Top Scenic Mountain Drives in North America

Located in Rocky Mountain National Park, this drive reaches 12,183 feet, offering unparalleled high-alpine views and wildlife encounters. It is the highest continuous paved road in the US, featuring dramatic tundra ecosystems and panoramic vistas of the Colorado wilderness.

A National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in Glacier National Park, this road cuts across the continental divide. It features towering granite cliffs, hanging glaciers, and seven steeply graded tunnels, providing some of the most iconic mountain scenery in North America.

Connecting Cherokee, North Carolina, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, this route crosses the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It offers gentle curves through dense deciduous forests and provides access to Mount LeConte, one of the park's highest peaks, with year-round scenic beauty.

Part of US Route 550 in Colorado, this stretch between Ouray and Silverton is renowned for its sheer drop-offs and rugged mining heritage. Drivers navigate steep cliffs and narrow lanes with no guardrails, offering thrilling views of the San Juan Mountains and historic mining towns.

A steep, narrow, and winding section of Highway 67 near Silverton, Colorado, known for its dramatic switchbacks and lack of barriers. It is considered one of the most thrilling and challenging drives in the state, offering spectacular views of the Animas River gorge below.

Spanning 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, this scenic highway connects Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It features gentle gradients, overlooks with sweeping mountain views, and rich cultural heritage sites along the Appalachian crest.

Located within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska, this 50-mile unpaved road showcases vast glaciers and ice fields. It offers remote, wild landscapes with minimal development, providing a true backcountry driving experience amidst some of North America's largest protected areas.

This historic forest road in Utah climbs steeply through pine forests and alpine meadows to connect with Highway 191. It is one of the few routes in the La Sal Mountains that allows vehicular access, offering stunning views of the San Rafael Swell and canyon lands.

Located in Glacier National Park, this rough, unpaved road is rarely used by casual tourists but offers adventurous drivers access to remote backcountry areas. It requires a high-clearance vehicle and provides isolation and views of rugged peaks away from crowded main routes.

The highest paved road in North America, reaching 14,130 feet near Leadville, Colorado. The drive ascends through multiple climate zones, ending near the summit of Mount Evans, where visitors can enjoy alpine tundra landscapes and potentially spot marmots and pikas.

A scenic drive within Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It offers gentle curves through historic homesteads and lush forests, providing easy access to hiking trails and photographic opportunities of the Smokies' signature misty mountain atmosphere.

This eastern entrance route to Yosemite National Park crosses the high Sierra Nevada at 9,943 feet. It features dramatic granite domes, alpine lakes like Tenaya Lake, and access to Tuolumne Meadows, showcasing the geological wonders of the Sierra range in summer.

While primarily a river gorge, this road in Washington and Oregon offers dramatic cliffside views and numerous waterfalls. It winds along the rim of the gorge, providing access to Multnomah Falls and other stunning hydrological features amidst dense temperate rainforests.

Known as 'America's Most Beautiful Highway,' this segment of US 212 connects Montana and Wyoming near Yellowstone National Park. Reaching over 10,947 feet, it features sharp switchbacks, alpine lakes, and views of the Absaroka Range, making it a premier scenic drive.

This 34.5-mile scenic byway in New Hampshire's White Mountains is famed for its autumn foliage and historic bridges. It offers numerous pull-offs for hiking and photography, connecting the towns of Conway and Lincoln through the heart of the White Mountain National Forest.

Located on the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, this specific section features a dramatic horseshoe bend with steep drop-offs. It provides one of the most photographed views in the park, showcasing the vast expanse of alpine tundra and distant peaks.

Connecting the towns of Crested Butte and Slate River in Colorado, this road offers rugged mountain scenery and access to the Elk Mountains. It is less traveled than major byways but provides a more intimate driving experience amidst high-altitude peaks and wildflower meadows.

Ascending to nearly 10,000 feet on Maui, Hawaii, this road offers a unique volcanic landscape unlike any other in North America. Drivers pass through alien-like terrain of cinder cones and lava flows, with views ranging from tropical valleys to the Pacific Ocean horizon.

Running through North Cascades National Park in Washington, this road offers dramatic views of turquoise glacial lakes and rugged peaks. It is known for its remote wilderness setting and access to some of the most pristine mountain environments in the contiguous United States.

Winding through Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, this 105-mile road follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It features 75 scenic overlooks, providing easy access to hiking trails and panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley and Allegheny Mountains below.