What are the most difficult physically difficult/demanding conventional (meaning at least surfaced) roadways and highways that you have driven on? I tend to find a good challenging road to be far more rewarding than driving most signed highways. Given this thread would be dominated by ungraded Forest Service (graded Forest Roads count) and OHV roads I'm going to exclude them. Some to come to mind for me are:
Mineral King Road
- A 24.8 mile roadway with 697 curves, grades in excess of 10%, some poorly maintained dirt segments and a one lane width.
Kaiser Pass Road
- Similar to Mineral King but more narrow and has a really nasty cliff-face section north of the namesake pass. It is really easy to encounter someone and have find a place to back up while on a steep ledge.
Nacimiento-Fergusson Road
- This is the only road across the Santa Lucia Mountains to Big Sur between Cambria and Carmel. The initial segment in Fort Hunter Liggett is two lanes and flat but it drops to a single lane at the boundary of Los Padres National Forest. The last seven miles drops from 2,700 feet to CA 1 near sea level while riding the side of a canyon.
Arizona State Route 88
- Lots of curves and recreational traffic on the paved segment from Apache Junction to Tortilla Flat. The dirt segment is one lane, rides the side of a cliff and usually is heavily wash boarded.
Onion Valley Road
- The only entirely two lane road on my list. Onion Valley Road is about 12.9 miles long and has an almost sustained 8% incline as it climbs from 3,946 feet above sea level to 9,219 feet. There are numerous switchbacks which kind of remind me of Pikes Peak Highway but unlike that one you're definitely on your manage your coolant and brakes from overheating.
Some others that came to mine I found challenging:
- Sherman Pass Road/Nine Mile Canyon Road
- Bald Hills Road (barely not an OHV road)
- Horseshoe Meadows Road
- Tulare County Route J37/Balch Park Road
- Pikes Peak Highway
Magnolia Rd coming into Paw Paw, WV was a challenging one.
1. HI 550: I was a passenger (I was 12), but you go up over 4000 feet in 10 miles on some of the curviest road in the world.
2: MD 77 west of US 15: thought I'd take a shortcut to avoid Frederick on my way from Gettysburg to Hagerstown. All the curves and wooded area as you pass by Camp David was very tedious to navigate.
3: US 6/202 between the Bear Mountain Bridge and US 9: a wicked winding road along the Palisades of the Hudson.
4. A 1/4 mile stretch of Shuttle Meadow Rd in Southington, CT. So steep it's closed in the winter. Known locally as "S-Mountain" with 2 grueling curves and at lest a 13° grade. Definitely recommend using low gear going down, and trucks are prohibited.
5. West Peak Drive in Meriden, CT. Another one closed in the winter (and at night), but the drive from Hubbard Park up to Castle Craig is a 3 mile drive on a (paved) road barely wide enough for 2 cars with the last mile or so going up almost 400 feet in elevation.
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
Holy cow. I was wondering if the "back way" into Burkes Garden that is shown on maps was even passable for vehicles.
In no particular order:
- CO5
- Pikes Peak Highway
- Trail Ridge Road
- "Cottonwood Pass Road" - CR742, CR209, and CR306
- CO65 over Grand Mesa
In no order:
- NC 197 heading out of Vilas, NC is pretty twisty and narrow. The whole way on it especially on the curves I thought I was going to clip something.
- Literally my own road home. Take Shuttle Meadow road, make it about 2x as long, just as steep, and add several blind curves and idiot pedestrians around those blind curves who decide to take a little hike on the god damn road. Thankfully this road gets snow maintenance.
- NC 226A (Little Switzerland Segment), self-explanatory
- NC 80, Bakersville to Micaville, self-explanatory
- I-77's section with the toll lanes. I love to complain about this road. It's challenging. For your patience.
I am yet to drive the gravel segments of NC 90 and NC 197 but I plan to do so soon, I predict they could replace at least one of the roads on this list, especially NC 90.
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
I just looked at VA 623/Burkes Garden on maps bc of this
What kind of road surface/lanes/guardrail are we talking?
Because I might put it on my to do list for when I'll be down that way in a little under 2 weeks
I just did US 211 over Thornton Gap on Tuesday and that was FUN.
Quote from: sbeaver44 on July 08, 2021, 03:48:19 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
I just looked at VA 623/Burkes Garden on maps bc of this
What kind of road surface/lanes/guardrail are we talking?
Because I might put it on my to do list for when I'll be down that way in a little under 2 weeks
I just did US 211 over Thornton Gap on Tuesday and that was FUN.
Quote from: Rothman on July 08, 2021, 11:10:38 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
Holy cow. I was wondering if the "back way" into Burkes Garden that is shown on maps was even passable for vehicles.
I'm having a hard time finding my pictures from my trip there a few years ago.
I took the back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42. The route is SR 623 and I'm pretty sure that Burkes Garden is signed on a little green sign there. The road starts out as paved but quickly gives way to gravel. It's slightly wider than one lane, and I didn't have any trouble driving the route in a 2008 Saturn Vue which doesn't have really high ground clearance. There were a few rutted out spots where water had washed across the road, which necessitated slow going, but I didn't have any problems. There were also a couple of fallen tree limbs but fortunately they were either very small or had already been run over and broken.
The main route into Burkes Garden, which intersects VA 61, is paved and is a typical route for that area.
If you want a double treat, after you get to Tazewell after having visited Burkes Garden (and checking out all the old cutout signs there), take VA 91 back to VA 42 and drive the gravel portion of the Virginia primary route.
Some others:
NC 80 from US 70 to BRP
VA 56 from US 11 to VA 151
TN 32 from NC to US 321
US 421 in Tennessee
US 250 from WV 92 to Staunton
US 250 from WV 2 to nearly Fairmont
WV 71
Old VA 59 west of Columbia Furnace (connected to WV 59)
WV 46 west of US 220
VA 16 from Marion to Tazewell is both scary and awesome
Burke's Garden is worth the effort...lovely in there
Quote from: Mapmikey on July 08, 2021, 08:01:44 PM
Some others:
NC 80 from US 70 to BRP
VA 56 from US 11 to VA 151
TN 32 from NC to US 321
US 421 in Tennessee
US 250 from WV 92 to Staunton
US 250 from WV 2 to nearly Fairmont
WV 71
Old VA 59 west of Columbia Furnace (connected to WV 59)
WV 46 west of US 220
VA 16 from Marion to Tazewell is both scary and awesome
Burke's Garden is worth the effort...lovely in there
I've done all of those except NC 80, VA 56, TN 32, and old VA 59. I didn't find US 250 or WV 46 that particularly challenging, but I agree with WV 71 because much of it is hardly wider than one lane.
Same goes for WV 72 between US 219 and WV 32. And Alt. WV 72 (Shower Bath Road) was the roughest West Virginia primary route I've ever driven. Potholes aplenty.
VA 16 -- ranks with US 129 (Tail of the Dragon) in terms of curves and mountains, but I dislike the section north of Tazewell going to Bishop and then on to Welch.
I finally found my Burkes Garden pictures. Start with this one -- https://flic.kr/p/LQ9AHH -- and work your way forward to see the road heading north from VA 42 and some pictures from within the valley itself. When you're there, it's worth it to drive the loop and the dead-end routes to get the full flavor of the area. The little white signs pointing the way to family residences are neat.
Definitely various roads in Iceland for me. It's hard to choose a top 5, but easy to pick a number one: Highway 917 (https://www.google.com/maps/@65.7203414,-14.4675216,7101m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en) in the northwest corner of Iceland (street view photo sphere (https://www.google.com/maps/@65.7136504,-14.4343353,3a,65.5y,61.09h,84.15t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipN9-ZFlFBctU2hW3IBALgjk7Wo_3b6MZJoCjmWw!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipN9-ZFlFBctU2hW3IBALgjk7Wo_3b6MZJoCjmWw%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya182.38083-ro-0-fo100!7i8192!8i4096?hl=en)). It didn't help that our rental car was a Chevy Spark that had a lot of trouble making it up the steeper hill segments (up to 15% according to this sign (https://theadventuringheidi.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/dsc_7237.jpg)).
For sheer PITA problems, Little Tujunga Canyon Road from Lakeview Terrace north to the eastern side of Santa Clarita is always "fun"; a combination of neglected pavement and a roadbed prone to rockslides and portions of the shoulder simply having fallen into the parallel creekbed. Pavement is also the main issue over near Hemet on (sporadically) signed Riverside County R3; this was CA 79 until the 1966 realignment through Winchester to the west; best described as "pothole central". This seems to be a recurring issue with former Caltrans/DOH alignments; even with recently placed "County 66" pentagons, Old National Trails Highway north of Victorville has severe cracking/crumbling issues; dodging the pavement voids is almost a game! Moving north, the road from Angwin to Middletown via Aetna Springs tends to be a barely paved single-lane facility that seems to barely dodge every tree in the area; a safe speed here is no more than 15-20 mph. Finally, the road through the Sutter Buttes from Colusa to Sutter twists and turns, seemingly following a series of property lines. However, I recommend doing it at least once in your lifetime; that mini-mountain range is quite scenic -- although my cousins, who have hunted in the area, claim there's more rattlesnakes concentrated in those hills than anywhere else in the north valley (if true, then hike at your own risk!).
Route 130 between San Jose and Patterson. I've driven it once westbound at night with a friend, while said friend drove us eastbound on a different trip during the daytime. Westbound at night with traffic behind you and 10 MPH cures is pretty wild!
Route 330 between Highland and Running Springs near Big Bear. Did this one at night in a rental car so that influences a little how I feel about that drive
Route 23 between US 101 in Thousand Oaks and Route 1 in Malibu with its tight switchbacks and elevation changes.
Bouquet Canyon Road between Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Popular weekend motorcycle route which also sees commuter traffic during other days as drivers try to avoid congestion on Route 14.
as a passenger, Kennon Road between Rosario, La Union and Baguio (within but not part of Benguet Province) in the Philippines. Textbook twisty mountain drive at the edge of hillsides, heavy traffic due to Baguio being a rather known tourist destination due to its cooler climate.
Quote from: TheStranger on July 11, 2021, 11:41:22 AM
as a passenger, Kennon Road between Rosario, La Union and Baguio (within but not part of Benguet Province) in the Philippines. Textbook twisty mountain drive at the edge of hillsides, heavy traffic due to Baguio being a rather known tourist destination due to its cooler climate.
The road to Baguio was super fun. Also, the road between Banaue and Sagada was great fun riding on top of Jeepney.
Chris
Man, my list is probably a cakewalk compared to your guys's, but:
US 550 north of Durango to Ouray, CO
US 40 over Berthoud Pass in Colorado
US 50 through Gunnison and Monarch Pass in CO
the dirt road after the end of US 41 in MI
Quote from: TheStranger on July 11, 2021, 11:41:22 AM
Route 130 between San Jose and Patterson. I've driven it once westbound at night with a friend, while said friend drove us eastbound on a different trip during the daytime. Westbound at night with traffic behind you and 10 MPH cures is pretty wild!
Route 330 between Highland and Running Springs near Big Bear. Did this one at night in a rental car so that influences a little how I feel about that drive
Route 23 between US 101 in Thousand Oaks and Route 1 in Malibu with its tight switchbacks and elevation changes.
Bouquet Canyon Road between Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Popular weekend motorcycle route which also sees commuter traffic during other days as drivers try to avoid congestion on Route 14.
as a passenger, Kennon Road between Rosario, La Union and Baguio (within but not part of Benguet Province) in the Philippines. Textbook twisty mountain drive at the edge of hillsides, heavy traffic due to Baguio being a rather known tourist destination due to its cooler climate.
CA 130 is no joke, the segment climbing to Mount Hamilton under state maintenance is essentially just a paved stage road. Decker Canyon on CA 23 is one hell of a beastly climb away from CA 1. It's hard to envision 23 being a freeway such a short distance away.
Quote from: jayhawkco on July 11, 2021, 12:44:57 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on July 11, 2021, 11:41:22 AM
as a passenger, Kennon Road between Rosario, La Union and Baguio (within but not part of Benguet Province) in the Philippines. Textbook twisty mountain drive at the edge of hillsides, heavy traffic due to Baguio being a rather known tourist destination due to its cooler climate.
The road to Baguio was super fun. Also, the road between Banaue and Sagada was great fun riding on top of Jeepney.
Chris
I rode in one of those AUVs (Asian utility vehicle) type of vans for the drive up from Concepcion to Baguio in 2016. I have a feeling it's a little more fun in a performance car!
Did you check out any of the Manila-area expressways during your time over there?
Quote from: TheStranger on July 11, 2021, 06:32:01 PM
Quote from: jayhawkco on July 11, 2021, 12:44:57 PM
Quote from: TheStranger on July 11, 2021, 11:41:22 AM
as a passenger, Kennon Road between Rosario, La Union and Baguio (within but not part of Benguet Province) in the Philippines. Textbook twisty mountain drive at the edge of hillsides, heavy traffic due to Baguio being a rather known tourist destination due to its cooler climate.
The road to Baguio was super fun. Also, the road between Banaue and Sagada was great fun riding on top of Jeepney.
Chris
I rode in one of those AUVs (Asian utility vehicle) type of vans for the drive up from Concepcion to Baguio in 2016. I have a feeling it's a little more fun in a performance car!
Did you check out any of the Manila-area expressways during your time over there?
I didn't get to drive them myself, but I definitely rode on some of them in buses between different places when I was there. I didn't spend a ton of time in Manila, instead focusing more in the mountains when I was on Luzon, and then I was in Cebu, Boracay, Bohol, and Palawan on various trips. I've been to the Philippines three different times. One of my favorite places, and I just found a Filipino restaurant here so I can get my sisig fix. :biggrin: I wish they also did lechon; then I'd be a really happy man.
Chris
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 07:43:33 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on July 08, 2021, 03:48:19 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
I just looked at VA 623/Burkes Garden on maps bc of this
What kind of road surface/lanes/guardrail are we talking?
Because I might put it on my to do list for when I'll be down that way in a little under 2 weeks
I just did US 211 over Thornton Gap on Tuesday and that was FUN.
Quote from: Rothman on July 08, 2021, 11:10:38 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
Holy cow. I was wondering if the "back way" into Burkes Garden that is shown on maps was even passable for vehicles.
I'm having a hard time finding my pictures from my trip there a few years ago.
I took the back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42. The route is SR 623 and I'm pretty sure that Burkes Garden is signed on a little green sign there. The road starts out as paved but quickly gives way to gravel. It's slightly wider than one lane, and I didn't have any trouble driving the route in a 2008 Saturn Vue which doesn't have really high ground clearance. There were a few rutted out spots where water had washed across the road, which necessitated slow going, but I didn't have any problems. There were also a couple of fallen tree limbs but fortunately they were either very small or had already been run over and broken.
The main route into Burkes Garden, which intersects VA 61, is paved and is a typical route for that area.
If you want a double treat, after you get to Tazewell after having visited Burkes Garden (and checking out all the old cutout signs there), take VA 91 back to VA 42 and drive the gravel portion of the Virginia primary route.
Did back way into Burkes on Sat 7/17 -- which I wouldn't have known about without your post, hb
I survived it in a 2013 Chevy Sonic pretty easily, and the views coming down the hill into the valley are extremely rewarding.
I passed 2-3 cars coming the other way
SM-T290
Quote from: sbeaver44 on July 29, 2021, 08:24:59 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 07:43:33 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on July 08, 2021, 03:48:19 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
I just looked at VA 623/Burkes Garden on maps bc of this
What kind of road surface/lanes/guardrail are we talking?
Because I might put it on my to do list for when I'll be down that way in a little under 2 weeks
I just did US 211 over Thornton Gap on Tuesday and that was FUN.
Quote from: Rothman on July 08, 2021, 11:10:38 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
Holy cow. I was wondering if the "back way" into Burkes Garden that is shown on maps was even passable for vehicles.
I'm having a hard time finding my pictures from my trip there a few years ago.
I took the back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42. The route is SR 623 and I'm pretty sure that Burkes Garden is signed on a little green sign there. The road starts out as paved but quickly gives way to gravel. It's slightly wider than one lane, and I didn't have any trouble driving the route in a 2008 Saturn Vue which doesn't have really high ground clearance. There were a few rutted out spots where water had washed across the road, which necessitated slow going, but I didn't have any problems. There were also a couple of fallen tree limbs but fortunately they were either very small or had already been run over and broken.
The main route into Burkes Garden, which intersects VA 61, is paved and is a typical route for that area.
If you want a double treat, after you get to Tazewell after having visited Burkes Garden (and checking out all the old cutout signs there), take VA 91 back to VA 42 and drive the gravel portion of the Virginia primary route.
Did back way into Burkes on Sat 7/17 -- which I wouldn't have known about without your post, hb
I survived it in a 2013 Chevy Sonic pretty easily, and the views coming down the hill into the valley are extremely rewarding.
I passed 2-3 cars coming the other way
SM-T290
Just did the back way into Burkes Garden today, leaving the valley. Didn't have to pass any cars on the way and I managed well in a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage, which is a pretty junky car. If anyone is interested, I have footage of the whole way out of the valley.
I haven't done enough travel out west to know how this compares with some of the other examples, but how about the road to the top of Cumberland Gap? Long, winding, and lots of hairpin turns.
Quote from: index on March 05, 2022, 07:47:54 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on July 29, 2021, 08:24:59 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 07:43:33 PM
Quote from: sbeaver44 on July 08, 2021, 03:48:19 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
I just looked at VA 623/Burkes Garden on maps bc of this
What kind of road surface/lanes/guardrail are we talking?
Because I might put it on my to do list for when I'll be down that way in a little under 2 weeks
I just did US 211 over Thornton Gap on Tuesday and that was FUN.
Quote from: Rothman on July 08, 2021, 11:10:38 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on July 08, 2021, 11:04:30 AM
KY 199 (Dinky Road) in Pike County. A large portion of it is a gravel road, pretty much one-lane, that serves no residences and is primarily used by off-road ATVs. I actually had to stop, back up, and reposition my vehicle to negotiate a hairpin curve near the eastern end of the gravel section.
The back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42 (a signed secondary route) ranks up there as well.
Holy cow. I was wondering if the "back way" into Burkes Garden that is shown on maps was even passable for vehicles.
I'm having a hard time finding my pictures from my trip there a few years ago.
I took the back way into Burkes Garden from VA 42. The route is SR 623 and I'm pretty sure that Burkes Garden is signed on a little green sign there. The road starts out as paved but quickly gives way to gravel. It's slightly wider than one lane, and I didn't have any trouble driving the route in a 2008 Saturn Vue which doesn't have really high ground clearance. There were a few rutted out spots where water had washed across the road, which necessitated slow going, but I didn't have any problems. There were also a couple of fallen tree limbs but fortunately they were either very small or had already been run over and broken.
The main route into Burkes Garden, which intersects VA 61, is paved and is a typical route for that area.
If you want a double treat, after you get to Tazewell after having visited Burkes Garden (and checking out all the old cutout signs there), take VA 91 back to VA 42 and drive the gravel portion of the Virginia primary route.
Did back way into Burkes on Sat 7/17 -- which I wouldn't have known about without your post, hb
I survived it in a 2013 Chevy Sonic pretty easily, and the views coming down the hill into the valley are extremely rewarding.
I passed 2-3 cars coming the other way
SM-T290
Just did the back way into Burkes Garden today, leaving the valley. Didn't have to pass any cars on the way and I managed well in a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage, which is a pretty junky car. If anyone is interested, I have footage of the whole way out of the valley.
Probably the best info on the forum in weeks...thanks.
In Hawaii, HI 360 (part of the Hana Highway), and Maui County 31 continuing to Kipahulu village and Oheo Gulch. Hundreds of hairpin curves, dozens of one-lane bridges, 15mph limit for the first 30 miles except for a short and relatively straight "speed zone" with a slightly higher limit. And a historic designation for the bridges ensures that they will never be improved. For example, when one of those bridges had to be replaced due to earthquake damage, the replacement was only one lane, 13.2 feet wide, like the original.
On the Big Island, the 25% descent from the end of HI 240 about 0.75 miles into the Waipio Valley is restricted to 4x4s (AWD doesn't cut it). You need to descend in first gear, low range, to avoid burning up your brakes. People have been killed trying to do the descent in lesser vehicles. You'll also need low range to power your way out of the valley without engine overheating.
Hawaii has some other bad roads, including HI 560 on Kauai (also protected by historic designations), and the steep access road to the observatories on the Mauna Kea summit (most of which is unpaved).
Quote from: oscar on March 05, 2022, 09:59:36 PM
In Hawaii, HI 360 (part of the Hana Highway), and Maui County 31 continuing to Kipahulu village and Oheo Gulch. Hundreds of hairpin curves, dozens of one-lane bridges, 15mph limit for the first 30 miles except for a short and relatively straight "speed zone" with a slightly higher limit. And a historic designation for the bridges ensures that they will never be improved. For example, when one of those bridges had to be replaced due to earthquake damage, the replacement was only one lane, 13.2 feet wide, like the original.
On the Big Island, the 25% descent from the end of HI 240 about 0.75 miles into the Waipio Valley is restricted to 4x4s (AWD doesn't cut it). You need to descend in first gear, low range, to avoid burning up your brakes. People have been killed trying to do the descent in lesser vehicles. You'll also need low range to power your way out of the valley without engine overheating.
Hawaii has some other bad roads, including HI 560 on Kauai (also protected by historic designations), and the steep access road to the observatories on the Mauna Kea summit (most of which is unpaved).
Kolekole Pass Road caught my eye on maps of O'ahu. I'm told Kolekole Road is available to access for anyone with a CAC card or form of DOD ID. I'm told it's questionable in dry conditions for low clearance vehicles.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on March 05, 2022, 10:02:59 PM
Kolekole Pass Road caught my eye on maps of O'ahu. I'm told Kolekole Road is available to access for anyone with a CAC card or form of DOD ID. I'm told it's questionable in dry conditions for low clearance vehicles.
I drove it via the Army base west to the pass, before security restrictions were tightened post-9/11. That part wasn't especially difficult.
The road west of the pass, through a Naval ammunition depot, was generally off-limits to civilians even pre-9/11, so I couldn't check that out.
Quote from: oscar on March 05, 2022, 10:14:55 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on March 05, 2022, 10:02:59 PM
Kolekole Pass Road caught my eye on maps of O'ahu. I'm told Kolekole Road is available to access for anyone with a CAC card or form of DOD ID. I'm told it's questionable in dry conditions for low clearance vehicles.
I drove it via the Army base west to the pass, before security restrictions were tightened post-9/11. That part wasn't especially difficult.
The road west of the pass, through a Naval ammunition depot, was generally off-limits to civilians even pre-9/11, so I couldn't check that out.
Assuming I stay gainfully employed and I return to O'ahu I'd like to give it a try. The abandoned Farrington Highway looks like it would make for an interesting run or mountain bike ride also.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on March 05, 2022, 10:28:16 PM
The abandoned Farrington Highway looks like it would make for an interesting run or mountain bike ride also.
The part between Kaena Point and HI 930 is manageable and even mostly driveable up to the stone wall near the point, but not scenic. The more scenie part to the southeast, between the point and HI 93, is interrupted by a few landslides, though I was able to carefully hike around the slides and reach the point. (I did that hike in early 2009, don't know if anything has changed since then other than my physical condition.)
The road that comes to mind for me is Sulphur Springs Road, which is the back way from Clifton Forge, Virginia, over the mountain to US-220 south of the Homestead Resort (which is where we were headed when we took that road). Almost no traffic, but lots of exceptionally sharp and steep hairpin turns where regardless of which direction you were going, you had to go around the outside of the turn (and hope nobody was coming the other way) because the inside of the turns were too steep and the front of your car would scrape the pavement (indeed the pavement had large gouges at a lot of the hairpins where vehicles had scraped). I'm glad I went that way once. I have no real desire to do so again, although GSV shows a VA-188 cutout in Clifton Forge just before the road that becomes Sulphur Springs Road passes under I-64, so if you're interested in cutouts you might at least want to check that out.
My wife would tell me to list the Moki Dugway, but I didn't find the drive to be very challenging. She was freaked out because she was seated on the side closer to the edge of the cliff and I refused her nagging to drive in the middle of the road instead of keeping to the right.
^^^
The Dugway is incredibly easy, especially down hill if you ride 1st or 2nd gear. The fact it was built for trucks speaks a lot to why it has such a level grade and huge switchbacks. The dirt portion of AZ 88 was always closer to what I think people expect the Dugway to be like.
IN 16. Just try and drive the entire route at once without falling asleep.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on July 08, 2021, 12:30:31 PM
In no particular order:
- CO5
- Pikes Peak Highway
- Trail Ridge Road
- "Cottonwood Pass Road" - CR742, CR209, and CR306
- CO65 over Grand Mesa
I only have two, but I don't get out much.
Rabbit ears pass, descending into steamboat (best driven with a manual... an auto can get away from you quick)
Berthoud pass (long 45-50mph downhill straights with 20mph hairpins)
Bonus: they're both US 40.
I've driven trail ridge, and it didn't seem that bad to me, but I can see how it could be.
I feel like Pikes Peak Highway is more difficult now that it's fully paved. The dirt surface tended to help introduce some extra down hill resistance to speed. I found myself using second and third gears a lot going downhill when I drove Pikes Peak Highway after it was fully paved.
Quote from: zachary_amaryllis on March 06, 2022, 04:41:10 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on July 08, 2021, 12:30:31 PM
In no particular order:
- CO5
- Pikes Peak Highway
- Trail Ridge Road
- "Cottonwood Pass Road" - CR742, CR209, and CR306
- CO65 over Grand Mesa
I only have two, but I don't get out much.
Rabbit ears pass, descending into steamboat (best driven with a manual... an auto can get away from you quick)
Berthoud pass (long 45-50mph downhill straights with 20mph hairpins)
Bonus: they're both US 40.
I've driven trail ridge, and it didn't seem that bad to me, but I can see how it could be.
Back in the early 1970s, my mother got stuck behind a semi coming up Rabbit Ears from the west, I believe. Semi came to a stop and she had a few minutes of wondering if it was going to roll back at her.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 06, 2022, 11:10:41 AM
The road that comes to mind for me is Sulphur Springs Road, which is the back way from Clifton Forge, Virginia, over the mountain to US-220 south of the Homestead Resort (which is where we were headed when we took that road). Almost no traffic, but lots of exceptionally sharp and steep hairpin turns where regardless of which direction you were going, you had to go around the outside of the turn (and hope nobody was coming the other way) because the inside of the turns were too steep and the front of your car would scrape the pavement (indeed the pavement had large gouges at a lot of the hairpins where vehicles had scraped). I'm glad I went that way once. I have no real desire to do so again, although GSV shows a VA-188 cutout in Clifton Forge just before the road that becomes Sulphur Springs Road passes under I-64, so if you're interested in cutouts you might at least want to check that out.
I missed that one, because I must have taken a wrong turn and didn't get to the I-64 underpass, but there are gobs of VA 188 cutouts in Clifton Forge.
Has anyone mentioned Beartooth (US 212)?
The southern Appalachians have some shockingly windy hairpin roads posted as state highways. Georgia's SR 180 comes to mind in particular, but nearby US 19/129 and SR 60, SR 348, and SR 17 are up there as well.
There is also the road up from US 178 to Sassafras Mountain in SC. That one has a few less hairpins than some of the examples in Georgia, but it might be one of the steepest roads I've ever been on.
In my experience, a lot of mountain roads out west are actually less technically challenging than some of these eastern ones. The western mountains are bigger, so the views are better and the roads through them are longer, but in general I don't think the terrain is nearly as rugged as it is in the east.
Quote from: Rothman on July 05, 2021, 09:30:46 PM
Magnolia Rd coming into Paw Paw, WV was a challenging one.
Great find! There are numerous challenging roads throughout the Mountain State, but few of these are in the Eastern Panhandle.
I worked on numerous projects on the old B&O (CSXT) in that area, but never took that route. We could use the railroad right-of-way on either the Magnolia Cutoff (which wasn't a continuous trail) or on the Low Grade (which was still in service back in those days). After the Low Grade was abandoned, that right-of-way was converted to a road along the river grade (aptly named Low Line Road).
Quote from: index on July 08, 2021, 12:53:07 PM- NC 197 heading out of Vilas, NC is pretty twisty and narrow. The whole way on it especially on the curves I thought I was going to clip something.
I think you mean NC-194, which would also be on my list. The section from Vilas to Valle Crucis is windy, but nothing like the climb up out of the Watauga Valley west of Valle Crucis up to Banner Elk. There's been a bunch of reconstructions due to landslide damage since the first time I drove this, making the route much easier today than it was 20 years ago.
In the same area, but not quite as tortuous is NC-184 up to Beech Mountain. Nothing but hairpins straight up the mountain, all with heavy ski traffic when covered with snow and ice. I love passing Jeeps turned sideways with a minivan.
Quote from: hbelkins on March 06, 2022, 07:07:27 PM
Has anyone mentioned Beartooth (US 212)?
No one has, but it's an incredible drive, especially when it's not quite crowded with RVs.
US 30 between Chambersburg and McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania with its hairpin turns.
Sparks Glencoe Road in the same-name Maryland area for similar reasons.
Quote from: hbelkins on March 06, 2022, 07:07:27 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 06, 2022, 11:10:41 AM
The road that comes to mind for me is Sulphur Springs Road, which is the back way from Clifton Forge, Virginia, over the mountain to US-220 south of the Homestead Resort (which is where we were headed when we took that road). Almost no traffic, but lots of exceptionally sharp and steep hairpin turns where regardless of which direction you were going, you had to go around the outside of the turn (and hope nobody was coming the other way) because the inside of the turns were too steep and the front of your car would scrape the pavement (indeed the pavement had large gouges at a lot of the hairpins where vehicles had scraped). I'm glad I went that way once. I have no real desire to do so again, although GSV shows a VA-188 cutout in Clifton Forge just before the road that becomes Sulphur Springs Road passes under I-64, so if you're interested in cutouts you might at least want to check that out.
I missed that one, because I must have taken a wrong turn and didn't get to the I-64 underpass, but there are gobs of VA 188 cutouts in Clifton Forge.
....
Located here. You wouldn't find it unless you were actively following the obscure routing back there. (https://goo.gl/maps/NDJTyC63Pd78YpsW7) Worth posting because, aside from it being a cutout, it has another oddity you don't generally see in Virginia. (For those who might need help, compare it to the other cutout at the opposite end of the same block (https://goo.gl/maps/5wRowAY5cDH4YWbw5).)