10 Most Scenic Roads In The U.S. (PHOTOS)

Like it or not, driving is an American pastime. As a general population, we spend quite a lot of time in our cars, so why not hit the road and enjoy the view en route to our destination?

Here are our picks for the 9 most scenic roads in America. We're sure we missed a few, so send your picks to us!

 

Have a favorite drive we didn't include? Send us your photos!

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Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), California

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Drive

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Generic. Beautiful!

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Comments

[Jon Vanhala]

09:16 PM on 11/07/2010

you guys totally missed this twice: the north shore of lake superior from duluth, mn up to canada

[onwisconsin]

08:01 PM on 10/12/2010

I was surprised to find that I'd driven 10 of these. All beautiful. My favorites have to be the road to Hana in Maui, the Beartooth Highway (not for the faint of heart), and anything from my time living in Alaska!

[sphlouge]

05:10 PM on 10/11/2010

Going to the sun road is my favorite...

[NimbleBean]

08:30 AM on 10/11/2010

Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire is amazing!

[onlythetruthcounts]

08:23 PM on 10/10/2010

I suggest everyone travel the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway at least twice. Don't forget a camera and lots of memory sticks and batteries.

[amjp]

12:57 PM on 10/12/2010

Hey! Aren't I fortunate to live only about seven miles from the nearest entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway in NW North Carolina? I consider it my local road.

[KateInMT]

03:06 PM on 10/10/2010

As a Montanan, I agree that the Beartooth Highway (or Cooke City Highway, as locals call it) belongs on this list. Going-to-the-Sun is also beautiful, but not as overall spectacular as Beartooth. I'd love to someday do the Blue Ridge Mountains - everything I've seen or heard says they're not to be missed. All states have their beauty, and aren't we fortunate to be able to share them all?

[Susanne Freeborn]

05:58 AM on 10/10/2010

The North Cascades Highway is amazing.

[Patriot Games]

12:00 AM on 10/10/2010

Route 89A, Arizona / Utah http://www.zionnational-park.com/images/albums/pages/grand-canyon-33_jpg.htm

[ChristopherJones]

11:34 PM on 10/09/2010

Let's add the Jersey Turnpike to the Merrit Parkway...

[amjp]

01:02 PM on 10/12/2010

If one road were to be chosen in the NY metropolitan area, I would easily have picked the Palisades Interstate Parkway over the Merritt. There are some amazing views of the Hudson from cliffs along the Parkway.

[Jon Vanhala]

09:18 PM on 11/07/2010

totally agreed. but honestly neither all that scenic

[katiequinn]

10:13 PM on 10/09/2010

They missed the boat by leaving out Going-to-the-Sun Highway in Glacier National Park!

[onwisconsin]

08:04 PM on 10/12/2010

Agreed. That is a road everyone should drive at least once.

[Deborah Beck]

09:08 PM on 10/09/2010

Once more The Pacific Northwest! Remember them?

[Mum]

06:02 PM on 10/09/2010

Has anyone mentioned Utah State Route 12 yet? It's a spectacular scenic drive, especially if you combine it with Route 24, the Capitol Reef Scenic Highway. It passes through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and there are lots of opportunities for side trips to places with names like Hell's Backbone road (unpaved), Kodachrome Basin, and the Box-Death Hollow Wilderness. The Hogsback section is a bit harrowing, especially if you are driving it with a passenger who suffers from acrophobia - narrow road, little in the way of a shoulder, no guardrails, 2000-foot drops on both sides. (There is one tiny pullout/viewpoint.) Interestingly enough, no one we talked to on the western side of the Hogsback had ever been across it, and a few people clearly thought we were crazy to have ventured across it!

[mkray22]

05:43 PM on 10/09/2010

I've lived in both st. Louis and Oregon. The great river road is pretty, but it doesnt even compare to the Columbia Gorge national scenic route. Not to mention going-to-the-sun road in Montana. I know these lists are more amusement than news, but come on, at least a minimal amount of accurate research?

[Deborah Beck]

09:08 PM on 10/09/2010

It's like someone has never heard of the Pacific Northwest!

[raye1]

08:05 AM on 10/10/2010

Amen Deborah! As a native Oregonian I was sure they would have Crater Lakes scenic road listed! Its as if they want to push what is popular instead of what is beautiful and unspoiled. Guess we do not have enough amusement park type attractions in Oregon for the "most beautiful" list makers!

[Sue Bryant]

07:32 PM on 10/12/2010

Just what I was thinking, no Columbia Gorge? One of the most breath-taking drives in the world.

[liberalrebuttal]

04:19 PM on 10/09/2010

I CALL FOUL !!!

WISCONSIN HAS WAY PRETTIER SCENIC DRIVES ALL OVER THE STATE.

[onwisconsin]

08:06 PM on 10/12/2010

I live in Wisconsin and have been to many of these places. I hate to disagree with a fellow badger but no, we really don't. We do have some beautiful places but the spectacular vistas on these roads just don't exist in our lovely state.

[caad4]

04:01 PM on 10/09/2010

Nope, wearisome. Big Sur area.