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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Without a doubt, Highway 40 in Alberta, the Highwood Pass. This is the highest paved road in Canada, and is closed from December to June. From my home in Calgary, it’s about 30 minutes on the Trans-Canada Hwy to the Hwy 40 turn off, through rolling prairie and forested foothills. From there you ascend the Highwood Pass through Kananaskis Country, a collection of provincial parks, with spectacular mountain and glacier scenery. Once you descend the other side of the pass you follow the Highwood River and its canyon to Longview. (This, incidentally, is where they filmed “Interstellar.”) This is also the home of the Longview Steakhouse, where you have to reserve months in advance.
Locally my favorite road is the twisty blacktop up to my local ski hill. It’s 8 miles up Blackjack Rd in JoDavies Co. IL from my ski house in Hanover to Chestnut Mountain located outside Galena,IL. I know that road like the back of my hand, so much fun in something sporty to drive.
In a 60 year old land yacht of a Ford Galaxie it’s a much slower go. In that car I prefer a nice gentle curve and some rolling hills on a rural highway to float down with the wind blowing in the vent window.
We live in rural south western Ontario. First of all we have to wait till the snow melts and the winters salt and sand wash off the roads. That’s usually about the first of May. I took my 69 Nova to a car show in the city one time. I don’t want to drive on any road that leads to the city. Too many drivers that have no respect for other cars…in particular, classic cars. We’re lucky enough to live about 20 minutes from Lake Huron. There are some nice small towns along there that let you drive along the beach road. It’s usually a nice drive to get there too.
I-15 through the Virgin River gorge across the corner of Arizona and into Utah. It’s a blast!
Yes! As long as you hit the “Arizona Strip” when traffic is light, this is one of the best drives in the country. As a driver with the right equipped car/motorbike the twisties make 100mph feel like 130mph, and passengers get to see one of the most thrilling views in the country.
The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Canada.
A gorgeous 298 km paved narrow 2 lane road along the coast that can take a day to drive with all the spectacular views!
I agree—that was a gorgeous drive, and you’re right about the many stops along the way. The lookouts and vistas were absolutely grand.
Tail of the Dragon, even with the traffic and cops. One road you don’t need to be driving fast on to enjoy it.
All the roads in the San Diego backcountry are fabulous. Palomar Mountain, Mount Laguna, Old Hwy 94. Best place to ride motors year round. While most of the nation is hunkered down for winter, some of the best riding and driving is during the winter months. And, the roads are mostly empty year-round. I guess people out here prefer going to the beach.
Colorado 141 from Grand Junction to Gateway, then CO 145 From Gateway to Telluride is pretty spectacular
kancamagus Hwy , Lincoln NH to Franconia
agreed, then take a right on 16 South…or go Bear Mountain pass thru to Rt 302
Great drive I have traveled it many times
The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. I drove the Cabot Trail in a Mini Cooper and it was so much fun.
The Cabot Trail is 298 km (185 mi) long and takes about five hours to drive without stops. However, you’ll want to give yourself way more than five hours to enjoy all of the trail’s beautiful scenery, activities, natural wonders and small towns.
My favorite road goes back to around 1969 while riding with my parents as a child and remains my favorite today to drive “sportedly”, US Hwy 176 “Saluda Grade” between Tryon, NC and Saluda, NC. In the years leading up to around 1978 this narrow US highway, with it’s one lane bridges, was the main road and only connector for I-26 between Saluda and Tryon, NC as the interstate had issues being built with rock slides and wash outs at the time. In my early driving years, and living only 20 miles away, I loved driving my Firebird and brother’s Spitfire on this twisty road. I still love driving it, even if it’s in my Silverado when I’m in the area visiting family and friends.
Here is a three minute video of the road I found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta4c7yixK5A
Railfans know this area of local history as the steepest standard-gauge mainline railway grade in the United States that can drop 600 feet in less than a mile. Although it is no longer in use.
State Route 410 across the Washington State Cascade Mountain Range. And then there is a very twisty little road out of Asotin Washington going south into Oregon. Wow.
CA highway 229 from Creston to Santa Margarita. Lots of twisties and elevation changes. Very little traffic. And be sure to stop for lunch at the Loading Chute in Creston for some real cowboy grub!
Forks of the credit in Ontario, Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HVbH2BiBpQ
To quote Mona Lisa Vito from “My Cousin Vinny”: “It’s impossible to answer. Nobody could answer that question. It is a trick question.” 🙂
Depending on my car and my mood, my favorite road might be a nice twisty mountain road, or a long, long straightaway with clear sight lines, or maybe a beach road that runs along the coast for as long as I like. Sometimes my favorite road isn’t even a road at all. The path to places not often visited by others sometimes requires rugged capability, and the journey is as enjoyable as the scenery is beautiful. I’ve driven all of those types of roads and could not pick a favorite among them.