Roadways
With a View
We’ve searched America for four
breathtaking scenic drives
Skyline Drive
Front Royal to Rockfish Gap, Virginia
Distance: 105 miles
This sweeping road through Shenandoah National Park crests the Blue
Ridge Mountains ( hard to believe
noisy Washington, D.C., is just 75
miles away). See oak trees, evergreens, white-tailed deer, and wild
turkeys. 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 (540-999-3500; nps.gov/shen).
JO Y RIDES Routes like this one—on Skyline Drive—feature lovely landscapes.
Newfound Gap Road
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to
Cherokee, North Carolina
Distance: 40 miles
Crossing Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, this route rises out of
Pigeon Forge before climbing 3,000
feet and descending across the state
line. Drive through hardwood and
evergreen forests; also see Clingman’s
Dome, the highest point in Tennessee.
; MILE-MARKER MOMEN T: Watch your
odometer and stop at mile 21. 5—this
is Newfound Gap ( 5,048 feet), where
you can stand in two states at once
(865-436-1200; nps.gov/grsm).
California Highway 1
Carmel to San Simeon
Distance: 90 miles
This two-lane road has gnarly curves
that twist above pounding surf. See
spouting whales, an 80-foot waterfall, and the Hearst Castle museum.
; MILE-MARKER MOMEN T: At Piedras
Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, with
vista points from mile 61. 3 to 65. 1,
you can gaze at more than 16,000 of
the water-loving creatures (831-667-
2100; byways.org/explore).
Going-to-the-Sun Road
West Glacier to St. Mary, Montana
Distance: 50 miles
This two-lane route hugs the mountains of Glacier National Park, full
of thundering waterfalls and alpine
meadows. Shoulder lanes are sometimes missing; drive east to west to
cruise in the inside lane.
; MILE-MARKER MOMENT: Garden
Wall Overlook, at mile 31. 5, lets you
glimpse grazing mountain goats and
your just-conquered route (406-888-
7800; nps.gov/glac). —Laura Daily
