States with the most scenic roads? States with the least scenic roads?

[webny99]

so the coast is visible from a total 0.5 miles of Delaware highways?

The coast doesn't have to be visible for it to count as scenic. By Seaway Trail standards (LOL), 0.5 miles is quite a bit...

[kphoger]

I don't think anyone has contested Delaware, even though it's been suggested twice now.

It does have the ocean, at least.

I've never been there but, looking on GSV, I find very little of the ocean (or even the Delaware River) that can be seen from the road there.

The part closest to Maryland has a lot of beaches and accessible coastline.

Visible from the road?  If not, then they have nothing to do with "the most scenic roads".

I'd say the coast is pretty visible from the road... https://goo.gl/maps/nHTDo42uVjigk9oC7

so the coast is visible from a total 0.5 miles of Delaware highways?

The coast doesn't have to be visible for it to count as scenic. By Seaway Trail standards (LOL), 0.5 miles is quite a bit...

No but, if the coast isn't visible, then what does it have to do with Delaware "having the ocean, at least"?

[webny99]

Well, that's just it. Maybe the people that designated the Seaway Trail as a National Scenic Byway have the answer. Maybe the mere presence of the body of water contributes to "scenery", even if it's not actually visible.

I honestly hadn't done any research on Delaware's coastline before posting the comment about it at least having the ocean. But you're right - it's only relevant if you can see the ocean from the road, which appears to not be the case for most of Delaware.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

And the parts of DE where there are roads on the coast are packed with beach houses and condos, further blocking your view.

[StogieGuy7]

Least: Oklahoma maybe?

Not even close. The southwestern part (near Lawton) has the Wichita Mountains, which are far bigger in person than in this GSV image: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.8405706,-98.6889449,3a,75y,84.74h,90.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTtiFiHPm4msWbVYwQroS1w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1


And the southeastern part has the Ouachita Mountains, as seen here from the Indian Nation Turnpike: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.4922963,-95.732884,3a,60y,184.79h,86.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZerTq53sryTvx1bhxHgJfQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

Overall, I'd rate Oklahoma as average to better than average as scenery goes.  Unlike the mind-numbing boredom that is Indiana, Illinois, and the southeastern parts of NC, SC and GA that are inland.

[kphoger]

Last spring, I had the pleasure of driving OK-46 between May and US-64 and US-64 between Buffalo and Alva.

That was on the way back from a camping trip with my sons in the Texas panhandle, which also gets a bad rap despite having stretches of road like this and this and this and this–all of which I also had the pleasure of driving that day.

[StogieGuy7]

Last spring, I had the pleasure of driving OK-46 between May and US-64 and US-64 between Buffalo and Alva.

That was on the way back from a camping trip with my sons in the Texas panhandle, which also gets a bad rap despite having stretches of road like this and this and this and this–all of which I also had the pleasure of driving that day.

Oh yeah, the Texas panhandle has the caprock canyons, like Palo Duro!  VERY scenic.  No, the southern plains are actually very scenic and interesting - to me at least.  And Oklahoma is NOT flat and it's NOT boring!  That's just the crap that Hollywood has fed people along the coasts.

[kphoger]

And Oklahoma is NOT flat and it's NOT boring!  That's just the crap that Hollywood has fed people along the coasts.

Actually, I think a lot of it is flat and boring.  But it has enough places that aren't, that I can't call the state in general "not scenic".

[StogieGuy7]

And Oklahoma is NOT flat and it's NOT boring!  That's just the crap that Hollywood has fed people along the coasts.

Actually, I think a lot of it is flat and boring.  But it has enough places that aren't, that I can't call the state in general "not scenic".

This is true of most states, though.  And OK has a variety of scenery that is more varied than the likes of Illinois or New Jersey or (certainly) Iowa. The eastern part is "green country" with the Ouachita's that look Appalachian.  The SE corner even has thick pine forests like Mississippi has (near Idabel). The central part has rolling hills and low trees/prairie - and is drier.  Farther west is drier still with small mountain ranges in SW OK that look western.  And then there's the panhandle with volcanic Black Mesa.  There's a lot to see really. 

[thspfc]

The part closest to Maryland has a lot of beaches and accessible coastline.

Visible from the road?  If not, then they have nothing to do with "the most scenic roads".

I'd say the coast is pretty visible from the road... https://goo.gl/maps/nHTDo42uVjigk9oC7

OK, so the coast is visible from a total 0.5 miles of Delaware highways?

Why do you hate Delaware so much? Or are you just being difficult for the sake of being difficult?

[kphoger]

Why do you hate Delaware so much? Or are you just being difficult for the sake of being difficult?

Neither one.  I simply realized nobody had challenged the suggestion that Delaware has the least scenic roads, and I didn't think "it has the ocean" was a legitimate counter-argument, considering that the ocean isn't really visible from the state's roads.

[Konza]

Has anyone mentioned Florida?

Except for US 1 through the Keys and an occasional spectacular bridge, the inland highways go through low grasslands, citrus groves, and swamps.  Along the coasts, development is everywhere.

For those who diss the Midwest:

The Flint Hills of Kansas are simply gorgeous.  Almost like they were hand-formed by God.  Worth seeing in summer green, and winter orange.

If you think Iowa is flat, you haven't spent much time in Iowa.  Iowa, bordered as it is by two great rivers, rolls.  Northeast Iowa is particularly hilly, and southwest Iowa includes the Loess Hills, which are found nowhere else in the world.

Northern Indiana features dunes along Lake Michigan, some of which are visible from I-94, and US 12 runs right through the heart of them.

I haven't found much redeeming about Illinois, though, and I've lived about two-thirds of my life in Illinois.  I-55 in Illinois has to be one of the most boring roads anywhere.  Maybe US 20 out by Galena?  Lake Shore Dive in Chicago?  No, not enough.

[kphoger]

I haven't found much redeeming about Illinois, though, and I've lived about two-thirds of my life in Illinois.

Spent much time south of Route 13?

https://goo.gl/maps/Cw8jWynvNHYY7tBZ8
https://goo.gl/maps/b8pnJ7vRKUr4wLon6
https://goo.gl/maps/tmyJveFVDkoFHcKaA
https://goo.gl/maps/xogZsda3Nfra5FRu7
https://goo.gl/maps/wbnTLT543ufW675U7

[michravera]

The three northern New England states have some really nice roads. For least scenic, Rhode Island beats out Connecticut because Connecticut has the Merritt parkway. Other states can have nice roads too, but they can also have tons of boring ones.

How in the world do you beat CASR-1/CASR-35/CASR-92 and I-280 in the same hour? And all of that is within an hour or so of my house. Well, maybe you beat it with I-405/US-101 and CASR-1 again in LA County? Or maybe you beat it with I-5, the Coronado Bridge and a few others in San Diego County. Or maybe you beat it with US-101 and CASR-41 in San Luis Obispo County. Or maybe you beat it with CASR-1 and US-101 in Santa Barbara County. Or maybe you beat it with the view from US-50 in El Dorado County. Or maybe you beat it with .... in California.

Puerto Rico has some very nice scenery, but not much of it is visible from the roads (at least not near San Juan).

Maybe along Av. Viera Souto to Av. Niemeyer to Cam. Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, but those are all local streets.

[CoreySamson]

For least scenic, I would like to nominate Louisiana. Very flat and its only real highlights are long bridges over open water (Ponchatrain Expressway, particularly). The scenery away from water has got to be the worst, with boring farmland in the west and boring forest in the east. Its hills aren't that good, either.

Reminds me, could Interstate 12 potentially win the title of least scenic interstate?

[Roadgeekteen]

The three northern New England states have some really nice roads. For least scenic, Rhode Island beats out Connecticut because Connecticut has the Merritt parkway. Other states can have nice roads too, but they can also have tons of boring ones.

How in the world do you beat CASR-1/CASR-35/CASR-92 and I-280 in the same hour? And all of that is within an hour or so of my house. Well, maybe you beat it with I-405/US-101 and CASR-1 again in LA County? Or maybe you beat it with I-5, the Coronado Bridge and a few others in San Diego County. Or maybe you beat it with US-101 and CASR-41 in San Luis Obispo County. Or maybe you beat it with CASR-1 and US-101 in Santa Barbara County. Or maybe you beat it with the view from US-50 in El Dorado County. Or maybe you beat it with .... in California.

Puerto Rico has some very nice scenery, but not much of it is visible from the roads (at least not near San Juan).

Maybe along Av. Viera Souto to Av. Niemeyer to Cam. Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, but those are all local streets.

I was talking about the states I've traveled by road in.

[Roadgeekteen]

I haven't found much redeeming about Illinois, though, and I've lived about two-thirds of my life in Illinois.

Spent much time south of Route 13?

https://goo.gl/maps/Cw8jWynvNHYY7tBZ8
https://goo.gl/maps/b8pnJ7vRKUr4wLon6
https://goo.gl/maps/tmyJveFVDkoFHcKaA
https://goo.gl/maps/xogZsda3Nfra5FRu7
https://goo.gl/maps/wbnTLT543ufW675U7

The roads you linked are nice, but nothing spectacular.

[fillup420]

I cant believe North Carolina hasnt been mentioned more.
we have some excellent scenic roads, especially in the western side.

I-26, I-40 and US 19/23/74/441 through the Smokies. also US 129 the dragons tail. US 321 from Boone to TN is a personal favorite of mine; curvy mountain road that is also very well built and easy to maintain a nice speed.

Down east isnt bad either. although I-95 may be the least exciting road in the whole state.

[Roadgeekteen]

I cant believe North Carolina hasnt been mentioned more.
we have some excellent scenic roads, especially in the western side.

I-26, I-40 and US 19/23/74/441 through the Smokies. also US 129 the dragons tail. US 321 from Boone to TN is a personal favorite of mine; curvy mountain road that is also very well built and easy to maintain a nice speed.

Down east isnt bad either. although I-95 may be the least exciting road in the whole state.

Western NC is very nice, not sure of the rest of the state.

[STLmapboy]

I've found most Missouri routes to be scenic.

The south can be nice with the hills, but most anything north of I-70 is dull as Central Ill. And I-35 in MO is an Iowa-style slogging nightmare.

[STLmapboy]

Oh yeah, the Texas panhandle has the caprock canyons, like Palo Duro!  VERY scenic.  No, the southern plains are actually very scenic and interesting - to me at least.  And Oklahoma is NOT flat and it's NOT boring!  That's just the crap that Hollywood has fed people along the coasts.

I agree with the Hollywood part. One notable exception to that is "Hell or High Water," which portrays panhandle/central Texas and southern OK in a very realistic light. It gives the land the respect and authenticity not often found in Hollywood films (as well as a more sympathetic portrait of rural conservatives than is usually found). It's a great movie, and even shows some of the scenic parts of this area; the climactic shootout takes place on a high ridge.

[bm7]

I definitely think Louisiana would be the least scenic. I decided to find the most scenic area I could there in street view, here is what I came up with. As a challenge, see if you can find anything better.

[Flint1979]

The state's I've been to the most are pretty high on the list. Michigan has plenty of scenic roads. Indiana has quite a bit, Wisconsin as well. Indiana has a lot of hilly windy state roads that are fun and pretty scenic.

For Michigan though, M-26 and US-41 in the Keewanaw Peninsula beat out M-22 around Traverse City. M-25 is another scenic highway running around the rim of the thumb from Bay City to Port Huron. US-23 and US-31 are scenic as is I-75 crossing the Straits of Mackinac on that long suspension bridge that is pretty famous.

Least scenic probably Iowa.

[ftballfan]

The Ohio Turnpike is bad until you get east of the Sandusky/Norwalk area

[Flint1979]

Worst in Michigan. Even though I mentioned earlier that M-25 around the rim of the thumb is scenic the inland areas of the thumb are boring.

Save from maybe St. Clair County if you count that as the thumb some of it does have a lot in common with the thumb area.

M-57 is a boring highway west of M-52. M-52 itself I find boring between Perry and Stockbridge.

M-28 on the Seney Stretch.  I just rode this on Monday of this week and it's 25 miles of straightness. Everyone was doing 70 mph through there no problem and what seemed like about 45 minutes was really about 20 minutes.