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

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.

CO14 has a bunch of pretty spots, no doubt.  But the eastern part I still can't get behind. I've been clinching the NE Colorado roads as I up my Colorado percentage north of 70%, but CO14 there is not one of the pretty ones unless you count the faint outline of the Pawnee Buttes to the north.  CO71 north of CO14 to the Nebraska border I thought was pretty nice as was CO61 that I just drove today (CO63 on the other hand was not interesting at all).  I don't mind the plains as a guy who lived in Kansas for 15 years, but CO14 around Briggsdale is not one of those pretty spots.  Kudos to you though if you like it. 

Chris

[gonealookin]

It would be tough to argue with either Nevada 28 along the north and east shores of Lake Tahoe, or Nevada 431, the Mt. Rose Highway, climbing from Incline Village to an 8900-foot summit and then plunging 4000 feet to the south end of Reno.

[Flint1979]

For Michigan, I'm going with M-26 in the Keweenaw Peninsula as my top one, M-22, M-119, M-25, M-134.

For Indiana, I'm going with SR-46, SR-62, SR-38, SR-1, SR-121 (southern segment).

[Max Rockatansky]

It would be tough to argue with either Nevada 28 along the north and east shores of Lake Tahoe, or Nevada 431, the Mt. Rose Highway, climbing from Incline Village to an 8900-foot summit and then plunging 4000 feet to the south end of Reno.

NV 341 would rank right up there as well given the terrain and how much mining history it passes through. 

[tdindy88]

For Michigan, I'm going with M-26 in the Keweenaw Peninsula as my top one, M-22, M-119, M-25, M-134.

For Indiana, I'm going with SR-46, SR-62, SR-38, SR-1, SR-121 (southern segment).

I wouldn't agree with SR 38 there, unless cornfields count as scenic. It ain't SR 16 as mentioned above but SR 38 doesn't do a whole lot either. Likewise, SR 1 is not even remotely scenic for the majority of its route. South of Bluffton it is rather boring all the way south to Connersville where the scenery starts changing. There's very little to it between Bluffton and Connersville.

[Flint1979]

For Michigan, I'm going with M-26 in the Keweenaw Peninsula as my top one, M-22, M-119, M-25, M-134.

For Indiana, I'm going with SR-46, SR-62, SR-38, SR-1, SR-121 (southern segment).

I wouldn't agree with SR 38 there, unless cornfields count as scenic. It ain't SR 16 as mentioned above but SR 38 doesn't do a whole lot either. Likewise, SR 1 is not even remotely scenic for the majority of its route. South of Bluffton it is rather boring all the way south to Connersville where the scenery starts changing. There's very little to it between Bluffton and Connersville.

We're talking about Indiana though. I at least like the Hamilton County stretch of SR-38. SR-42 is another one I like, I used it to bypass a traffic jam on I-70 between SR-59 and Cloverdale once. I had asked at the Petro there what the alternate route for I-70 is and they told me US-40, right after I pulled out I thought I'm taking SR-42 instead and I'm kind of glad I did but I also told them I was going to Greencastle instead of Cloverdale so that's probably why they told me to take 40. SR-42 is very curvy and narrow and I like that aspect.

[Gnutella]

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

I clinched PA 120 two years ago, driving from west to east. It's a very scenic but very desolate road. For much of the way, I had no cellular service. The topography is extreme, and the road was down to one lane in a couple of places due to landslides undercutting the eastbound lanes. Hyner View State Park is spectacular, though, and worth the drive. On the entire 104 miles of PA 120, the only towns are Ridgway, Emporium, Renovo and Lock Haven. Other than that, very little development. It wasn't until I got to Lock Haven that I felt like I was back in civilization.

[Mr_Northside]

On the entire 104 miles of PA 120, the only towns are Ridgway, Emporium, Renovo and Lock Haven. Other than that, very little development. It wasn't until I got to Lock Haven that I felt like I was back in civilization.

Don't forget St. Mary's - home of the Straub Brewery.

[TXtoNJ]

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.

The answer is FM 337.

[kphoger]

The answer is FM 337.

Technically, it's RM 337.  But yeah, add that one to my bucket list.

[Flint1979]

After thinking more about it I'm going to go with M-26 for Michigan and IN-62 for Indiana. Case closed.

[Roadgeekteen]

For the ones I've been on, MA 2 and MA 9, although closer to Boston they get duller.

[US 89]

For Utah, it has to be SR 12. Although there are plenty of great highways in the state, none of them come close to 12 as far as I'm concerned.

Beyond that, if I had to pick a top ten, not in order, I'd probably go with:

- I-70
- US 163
- SR 9
- SR 31
- SR 39
- SR 44
- SR 95
- SR 150
- SR 210

[wxfree]

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.

It's TX 118.  It starts at I-10, runs south through the Davis Mountains to Fort Davis and Alpine, then it runs to Big Bend National Park through a basin and range region with single mountains and smaller ranges.  Outside of Alpine, there's no part of it that isn't dramatically scenic.  Even in town, mountains are visible most of the time.

TX 166 and the observatory spurs could also be considered, but I gave my answer because of its length.  It's consistently, and dramatically, scenic for 157 miles.

[Max Rockatansky]

For Utah, it has to be SR 12. Although there are plenty of great highways in the state, none of them come close to 12 as far as I'm concerned.

Beyond that, if I had to pick a top ten, not in order, I'd probably go with:

- I-70
- US 163
- SR 9
- SR 31
- SR 39
- SR 44
- SR 95
- SR 150
- SR 210

No UT 24, 128, or 279?

[paulthemapguy]

Illinois isn't scenic and it sucks.  Maybe IL-84 as it follows the Mississippi River for a long while?  IL-2 as it follows the Rock River?  I've been thinking of maybe nominating some roads in the Shawnee National Forest, but I don't know of any that are consistently scenic (146? 151? 147? 166?).

I was also going to mention UT-24 or maybe UT-95.  I've heard UT-128 is amazing.

[Max Rockatansky]

Illinois isn't scenic and it sucks.  Maybe IL-84 as it follows the Mississippi River for a long while?  IL-2 as it follows the Rock River?  I've been thinking of maybe nominating some roads in the Shawnee National Forest, but I don't know of any that are consistently scenic (146? 151? 147? 166?).

I was also going to mention UT-24 or maybe UT-95.  I've heard UT-128 is amazing.

UT 128 is incredibly pretty and still is interesting in the form of the ghost town Cisco upon pulling away from the Colorado River. 

[US 89]

I was also going to mention UT-24 or maybe UT-95.  I've heard UT-128 is amazing.

UT 128 is incredibly pretty and still is interesting in the form of the ghost town Cisco upon pulling away from the Colorado River.

It was hard to limit it just to a top 10. I left 24 out mostly because the part between Hanksville and 70 isn't really that exciting, and it spends a while in the flat farmlands of Sevier County. But the scenic parts probably more than balance that out in the long run.

I should probably have included 128, though.

[Thing 342]

Does VA-48 count? (Unsigned designation for Blue Ridge Pkwy and Skyline Dr)

[kphoger]

It's TX 118.  It starts at I-10, runs south through the Davis Mountains to Fort Davis and Alpine, then it runs to Big Bend National Park through a basin and range region with single mountains and smaller ranges.  Outside of Alpine, there's no part of it that isn't dramatically scenic.  Even in town, mountains are visible most of the time.

Hmmm....  There are some stretches of straight, flat highway where the mountains are only in the distance, though, right?  I don't think the same can be said of RM-337.

For Utah, it has to be SR 12. Although there are plenty of great highways in the state, none of them come close to 12 as far as I'm concerned.

Beyond that, if I had to pick a top ten, not in order, I'd probably go with:

- I-70
- US 163
- SR 9
- SR 31
- SR 39
- SR 44
- SR 95
- SR 150
- SR 210

No UT 24, 128, or 279?

I agree with UT-12.  The stretch of UT-24 north of Hanksville, while arguably scenic in its own way, just doesn't hold a candle to UT-12.  As for UT-128, I feel the same way about the portion north of the Colorado River valley:  arguably scenic in a different way, but also rather drab, especially the part that's old US-6 (notwithstanding the existence of Cisco).

[Flint1979]

Illinois isn't scenic and it sucks.  Maybe IL-84 as it follows the Mississippi River for a long while?  IL-2 as it follows the Rock River?  I've been thinking of maybe nominating some roads in the Shawnee National Forest, but I don't know of any that are consistently scenic (146? 151? 147? 166?).

I was also going to mention UT-24 or maybe UT-95.  I've heard UT-128 is amazing.

IL-3 for the same reasons as IL-84?

[kphoger]

Route 3 is pretty good for Illinois, but I wouldn't call it "consistently scenic".

I personally think Route 34 between Benton and Harrisburg is a beautiful drive.  I've driven it many times for work as a delivery driver, and my wife did it for work a couple of times too.  I haven't driven the portion south of Harrisburg, but GSV indicates it's pretty scenic as well.

Route 146 could be a contender, although I'm unfamiliar with the portion west of Jonesboro.

[Flint1979]

Route 3 is pretty good for Illinois, but I wouldn't call it "consistently scenic".

I personally think Route 34 between Benton and Harrisburg is a beautiful drive.  I've driven it many times for work as a delivery driver, and my wife did it for work a couple of times too.  I haven't driven the portion south of Harrisburg, but GSV indicates it's pretty scenic as well.

Route 146 could be a contender, although I'm unfamiliar with the portion west of Jonesboro.

I would agree since it's an almost 200 mile highway that goes through the eastern suburbs of St. Louis that part isn't scenic but south of the St. Louis area I would say it is.

[kphoger]

Yeah, even the flat farmland stretches of Route 3 are still decently pretty.

[Flint1979]

Yeah, even the flat farmland stretches of Route 3 are still decently pretty.

Better than anything else Illinois has to offer.