Roadways
With a View
We’ve searched America for four
breathtaking scenic drives
(complete with curve ratings)
Skyline Drive
105 miles, Front Royal to
Rockfish Gap, Virginia
Built between 1931 and
1939, with sections of the route constructed as part of the New Deal relief
effort, this sweeping road through
Shenandoah National Park crests
the Blue Ridge Mountains ( hard to
believe that noisy Washington, D.C.,
is just 75 miles away). You’ll see oak
trees and evergreens on your leisurely
trip, in addition to white-tailed deer
and wild turkeys. Just make sure to
stop at Range View Overlook (at mile
17. 1) for a first-rate view of the fog-veiled mountains.
; MILE-MARKER MOMENT: Big Meadows, at mile 51, boasts 130 acres of
wildflowers in spring, summer, and
fall. You’ll also see doe and their tiny
fawns during the warmer months
(540-999-3500; nps.gov/shen).
JO Y RIDES Routes like this one—on Skyline Drive—feature lovely landscapes.
an actual sign, but keep an eye on your
odometer and stop at mile 21. 5—this
is Newfound Gap ( 5,048 feet), where
FDR dedicated the park. Even better:
You can stand in two states at once
(865-436-1200; nps.gov/grsm).
with vista points from mile 61. 3 to 65. 1,
where you can glimpse more than
16,000 of the water-loving creatures
(831-667-2100; byways.org/explore).
Newfound Gap Road
40 miles, Pigeon Forge,
Tennessee, to Cherokee,
North Carolina It’s the only
route that completely crosses Great
Smoky Mountains National Park,
rising out of Pigeon Forge ( yes, the
home of Dollywood) before climbing
3,000 feet and descending across the
state line. You’ll pass through hardwood and evergreen forests and get
a glimpse of Clingman’s Dome, the
highest point in Tennessee.
; MILE-MARKER MOMENT: You won’t see
California Highway 1
90 miles, Carmel to San
Simeon With the Pacific
Ocean on one side and
jagged cliffs on the other, this two-lane road features gnarly curves
above the pounding surf. But your
rugged trip through Big Sur territory
brings rewards—you’ll pass spouting
whales and an 80-foot waterfall that
drops into the ocean at Julia Pfeiffer
Burns State Park. Near drive’s end,
stop at the Hearst Castle museum;
once the opulent home of William
Randolph Hearst, the site is as glittering now as it was then (watch for
wandering zebras from the estate’s
one-time private zoo).
; MILE-MARKER MOMENT: Look for Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery,
Curve Ratings
Moderately curved Like a leisurely Sunday drive
Curved Don’t even think about
speeding
Very curved Pack the
Dramamine
Going-to-the-Sun Road
50 miles, West Glacier to St.
Mary, Montana This two-
lane route hugs the moun-
tains of Glacier National Park—the
road is so narrow and curvy that large
RVs are banned—but it’s the most
jaw-dropping way to cross the Con-
tinental Divide, as towering cedars
give way to thundering waterfalls
and alpine meadows. With the road
literally carved out of the side of the
mountain, shoulder lanes are some-
times missing along the way, and rock
walls are all that separate you from
the gaping area below at some points.
If you’re even remotely afraid of
heights, drive on the road from east to
west—so you can cruise in the inside
lane next to the mountains.
; MILE-MARKER MOMENT: Garden Wall
Overlook, at marker 31. 5, bypasses
the crowded Logan Pass summit ( by
a half-mile) and offers a great place
to look at grazing mountain goats and
your just-conquered route (406-888-
7800; nps.gov/glac). —Laura Daily
