"Least roaded" county

[Poiponen13]

Which counties in the contiguous United States are "most remote" using roads? I  read that Hinsdale County, Colorado has only one paved road running through it, and previously there was a page on a website called mapamericana.com, but this site has now been closed. The page on that site also featured a map of every county in the US with no Interstates or US Highways. I have not found such a map or list from another site.

[froggie]

We've had some similar threads on this forum, including one relatively recently.  That last link is one seeking out the largest county in each state without a US or Interstate route, so that's probably close to one of the things you're looking for.

[Flint1979]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

[Flint1979]

We've had some similar threads on this forum, including one relatively recently.  That last link is one seeking out the largest county in each state without a US or Interstate route, so that's probably close to one of the things you're looking for.

The county neighboring me to the east (Tuscola County, Michigan) doesn't have any Interstates or US highways and isn't even close to being the most roadless county. It does however have six state highways.

[mgk920]

We've had some similar threads on this forum, including one relatively recently.  That last link is one seeking out the largest county in each state without a US or Interstate route, so that's probably close to one of the things you're looking for.

The county neighboring me to the east (Tuscola County, Michigan) doesn't have any Interstates or US highways and isn't even close to being the most roadless county. It does however have six state highways.

Menominee County, Wisconsin has no incorporated munis, very few paved roads, mainly two minor state highways in the southern part with one of them extending to and out the north (WI 47 and WI 55), a couple of county highways and some very local streets and roads.  It is mainly the Menominee Indian Reservation and was split off from Shawano County in the mid 1960s.

Mike

[thspfc]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

[JayhawkCO]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

San Miguel has three different state highways going through it. Something like Loving County, TX only has one.

[Dirt Roads]

Calhoun County, West Virginia might be a contender for states east of the Mississippi.  It has a total of 38 paved roads (not including streets in Grantsville and the one in Arnoldsburg):

US-33/US-119 (13.6 miles)
WV-16 (31.8 miles, not including overlap with US-33/US-119)
WV-5 (18.1 miles)
CR-1 (3.6 miles)
CR-3 (about half of 1.4-mile segment)
CR-4 (8.9 miles, not including 0.1-mile overlap with WV-16)(unpaved east of CR-4/10)
CR-4/1 (2.2 miles)
CR-7 (10.0 miles)
CR-7/11 (0.1 miles)
CR-9 (6.8 miles)
CR-9/7 (0.3 miles)(unpaved west of CR-9/4)
CR-11 (9.7 miles)
CR-12/1 (3.0 miles)(ends at junction with unpaved CR-12/3 and unpaved CR-35/34)
CR-13 (2.5 miles)(ends at unpaved CR-20)
CR-14 (about half of 1.8-mile branch off of CR-9/6, CR-14, CR-35/12, CR-16/14)
CR-15 (3.5 miles)(ends at unpaved CR-20)(there seems to be a pattern here)
CR-15/2 (about half of 2.2-mile segment)
CR-15/4 (2.3 miles)
CR-16/7 (2.0 miles)
CR-16/19 (less than third of 1.7-mile segment)
CR-16/22 (less than half of 1.1-mile segment)
CR-16/34 (0.9 miles, much of it in Grantsville)
CR-16/36 (0.9 miles)
CR-16/39 (0.9 miles)
CR-16/42 (see note in Grantsville)
CR-16/43 (0.2 miles)
CR-16/44 (0.1 miles)
CR-17 (1.8 miles plus half of 0.3-mile segment)(pavement ends before Mudfork)
CR-18 (5.6 miles)(unpaved west of Adam)
CR-22 (2.2 miles)(ends at unpaved CR-20)
CR-28 (4.2 miles)
CR-35/12 (about a third of 3.5-mile segment)
CR-35/13 (1.0 miles)(unpaved beyond CR-35/35)

routes cobbled together:
CR-2/5, CR-2/4, CR-2, CR-2/9, CR-16/1 (5.8 miles)
CR-3, CR-9, CR-9/2 (10.3 miles)
CR-9/6, CR-14, CR-35/12, CR-16/14 (5.1 miles)
CR-10, CR-10/1 (1.9 miles)(ends at junction with unpaved CR-35/9 and unpaved CR-35/30)
CR-16/13, CR-10/3, CR-16/21 (4.6 miles)

All of the streets in Grantsville appear to be paved and some are maintained by WVDOH (almost all of which are less than 0.25 mile):
CR-5/13
CR-5/14
CR-16/39
CR-5/12
CR-16/34
CR-16/8
CR-16/41
CR-5/13
CR-5/15
CR-7/13
CR-7/12
CR-16/34 (see above)
CR-16/42 (not shown on county map, but paved beyond town limits)
in town portion of CR-35/12

In Arnoldsburg, about 0.2 miles of the first segment of CR-24 off of US-33/US-119 is paved.

If I counted this correctly, the paved routes comprise 169.2 miles plus whatever minimal amount is in Grantsville.  Way more than I suspected.

[Poiponen13]

What about most remote counties then? As far as I remember, the mapamericana.com findings first showed all counties without Interstate of US Route, then all counties without at least one adjacent county with an Interstate, and the counties with only white roads in Google Maps.

[froggie]

^ Related to "most remote", here is a forum thread from several years ago determining the point in the Lower 48 farthest from an Interstate highway.

[dlsterner]

Loving County in Texas was mentioned a few replies back.

Also in Texas, Kenedy County could be a contender as well.

[Rothman]

Loving County in Texas was mentioned a few replies back.

Also in Texas, Kenedy County could be a contender as well.

Loving doesn't feel that "unroaded" though due to all the industry in the area now.

[thspfc]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

San Miguel has three different state highways going through it. Something like Loving County, TX only has one.

How that county exists is a mystery. 64 people?

On the other hand, it has a 64-1 ratio of people to state highways, which puts to shame Hinsdale's 788-1 and San Miguel's 2691-1. 

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Lower 48 counties with only one state highway:
Hinsdale, CO
Cook, MN
Kenedy, TX
Loving, TX

[Flint1979]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

I'd say San Juan County is more roadless than San Miguel because at least there are three state highways in San Miguel. San Juan just has US-550.

[JayhawkCO]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

I'd say San Juan County is more roadless than San Miguel because at least there are three state highways in San Miguel. San Juan just has US-550.

Technically unsigned CO110 as well.

[Flint1979]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

I'd say San Juan County is more roadless than San Miguel because at least there are three state highways in San Miguel. San Juan just has US-550.

Technically unsigned CO110 as well.

Is that really considered a real part of the state highway system though? I see that it only serves a CDOT maintenance yard and is only 740 feet long.

[formulanone]

Loving County, Texas does have at least one Farm-to-Market Road, along with SH 302 and US 285:

[JayhawkCO]

My answer would be Hinsdale County, Colorado.

San Miguel County too.

I'd say San Juan County is more roadless than San Miguel because at least there are three state highways in San Miguel. San Juan just has US-550.

Technically unsigned CO110 as well.

Is that really considered a real part of the state highway system though? I see that it only serves a CDOT maintenance yard and is only 740 feet long.

Technically yeah. It's on the highway explorer.

[JayhawkCO]

Loving County, Texas does have at least one Farm-to-Market Road, along with SH 302 and US 285.

US285 doesn't enter the county.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I think Monroe County, FL probably belongs in the discussion being so much of it is the Everglades and the Keys.

[formulanone]

Loving County, Texas does have at least one Farm-to-Market Road, along with SH 302 and US 285.

US285 doesn't enter the county.

Whoops, forgot how close Mentone was to the county line.

[Max Rockatansky]

Alpine County, California would be the clear winner near me given CA 4, CA 89 and CA 88 are only the major through roads.  CA 88 is the only road in Alpine County which remains open the entirety of the winter.  CA 108 barely passes through the southern extent of Alpine County. 

Sierra County is pretty up there as well but has a lot more local roads and County Routes. 

[formulanone]

I think Monroe County, FL probably belongs in the discussion being so much of it is the Everglades and the Keys.

US 1, A1A, and a sliver of US 41.

[Max Rockatansky]

Main Park Road and the Everglades Loop Road can also be found in mainland Monroe County.  Regarding the Florida Keys, there is a surprisingly large number of local roads and older FL 4A/US 1 alignments on those islands.  That said if the Keys were excluded, mainland Monroe County would probably be a contender for the continental U.S. for lacking roads.