What is Your Favorite Driving Road?
Roads give us freedom. They take us to our destination, whether that’s an actual place or a metaphorical reference to the thrills and fulfillment of the perfect combination of automobile and path. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a miles-long straight, a gravel farm road, mountain pass, or canyon asphalt, we all have at least a few favorites on our lists.
So we humbly ask members of the Hagerty Community one question to help us celebrate next week’s special award: What is your favorite driving road?
This is normally where your humble author chimes in with a suggestion in hopes of spurring conversation. But good driving roads are over an hour away from me, and I rarely get the chance to drive that far just to drive some more.
Don’t Look At Me
Instead I have this monstrosity, the Katy Freeway, just a couple of miles from me. I admit the flyovers can give you a giddy little thrill sometimes, but otherwise my life as a car enthusiast revolves around visits to other places with better roads, smaller highways, elevation changes, and a lack of streets designed around a grid.
So help me out here, Hagerty Community, and tell me your thoughts on the matter. What are some good driving roads, and what is your favorite driving road?
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Dufferin County Rd. 21 north of Mansfield ON. from Airport Rd (16) west to Hwy 124. Hills, curves, spectacular views. One small town but otherwise very quiet.
My vote is for Bell road above Newburg Ore. Close to town, but feels like a million miles away, a side trip to Bald Peak is nice too. Many of us put up with the crazy west coast and expensive cost of living to drive it’s gorgeous terrain.
Always a spectacular drive… The Kancamagus Highway in NH.
For me it’s gotta be Old Highway C141, exiting southeast out of Sioux City, IA, aimed in the general direction of nearby Denison. The scenery changes but the fun remains high on U.S. Highway 30 between Denison and Carroll. This was this perfect place to learn the finer points of driving my 1979 Trans Am, which I had purchased new that previous July.
Light on traffic, heavy on curves and hills, 141 begins sandwiched between the Missouri River floodplain and the windblown Loess Hills as far as Smithland. At Smithland, Old 141 turns into the current 141, taking a turn to the east for a direct assault on the rolling bluffs. Dodging cornfields, farmhouses, and abandoned rail lines, it’s also possible to find a few stretches where the speedometer can flirt with the century mark (or so I’m told…). Aside from opposing traffic, the biggest hazard is deer and other such undomesticated creatures. Oh, and watch out for the occasional plodding giant farm implement shuffling between fields.
Out of Denison, isn’t really Highway 30, but the scores of Union Pacific freight trains zipping by on the railroad’s extension of its famous transcontinental line to California. If you’re lucky and you time it right, you also might get a glimpse of their world renown Big Boy steam locomotive passing through as well.
My favorite driving road —-Nevada’s Loneliest Hwy. 50. I’ve completed at least 14 round trips on it from Redding, CA (once from Florence, OR & soon again) to visit my brother Doug in Vail, CO starting in 1986. Traveled it on my ’75 903 Kawasaki (2 round trips), in a ’74 Jensen Healey V8, in a ’67 Chevelle purpose built road race vehicle, in a 2000 Viper & many times in my 2003 Z06 (both stock & in Procharged form). All the trips there, & then back were completed in one day except on the bike, & alone, except for the round trip in the Jensen. The Vette has been the fastest—1100 miles in just over 15 hrs. many times (that’s counting pit stops, road work & pictures). The Loneliest Highway has way more traffic on it now since 1986. BTW—they have found me, “the NHP”, a number of times, once, just to look at my Chevelle. I was also passed by a low/slow flying fighter at about the 2 telephone pole height close to the sign that cautioned about “Low Flying Aircraft” . I have great memories about that road and “fingering” the steering wheel at 175 is one of them! I have great pictures & video http://youtu.be/atYD-xzQ4wQ
Jeff Talbot
5033 Kelsie Court Florence, OR 97439
Please do us all a BIG favor and arrange these by state !!
Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway (SR 348) between Helen and Choestoe Georgia. So many great roads in that area. SR180 from Vogel SP down to Suches, then SR 60 all the way to Morganton. You’ll run out of gas before you run out of curves. And all without the crowds on “Tail”. Closer to lodging and restaurants also.
California Hwy 1 though the redwood forest. Front tires burned holes in the inner fenders of a BMW 540, but it was worth it, unless you ask my wife.
My favorite Driving Road is Beach Road in East Norwalk Connecticut I enjoy driving around the Beach with the view of the Long Island sound.
Tuna Canyon – be careful!
Glendora Ridge Road & Glendora Mountain Road
And the best-kept secret – Gilman Hot Springs Road – when our kids were little, we did it in a fully loaded Odyssey & all of us still talk about it with smiles!
(PS the handle is my wife’s – she rescues dogs, the boys & I rescue cars)
130 from Carbondale to Paonia Colorado. Even better, the Grand Mesa to Powderhorn Ski Area
Between Black Mountain NC and Bat Cave NC is Hwy 9.
A real fun drive in a Mini.
Hold on !
I loved driving the California coast highway 101, in a convertible, the Million Dollar highway in Colorado, the Hog back highway in Utah, and the Hana Highway in Hawaii. These were all very challenging, but extremely enjoyable to drive.
My favorite drive is the Sea-to-Sky highway, from Vancouver to Whistler!
In my ‘71 B with o/d, it’s a route that uses all 4 (5) gears , and climbs from the ocean into the mountains.
I live in Chattanooga, TN. There are many excellent roads in my area. Everyone has heard of Tail of the Dragon. It is an easy day’s drive from my house. Here are some other roads that are IMO much better than the Dragon and are an easy drive from Chattanooga.
HWY 30 from HWY 64 to HWY 411. This is hands down my favorite road in this area. There is an excellent 50’s style restaurant at the intersection of 30 and 411 that I highly recommend stopping at. Alternately, and perhaps even better is to take HWY 30 to Reliance, cross the bridge over the Hiwassee River and take HWY 315 to HWY 39. Turn right on 39 and this takes you to Tellico Plains, the entrance to the Cherohala Skyway. The Cherohala Skyway is a fantastic road through the mountains. This takes you to Hwy 129. Turn left and this takes you to the Dragon.
These are some of my favorite roads in this area. They are not overcommercialized like the Dragon, and are much more representative of the wonderful roads in this area. Come visit!