Best Roads in the World (MotoringFile Edition)

US 129, need I say more…

And, GA 60 from Dahlonega to GA 180 to GA 348. All three great roads, just a curvy as the dragon with a lot less traffic. They also make for a nice loop from Atlanta. I can drive up from my house and get a few good runs in and be back home in 4 hours, a great way to spend a saturday morning.

Many folks like US129 (aka The Dragon), but I actually enjoy uS28 from Fontana Dam to the intersection with US129 better. The johnny-come-latelys at Fontana have decided to name it “The Hellbender” because they decided they had to have something to connect to their resort and draw people. I find it a faster and more enjoyable drive than The Dragon.

Stumping for the biggest, longest-running comment thread eva, Gabe? :-)

US129′s cool, but I frankly think the Dragon itself is overrated. I find the less-acute corners on either side of the Dragon proper to be much more enjoyable (read: faster).

Swartwood Hill (aka 223) in Van Etten, NY is a fun ~2 mile stretch of often-deserted road.

IN-45 near Bloomington, IN is quite nice, as are routes 135 and 46 in that area.

The road up to Tortilla Flat, AZ is quite Dragon-esque, but very busy, depending on the time of day.

89 from Congress to Prescott, AZ is also lots of fun (and heavily patrolled).

The Beeline Highway from Phoenix to Payson is a great winding bit of 4-lane highway with some fun fast sweepers.

ROAD AMERICA at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. A nice four mile stretch of asphalt in the scenic Kettle Moraine. ;-)

The Pacific Coast Highway – all of it. I drove it from Bellingham, Washington on a vacation down to L.A. in my del Sol (before the MINI). If a road ends up in more car commercials than you have fingers to count them, its got to be a good road. ;)

Highway 36 in Northern California between Fortuna and Red Bluff. A 132 mile twisty paradise. And beautiful scenery too. Best in the summer IMHO.

The Icefields Parkway in Alberta, Canada. This road is about 220 miles long (And also the highest in the world) and takes you through some very breathtaking scenery in the Canadian Rockies. The twists, turns and solitude are second to none. The road connects Jasper in the north with the town of Banff in the south. Well worth it!

I’ll third LSD and Sheridan Rd. through Evanston, Wilmette, Ravinia, and beyond – beautiful scenery. My problem though is that you can’t drive fast at all, as there are way too many cops. I’m a native northsider and have driven those roads many times.

Any of the roads in SE Ohio around Athens are amazing – Car & Driver regularly brings cars down there to do testing. Amazing twists, turns, and pretty good pavement quality without all that much law enforcement. 550 from Athens to Marietta is amazing – many hills, turns and switchbacks. I miss those roads as I’m now in FL, where every turn is a 90 degree intersection.

The photo is of the June Lake Loop, CA 158, but my fave is still CA 120 from Mono Lake to Benton (closed for the winter right now). I was on CA 1 from Point Reyes Station to Bodega Bay last week and it is still challenging, fast and sparsly trafficed. But for those who enjoy high speed motoring, I cannot recommend too highly that you treat yourself to a track day soon. They are becoming more and more popular as driving clubs all over the country hire racetracks for the day, allowing their members up to 2 hours of safe, fast and exciting driving with the addition of instruction for novices and anyone else who wants it. For around $200, you’ll usually get six 20 minute sessions, a nice lunch, instruction from guys who have been tracking for many years, the comaraderie of the paddock, and the full safety features of a racetrack: corner workers, tow truck and emergency equipment, nice to have if something does go wrong, but not readily avaialble if you have a shunt out on the back roads. So come to the track: Be safe, drive fast, wear a big smile!

Maui, 10 years ago, we went to the Ulupalakua’s Tedeschi Winery. An old employee suggested, after hearing we were going to Hana, that we take the “Back Road” which was just down the street. We did and enjoyed ourselves immensely. At the time is was all dirt. Great views, old churches, flower leis for sale along the way. Did the Hana road, after a nite at Ed’s Place in Hana, next morning and didn’t enjoy it at all.

Last year heading north from Silverton Colorado on the Million Dollar HiWay to Ouray. We did it in her ’05 A4 Quattro, would have been better in the MCS and without the wife.

The drive from Colorado Springs south, just past PIR, to Santa Fe NM on the 25 has some real pucker parts and some top end straights with some amazing altitude climbs and drops as you come into New Mexico going to Santa Fe. Best slow down for those little Barney Fife towns or you will be ticketed.

CA1 North from San Francisco to Gualala and beyond….A spectacular drive!!! Stay at the Breakers. Lotsa Bears/traffic. Escort it or use detector of choice, even then it’s a crap shoot.

Short California ride…Angeles Crest Hiway from La Canada to the Pear Blossom Hiway…some real pucker parts and lots of great switch backs. Lotsa CHP, especially on weekends.

The road to San Felipe Baja California. Don’t speed until way south of of Mexicali, Mexican Hiway Patrons, also in Mexico accidents are always your fault, always. Rough, big potholes, crazy drivers but one hell of a drive. You can get air in the Zona De Vados area. Go straight into San Felipe and get a taco Camarones and a Corona down by the water then go to The Bar Marimar for a Margarita. I did once in my 4Runner in around 2 hours. Haven’t tried it yet in the MCS, some potholes are as big, but I feel a camping trip to Pete’s is imminent.

Very little representation in here for the Pacific Northwest, except for those of you who listed Pacific Coast Highway as a favorite (and rightfully so).

If there’s any place more beautiful than the Olympic Penninsula in Western Washington, I’ve yet to see it. There are dozens of fantastic two-lanes winding through the mountains and through dense forestland, but the cream of the crop is the 9-mile-long section of US-101 that snakes around the perimeter of Lake Crescent. One one side of you you’ll see nothing but forest and streams, and on the other side is a gorgeous mountain lake, which you’ll become very intimate with should you accidentally leave the road.

Smooth road surface, lots of tight curves, and fantastic scenery make this my favorite Motoring road. Just watch out for RVs heading to the coast. :)

Route 100 through Vermont on a sunny summer day

Rt. 88 near Wheeling, WV. I grew up driving on this and other country routes in WV, PA, and OH (which seem to follow deer paths at times, and are often narrow and potholed), and still think they are some of the most challenging and fun I have ever experienced.

I miss ‘em to this day — the roads in Colorado are usually chock full of huge SUVs and trucks, and distracted dumba%%es who have no idea how to drive their vehicles.

Vermont also has some great backroads…

US-259 in eastern OK is a pretty fun piece of twisty goodness. A virtually deserted two-lane with nice smooth blacktop and a pair of banked hairpins that overlook that little corner of the Ozarks. It’s remote enough that I’ve never seen a cop anywhere on that piece of road and other cars are very few and far between. It reminds me of a mild Colorado windy hill climb but without the altitude.

YO Henry……………it was already posted here on MF.

Some favorite road’s names should never be broadcast on the internet.

That being said.

Some of my favorite roads are

.

Giacomo, sorry I didn’t pay attention… =P

Minnesota Hwy 1 between Elgin City and Ely can be a blast, as long as there isn’t too much traffic. I had the pleasure of negotiating this twisty romp through the forest last summer in my Porsche Boxster. It was during the early afternoon on a Friday, so there was almost no traffic. You have to pay attention, however, as it’s easy to sneak up on a slow-moving camper or RV (lot’s of tight corners through tall trees, so you can’t see very well). There are very few cross roads and I didn’t see any cops (it was a 70 or 90 mile stretch). It’s very difficult to get up to 55 mph anyway, with all of the curves (lots of yellow signs recommending max of 25-35 mph), even in a Porsche. Not that I’m claiming to be an expert driver or anything (never been on a track). I did try to sneak out on the same road the next Sunday for some more fun, but there was too much traffic (it’s too hard to pass anyone).

California: Higway 299 from Redding and Weaverville to Willow Creek, just south of the Trinity Alps. From Willow Creek, either continue on 299 to the coast near Eureka, or go N/NE on 96 following the Klamath River. Loop back on I5.

Utah: Highway 12 east from US 89 to Torrey on Highway 24, side trips to Bryce Canyon, the Escalante country, and Capital Reef. Best in fall with the aspens changing on the Aquarius Plateau – unbeatable views of the Waterpocket Fold. The stretch down to the Escalante River bridge from the west is amazing.

I’ll be the corny one to say it — is there really such as thing as a bad road when you have a MINI? Heck, since January 2004. I even handle gridlock with a smile on my face!

But, I love all these ideas. Someone should do a coffee table book or an on line guidebook for MINI owners with photos, links to the places in the area to eat/drink etc.

Australian, Victoria, The Great Ocean Road. Look it up. One of the best driving experiences you can have in Vic and very picturesque.

I also second the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. I ‘ve been there and it is also an awesome drive. Olympic National Park is a must see!

For you SW Virginia folks also…

I would always take the Ironto exit on my way to Virginia Tech. Exit 128. Way too much fun. Just drive around and get lost. You are right in the middle of the mountains and it is addicting… And when you are all done you can end up at VT ready to watch the Hokies play!

;)

I’ll second Vanwall’s Palomar Mountain (San Diego County). I like driving up the steeper South Grade Road where the series of 2nd gear switchbacks has such a great rythym. Banner Grade is another favorite with a similar, but less steep, rythym not far away.

there should be like a frappr database or something of all the graet roads in the US/Ca … hmmmmmmmm…

I’ve given it some thought. Frappr would be a poor fit, but I think the Google Maps API would be excellent for highlighting road segments. Several people have kicked around the idea. I haven’t had time to implement it yet.