyment of it, or that greatly deviated from my expectation of any 2-lane Colorado state route. I certainly had time to get from Grand Junction down to Telluride and back, with ample stops, in one leisurely day's driving.

[elsmere241]

Delaware 9 up to New Castle, if you excuse the Delaware City Refinery.

[dgolub]

Here's a few roads less travelled in Connecticut that are definitely worth it for the scenery:
* CT 40 (Mount Carmel Connector) in North Haven and Hamden - Enjoy the rock cliffs along this very short expressway.
* CT 154 in Old Saybrook - It's got some really nice water views, as well as a causeway.
* CT 34 in Derby - A nice ride along the Housatonic River with cliffs on the other side of the road

In the Hudson Valley:
* Rockland CR 90 and US 9W in Haverstraw - Good river views with cliffs

And finally a couple of roads on Long Island with nice water views that aren't considered major enough to get a numerical designation:
* Lloyd Harbor Road in Lloyd Harbor
* West Shore Road from Oyster Bay to Bayville

[AZDude]

US-30 in Nebraska. 

I second this.  I also like to add Iowa 9 to the list.

[tchafe1978]

Just about any road, whether it be a US or state highway, county highway, or town road, in the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin is a beautiful drive. Some of my favorites are:

Grant County O from US 151 to US 61

Grant County B from Platteville to US 61

Lafayette County Z heading west from Darlington

WIS 133 from Potosi to Cassville, along the Mississippi River

WIS 80 from Muscoda to Richland Center

S. Oak Park Road, which branches off of US 151 about 1.5 miles south of Mineral Point. Up and down over some high ridges, with a couple hairpin curves thrown in.

Holland Rd. outside of Belmont and Darlington. This road is a real roller coaster, with a narrow little one lane bridge at the bottom of a steep hill.

Dugway Rd near Glen Haven. A basically one lane gravel path leading out of Glen Haven, en the edge of a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. At one point is a clear 20-30 foot drop down to the railroad tracks on your left, with the bluff overhanging the road about 15 feet above you. This is probably my favorite of them all.

[Sanctimoniously]

VA 183 and SR 613 in Northampton County, on the Eastern Shore. Lots of tight, slightly banked curves and in surprisingly good condition. Also, lots of rustic scenery for people more into that than hoonage.

[froggie]

Too many to count.  Some of my Virginia favorites include SR 600 on the Eastern Shore, SR 601 between US 15/VA 234 and The Plains, and SR 635 in western Fauquier County.

[Sykotyk]

I'll add my name to WA129/OR3. I only drive it south to the border crossing to clinch a county. But, that is one impressive drive the whole way.

One of my favorites is MT200 from Mill Hall to Circle and MT200S to Glendive.

One that's WAY out of the way is TX349 from I-10 in Sheffield to US90 in Dryden. Pure desolation. Saw one car the whole way.

[ET21]

IL-23 going north or south between DeKalb and US-30 at sunset. With the wind turbines in the background, excellent pictures

[Thing 342]

There are several routes between I-95 and the mountains in Virginia that are like this. (US 33, VA 6, US 60, VA 3, US 211)

[RoadWarrior56]

Try US 259 in SE Oklahoma.