The Orphaned Highways of the American SouthwestWhile millions of travelers crowd the tarmac of Route 66 or clog the viewpoints of Zion National Park, a parallel network of pristine asphalt remains virtually empty. State Route 128 in Utah offers a striking alternative to the more famous parkways. Winding directly alongside the Colorado River, this scenic byway cuts through a sheer red rock canyon that feels close enough to touch. The towering sandstone walls create a dramatic, narrow corridor that opens up into the stunning vistas of the Fisher Towers. This route provides the same primordial geology as the national parks but replaces the tourist buses with quiet, open pavement.Further south, Arizona’s Highway 89A climbs from the desert floor of Sedona up through the dense ponderosa pines of Oak Creek Canyon. The road features a series of switchbacks that challenge drivers while revealing hidden swimming holes, limestone cliffs, and sharp transitions in vegetation. It provides a masterclass in ecological diversity over the span of just a few dozen miles, serving as an ideal detour for those looking to escape the standard highway gridlock.
The Forgotten Coasts of the Pacific NorthwestThe Pacific Coast Highway in California dominates the bucket lists of coastal drivers, but the northern reaches of the continent hold a moodier, more dramatic secret. The Olympic Peninsula Loop, tracking Highway 101 in Washington State, encircles a wilderness of moss-covered rain forests, glacial rivers, and wild beaches. The section running from Ruby Beach up to Cape Flattery places drivers at the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. Here, sea stacks rise like jagged teeth from the mist, and the crowd-free turnouts look out over an untamed Pacific Ocean.Across the border, the Sea-to-Sky Highway in British Columbia is often used merely as a conduit to Whistler. However, stopping along the many fjords of Howe Sound reveals a landscape where deep blue ocean water meets vertical granite cliffs. The view from the logging town turnouts offers a raw perspective on the Canadian wilderness that pristine resort towns often sanitise.
The Secret Ridges of the Appalachian HighlandsThe Blue Ridge Parkway is legendary for its rolling autumn colors, but the traffic during peak seasons can reduce a scenic journey to a literal crawl. To find identical mountain vistas with a fraction of the vehicles, look to the Cherohala Skyway. Connecting Robbinsville, North Carolina, to Tellico Plains, Tennessee, this ridge-line drive cost over one hundred million dollars to construct and pierces directly through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. The road reaches elevations exceeding 5,000 feet, offering unobstructed, panoramic views of unending mountain crests that remain vibrant throughout the year.Equally spectacular is the West Virginia Highland Scenic Highway. This designated national scenic byway traverses the mountainous terrain of the Monongahela National Forest. It follows a wild ridge for over forty miles, completely devoid of commercial development. The absence of gas stations, billboards, and hotels preserves an authentic atmosphere of exploration, where the only sights are the dense hardwood canopies and the deep, misty valleys below.
The Hidden Valleys of the Midwest and PlainsThe middle of the continent is frequently dismissed as flat terrain to be bypassed by airplanes, yet it contains some of the most unique topography in the country. The Driftless Area Scenic Byway in northeast Iowa loops through a region completely missed by the flattening glaciers of the last ice age. The result is a surprise landscape of steep limestone bluffs, deep forested valleys, and winding trout streams. Driving this network of county roads feels closer to exploring the foothills of Europe than the stereotypical American corn belt.Further west, the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway in South Dakota cuts a narrow path through ancient limestone cliffs covered in spruce and aspen trees. While tourists swarm the nearby monuments, this canyon road remains a serene sanctuary filled with rushing waterfalls and historic mining routes, proving that the most memorable journeys are found by turning away from the crowd.
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