Most Consistently Scenic State Highway In Your State

[JayhawkCO]

Did a search and didn't find anything.  I live in Colorado and have a lot of really pretty drives, but it'd be nice to know which drives other states' members found to be the best so that I could make some detours off of the interstate to see them.

I have several nominations for Colorado:

CO139 - If you like the desert landscape mixed with pine forest, this is for you.  The drive (especially southbound) over Douglas Pass is one of my prettiest spots in the state
CO82 - From Twin Lakes to Independence Pass, some of the best high mountain scenery in the state
CO5 - The highest paved road in the United States and views for days
CO91 - From Copper Mountain down to Leadville, you pass a bunch of 14ers, lakes, and gorgeous alpine scenery
CO149 - A very remote part of the state with Slumgullion Pass and views of Mt. Uncompaghre
CO12 - Definitely feeling more New Mexico than Colorado, the areas around Cuchara and La Veta are super nice
CO7 - Views of Longs Peak and the nice descent into Estes Park are all gorgeous

There are others that would rank in a lot of states, and a couple that I haven't gotten the chance to drive yet (most of CO141 at the top of the list), but for my money, the most consistently scenic state highway in Colorado is CO5.  From the lakes at the bottom to the mountain goats at the top, it's really tough to describe to others the feeling of driving above 14,000 feet.  CO82 and CO91 close runners up for me.

How about for your state?

Chris

[hotdogPi]

Pretty much any road in this area has fall foliage throughout its length.

I previously said MA 127A before editing this post. Unfortunately, you can't see the ocean from the road.

[SectorZ]

For Massachusetts I feel the best bangs for your buck are state routes 8A (the longer one), 23, 105, and 127. The first 2 are in the Berkshires, 105 is the southeast part of the state and 127 the northeast.

[thspfc]

WI-35.

[NWI_Irish96]

"Consistently scenic" is a challenge for Indiana because the most scenic stretches of road I'm thinking of, like IN 135, IN 66, IN 62 and IN 56 are all part of highways that also go through some very boring areas.

I guess to fit consistently scenic, I'd go with some shorter highways like IN 156, IN 446, and maybe IN 145


If we're going to delve into the most consistently unscenic state highway, it's IN 16 hands down.

[GaryV]

For Michigan, I would say M-22.  A second choice would be M-119.  And an oddball, M-185   

Several others are runners up, such as M-123, M-77, M-26, M-134.

[Max Rockatansky]

CA 49 over CA 1.  CA 1 tends to drag as a urban arterial road in Southern California before it gets to anything good near Santa Monica.  CA 49 is almost constantly aligned through sleeping mining era towns on an largely two lane alignment.   CA 49 is only blighted by a freeway segment in Grass Valley and Nevada City.  CA 89 would be right up there as well with almost constant scenic segments and a single freeway span in Truckee multiplexed with I-80.  Some others that have near constant scenery include; CA 36, CA 299, CA 96, and CA 88.

In Arizona I would give the title to US 191 based off the Navajo Nation and Coronado Trail segments.   None of the remaining segments are lacking for mountainous scenery.  AZ 88 is kind of short but doesn't lack for scenery over it's entire alignment.  AZ 260 is almost entirely forested aside it's western segment near Verde Valley.  AZ 89A has two super nice scenic segments in Oak Creek Canyon and Mingus Mountain.

[kphoger]

I nominate K-177 for Kansas.
And I'll gladly welcome anyone to dispute it, because I'm far from being familiar with all of Kansas' state highways.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'll nominate US 98 for Florida out of the larger highways.  US 98 is mostly rural and goes through a very diverse set of terrain in the form of the; Everglades, the shore of Lake Okeechobee, the Ocala Plateau, and the Gulf Coast.  A1A obviously is a choice too but that's split into segments that are meant to be largely coastal intentionally. 

[Rothman]

Hm.  I was going to say MA 116, but south of Mount Holyoke College, it enters dead mill city land.

[TravelingBethelite]

[...]

There are others that would rank in a lot of states, and a couple that I haven't gotten the chance to drive yet (most of CO141 at the top of the list), but for my money, the most consistently scenic state highway in Colorado is CO5.  From the lakes at the bottom to the mountain goats at the top, it's really tough to describe to others the feeling of driving above 14,000 feet.  CO82 and CO91 close runners up for me.

[...]

Speaking of 5's, I'd nominate MO 5. Quaint farming country between Iowa and I-70, rolling hills between I-70 and the lakes, and the foothills of the Ozarks near Route 60.

I mainly asked to reply what is it like driving above 14,000 feet? Does it affect performance in any meaningful way?

[kphoger]

a couple that I haven't gotten the chance to drive yet (most of CO141 at the top of the list)

I've driven all but the northernmost 5 miles (the part north of US-50 near GJ), and I can assure you the scenic is wonderful.  I drove the part south of Naturita back in the 1990s, and I drove the part north of Naturita just a few years ago.

[STLmapboy]

MO-14, MO-76, MO-90, and MO-106 are definitely up there. Also MO-181.

[zzcarp]

Did a search and didn't find anything.  I live in Colorado and have a lot of really pretty drives, but it'd be nice to know which drives other states' members found to be the best so that I could make some detours off of the interstate to see them.

I have several nominations for Colorado:

CO139 - If you like the desert landscape mixed with pine forest, this is for you.  The drive (especially southbound) over Douglas Pass is one of my prettiest spots in the state
CO82 - From Twin Lakes to Independence Pass, some of the best high mountain scenery in the state
CO5 - The highest paved road in the United States and views for days
CO91 - From Copper Mountain down to Leadville, you pass a bunch of 14ers, lakes, and gorgeous alpine scenery
CO149 - A very remote part of the state with Slumgullion Pass and views of Mt. Uncompaghre
CO12 - Definitely feeling more New Mexico than Colorado, the areas around Cuchara and La Veta are super nice
CO7 - Views of Longs Peak and the nice descent into Estes Park are all gorgeous

There are others that would rank in a lot of states, and a couple that I haven't gotten the chance to drive yet (most of CO141 at the top of the list), but for my money, the most consistently scenic state highway in Colorado is CO5.  From the lakes at the bottom to the mountain goats at the top, it's really tough to describe to others the feeling of driving above 14,000 feet.  CO82 and CO91 close runners up for me.

How about for your state?

Chris

Chris named most of my favorites in Colorado. I think Highway 5 probably takes the cake as an all-scenic route, and CO 91 is an underrated gem. But I wanted to name two of my favorites.

US 285 from Denver is the best long route, from urban scenery, canyons, far-off mountains through South Park and Buena Vista, the San Luis Valley, and onto New Mexico. And, the Guanella Pass Road is consistently scenic from Georgetown to Grant.

[CoreySamson]

For Mississippi I'd say US 90.

As for Texas I have absolutely no idea, as I live in basically the most boring part of the state.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

80-85% scenic
MN 61
MN 26

70-75% scenic
MN 46

60-65% scenic
MN 38
MN 16
MN 44
MN 74
MN 42
MN 156

50-55% scenic
MN 95 (the N-S segment between I-94 and US 8)
MN 43
MN 250

[hobsini2]

It would be had to find one as scenic as WIS 35 along the Mississippi and St Croix Rivers.

[Road Hog]

For Mississippi I'd say US 90.

As for Texas I have absolutely no idea, as I live in basically the most boring part of the state.

Texans will swear by US 281, but I guess "scenic" is in the eye of the beholder. You will definitely see a lot of "Real Texas" on that route.

[webny99]

Pretty much any road in this area has fall foliage throughout its length.

That's the case here too, although to a slightly less extent than New England.

New York is a bit tricky, because most roads seem to have meh segments.
NY 364 is pretty consistently scenic. Same for NY 64, which has the quaint villages of Pittsford and Mendon plus some upscale suburbia.
I've never been on NY 28 south/east of the NY 12 multiplex, but it surely has to be a candidate: it goes through the heart of both the Catskills and the Adirondacks.

The entire length of NY 14A is basically NY's Amish country in a nutshell, if that counts.

[Love2drive]

NC 194.  Two sections of it are part of the NC Scenic Byways.

[KCRoadFan]

MO 94 (which shadows the Missouri River between Jeff City and St. Charles) comes to mind as far as my state goes.

[zachary_amaryllis]

Did a search and didn't find anything.  I live in Colorado and have a lot of really pretty drives, but it'd be nice to know which drives other states' members found to be the best so that I could make some detours off of the interstate to see them.

I have several nominations for Colorado:

CO139 - If you like the desert landscape mixed with pine forest, this is for you.  The drive (especially southbound) over Douglas Pass is one of my prettiest spots in the state
CO82 - From Twin Lakes to Independence Pass, some of the best high mountain scenery in the state
CO5 - The highest paved road in the United States and views for days
CO91 - From Copper Mountain down to Leadville, you pass a bunch of 14ers, lakes, and gorgeous alpine scenery
CO149 - A very remote part of the state with Slumgullion Pass and views of Mt. Uncompaghre
CO12 - Definitely feeling more New Mexico than Colorado, the areas around Cuchara and La Veta are super nice
CO7 - Views of Longs Peak and the nice descent into Estes Park are all gorgeous

There are others that would rank in a lot of states, and a couple that I haven't gotten the chance to drive yet (most of CO141 at the top of the list), but for my money, the most consistently scenic state highway in Colorado is CO5.  From the lakes at the bottom to the mountain goats at the top, it's really tough to describe to others the feeling of driving above 14,000 feet.  CO82 and CO91 close runners up for me.

How about for your state?

Chris

co-14, tho it might not be 'consistently' scenic.. the section through ft collins is decidedly gritty and urban, tho one could argue its scenic in a 'different' sort of way..

the section out on the plains, (sterling-fort collins) is pretty, in its desolation -- you can see a loooooong ways down that road.

the section in the mountains, (ft collins - to jct us 40 near steamboat) is the best,tho.

[jemacedo9]

Pretty much any road in this area has fall foliage throughout its length.

That's the case here too, although to a slightly less extent than New England.

New York is a bit tricky, because most roads seem to have meh segments.
NY 364 is pretty consistently scenic. Same for NY 64, which has the quaint villages of Pittsford and Mendon plus some upscale suburbia.
I've never been on NY 28 south/east of the NY 12 multiplex, but it surely has to be a candidate: it goes through the heart of both the Catskills and the Adirondacks.

The entire length of NY 14A is basically NY's Amish country in a nutshell, if that counts.

I always liked driving NY 364.
Try NY 436 between Dansville and Portageville sometime...particularly westbound.

[webny99]

I always liked driving NY 364.
Try NY 436 between Dansville and Portageville sometime...particularly westbound.

Same here!
I have driven NY 436, but it was eastbound. It's the kind of road that most people in the country don't know exists in New York.

[Ketchup99]

My vote is for PA 120 in Pennsylvania, it's a beautiful road the whole way.