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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The Road to Hana in Hawaii – Very worthwhile memory.
The Keweenaw peninsula MI. From Pheonix on M26 to Copper Harbour to the beginning of US41. Then US41 back to Pheonix. These twisting, turning, and undulating paved roads will have you working all three pedals. Scenic any season but gorgeous in the autumn. While in Copper Harbour shoot up to the top of Brockway Mountain Drive for kicks for a view that will take your breath away!
Highway 191 flaming George Vernal Utah to Wyoming and wolf creek pass east of park city I drove my C4 Corvette with 4plus three manual transmission absolutely the most fun but stupid me I sold the car I had just repainted the car the county sheriff was very kind just gave me a warning for 60 in a 40 he like the colors I used but the drive is amazing mountain pass beautiful scenery on both roads
Western mountains of Maine create a square from Kingfield to Stratton to Rangeley down to Phillips. Big elevation gains past 2 ski areas with plenty of turns following streams and waterfalls. 98 Mile loop.
Anchorage south to Homer and Soldotna along the beautiful fjord of Cook Inlet. Did this in my air-cooled 911 with Targa top off. Late September/October for less traffic and turn up the heat.
HIGHWAYS 17 / 11 – FROM SAULT STE. MARIE TO THUNDER BAY – ONTARIO – CANADA
Exceptionally challenging when the fog from Lake Superior covers the highway and reduces visibility to zero.
My vote is weekday 4 hr one way run SF to Yosemite, once you hit Manteca it’s 2 lane heaven for patience, the setup, and safe passing, w beauty all around. If the road is open to Toulomne Meadows slow down and enjoy majestic views. Lunch at the Awhanee ain’t bad before the run back. Great to exercise a nimble car and manual tranny.
Chuckanut Drive just south of Bellingham, Washington. Lots of sharp curves on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound. A plus is a stop for fresh oysters at Taylor Shellfish Farm.
Icefields parkway (Highway 93) from Lake Louise to Jasper along the spine of the Canadian Rockies
So many good roads already chosen, and so many more to choose from. One of my favourites though is the drive to the top of Pike’s Peak in Colorado. Beautiful vistas and just enough curves to make it interesting.
Route 231 from Gordonsville VA to Somerset VA, perfect mix of curves, straights, and elevation change for a solid-lifter Corvette.
Tail of the Dragon is the sweet spot for my BMW M5 but as others have said it is getting rather crowded with rubber necking want a bees and folks on their Big Harleys trying to make those beast behave like a Ninja. So I have found the surrounding roads around Deals Gap and Robinsville can be just as much fun and very lightly traveled especially on weekdays or early in the morning.
I have travelled many such roads all over the world. However if I was limited to one I would name two=1.The north shore of Lake Superior road along the trans Canada hwy (hwy 17) from Sault St. Marie to Wawa Ontario.2. The Powder River pass in Wyoming (Hwy 16)
My wife and I did that ride in 1966 after we bought a used Porsche 356B. It must have been fun as I remember it to this day. We were on our honeymoon, NH-WI-canada-NH. Got smoked by a red 356 Carrera just before the Canada NH border crossing.
Happy to have stimulated a happy memory.
There are two or three roads that are worth driving in the northwest. The spiral highway is found on the north side of the Snake River in Clarkston Washington. 6 miles of wicked curves meant for Corvettes. Then there’s Lola Pass in Idaho with 95 miles of almost non stop curves with trout fishing along fantastic scenery. Finally the north side of the Columbia River on state highway 14 from Maryhill to Vancouver is just as scenic as the Oregon side but if you like spurts of speed don’t take this road on the weekend with shoal paced Sunday drivers.
Rick Herndon
Correction to Lola Pass. It’s Lola Pass.
Let’s just help Rick out and correct his correction: it’s Lolo Pass! 😁