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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In CA, Highway 46 West from 101 freeway in Paso Robles driving west to Highway One, no traffic lights, one round a bout. A 26+- mile run with valley, mountain and ocean views. One of the best roads to take your ride on, car or motorcycle.
I live in Northern NJ where most roads are either pothole ridden, or too regularly patrolled by the long arm of the law. Yet, there is one section of road in Andover, NJ called Andover Mohawk Rd (613) that allows for a little “open it up and let her rip”. It has nice bends, sharp curves and long straights among some very pretty scenery.
Nelson British Columbia to Kaslo BC to New Denver BC. https://youtu.be/i1syEhHMRbc
There are a lot of really cool roads in So. Cal. One is the road that runs through Oak Glen and connects Yucaipa to Cherry Valley Another is The road that connects Yucaipa ca. to Redlands Blvd. through Live Oak canyon. It’s not just the road it’s the scenery along the road. Both are cool roads with good scenery.
Pretty easy, when in the U.S. it is tail of the dragon or any run through the George Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests. In Canada as I live in Ontario pretty much and road in what we call cottage country is very nice!
Skyline Drive in VA. Can’t remember the route number or road name but the road that runs from Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee, NC.
Route 125 south 8 miles East of Springfield MO through the Ozarks dropping into Arkansas ending at a 4 car ferry across Bull Shoals Lake. Fantastic twists and elevation changes with great scenery.
I have a couple; Ohio State Route 800 south off of I70 towards Barnesville Ohio. Seems to go on forever south. Twisty and scenic.
Another is/was River Road from Perrysburg OH to Grand Rapids OH, then return on the north side of the Maumee river. Probably all built up now, but it was a nice beautiful drive.
Best driving road? That is difficult. Is it based on scenery? Maybe the destination or ease of access/proximity to home? Or just pure driving pleasure? I struggled to pick just one. Here are three nominations:
3) For scenery, diversity and length the Pacific Coast Highway is hard to beat although Scenic Byway 12 in souther Utah is a competitor. PCH offers rewards all the way from San Diego in the south up to Seattle 1650 miles distant. Great vistas, significant landmarks and driving bliss….As long as you’re not trapped behind a string of sightseers or trapped behind a motorhome! The classic stretch between Cambria in the south and Carmel to the north is best traversed at first light to avoid traffic.
2) South Grade Road up the side of Mount Palomar. I admit I’m spoiled by the number of great roads we have to chose from here in the west. I live just north of San Diego. Palomar Mountain is a convenient 20 minutes away from our home. And there are excellent roads through the foothills to get there. If the stunning vistas (you can see the Channel Islands out in the Pacific, down to Mexico and as far north as the coastal city of Oceanside) aren’t enough to excite your senses, the road itself is one of the best Hillclimb extant. Make sure to watch out for cyclists, both human powered and motorized!
1) California Hwy 229/Webster Road. The 3.5 mile stretch between Blue Star Memorial Highway and Rocky Canyon Road just south of Creston, California is pure driving nirvana. UPS, downs, twists, blind turns, rhythm sections; this stretch has it all. After you drive it in one direction, turn around and go back the other way. This road is narrow at about 1.5 lanes in width for about half of its length. So exercise situational awareness! When finished head over to the Longbranch Saloon in Creston for lunch, a beverage and live music on the weekends. The perfect topper to a great driving experience.
Routes 89 and 90 around Cayuga Lake and routes 14 and 414 around Seneca Lake, two of New York’s Finger Lakes….Spring thru Fall!!!!
Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills of South Dakota is 17 miles long and is known as Highway 16A. The road starts at Custer State Park and ends just south of Mount Rushmore National Park The road is very unique and has pigtail bridges, tunnels, and one-way roads that divide and give you a more natural setting. The tunnels have a view of Mount Rushmore in the distance. Great drive!
This may sound weird to many, but my vote for favorite road is “America’s Loneliest Highway” NV Route 50. It is remote for sure BUT… It is peaceful, scenic, historic,(The highway follows the Pony Express route), and very relaxing. As long as I don’t need cell reception, frequent rest and service stops, it can’t be beat.
I totally agree! loved the flat sections through the desert and then the climbs and and the drives down from the high points. Last did that in 1981 and hope to do again!
Boonville Road (AKA Hwy 253) from Ukiah, Ca to coast Highway One. Perfect combination of climes from dry oak woodland through cast redwood to the Pacific Ocean. Perfect jaunt top- down in my 1959 Tbird convertible.
Then an option to follow Hwy /one north or south as long as time and fuel allows.
Done this many times in the past.
US Rte 6 from Milford Pa West to at least Honesdale or all the way across the state. Hills sweeping curves on and off camber sweeps.. just try not to get behind and oil deliver truck!!!
The Twisted Sisters starting in Kerrville Texas. While very popular with the motorcycle crowd but there is nothing like rowing through the gears in my Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce listening to the crackle of the exhaust while anticipating the next turn. The challenge of hitting the apex just right as I roll on the throttle. it is not how fast you can go but the pure excitement of the drive. If you drive the entire 222 mile loop plan on seven hours of driving plus stops for food and drink along the way.