Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Spectacular Trips

background.

INTRODUCTION

I’m on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, hard by the gray swell of the Chesapeake Bay. Trolling along at only 50 mph (80 km/h) in my green 1972 MGB—with the top down—gives me the luxury of really seeing what passes. I’m on the road again. I love the primal feeling of being out, about, and able to take any route I choose. Motoring from here to there has been a part of my life ever since I remember: trips in the old Rambler from Montreal to Cape Cod while counting state license plates and overnighting in gas stations so somebody could minister to the latest breakdown; spontaneous escapes with buddies from my New Hampshire college to nearby Vermont or far, far away Mexico; retreats with my wife to some quiet place to read, restore, and reconnect; cacophonous excursions with my kids to wherever we think they can be happy; or a solo slip-away to rethink my life. Taking to the tarmac is the way to find yourself, explore new places, and connect with others.

Recently, the road has begun to whisper more insistently to me. An old buddy whom I haven’t seen in years came to visit in his restored ’57 Chevy. Now middle-aged, he was preparing to drive it across America, from his home in Tennessee to places he would choose as he went. I was jealous, because I understood why he was compelled to do this. Any road trip, whether it be for a day, a week, or longer, can uncork our imaginations and rekindle the wanderlust and curiosity that makes true travel—as opposed to vacationing—so intoxicating. You see the passing parade in a way that allows you to experience life as it is lived. This has happened to me so often, and I can readily unspool the memories. I stop at an antique store in Appalachia and am seduced into a world of handmade quilts, locally crafted fiddles, and—if you ask the right question to the right person—down-home moonshine. I lose myself on a roller-coaster road in New Zealand, and the getting lost is its own dividend (I meet a family that hosts me for two days in their oceanside cottage). In India, on the drive from Agra to Jaipur, I am delayed by demonstrations for seven hours; rather than fume as I would in Los Angeles traffic, I experience the Indians’ world of sublime patience as I watch delayed drivers cook at the roadside, play backgammon, and tend to their children. In the Scottish Highlands, I stumble upon a pub and meet a man who invites me to dine at his castle, then takes me fly-fishing the next day at his private salmon run. I drive my favorite highway in America, Highway 101 through Big Sur, and I’m alone with stupefying grand views of ocean and headlands, switchbacks and precipitous drops—which remind me that a drive itself has an ability to entertain and astound.

This book showcases many of the world’s greatest drives. It is an invitation to get behind the wheel. To embrace the road and discover a way of life that would otherwise exist beyond your knowing. So put your foot to the pedal and head on out.

Keith Bellows

Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic Traveler magazine

As Fremont Peak looks out over Island Lake in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, it’s clear why engineers have taken so much effort to build roads through mountains—to open scenes like this to the masses.

THIS IS WHAT DRIVING WAS MEANT TO BE : vertiginous, soul-stirring journeys where every turn brings fresh rewards—constantly changing vistas, different permutations of light, rolling meadows, eerie rock formations, waterfalls spilling down rockfaces, tantalizing forest tracks, and remote settlements where life moves to its own rhythm. Some journeys wend their way along peaceful byways. Others are for those who like to test their mettle behind the wheel, featuring hairpin bends, hidden dips, ear-popping gradients, and a chance to look down from a great height on birds of prey swooping far below. The Blue Ridge Parkway evokes the spirit of early settlers setting out to fulfill their American dreams, whereas Colorado’s San Juan Skyway offers another vision of the past, climbing into a lost world of prehistoric Puebloan settlements and 19th-century mining towns. An ascent into Costa Rica’s cloud forest provides the possibility of a close encounter with that dandy of the tropics, the rainbow-feathered quetzal bird. Across the Pacific, the emeraldhued rice terraces of the Philippines, cut by hand into slopes, rise thousands of feet into the sky.

VIRGINIA

Spectacular Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive winds through elegant and tranquil Shenandoah National Park.

Motorists treasure this route, which teeters along the spine of northern Virginia’s Blue Ridge in Shenandoah National Park, providing wondrous views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west and rolling foothills to the east.

Heading south from Front Royal on U.S. 340, your first view of the valley that Native Americans purportedly called Daughter of the Stars is from Shenandoah Valley Overlook, with its sweeping panorama of the meandering Shenandoah River and Massanutten Mountain. The overlook comes at Mile 2.8 of Skyline Drive, which begins at Shenandoah National Park’s northern entrance. Continue along forested Dickey Ridge; 6 miles (10 km) past Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, the road runs through Compton Gap and follows the mountain crest. You can view the river’s looping course at Hogback Overlook before taking the snaking road down to Thornton Gap and through Mary’s Rock Tunnel, where Tunnel Parking Overlook peers into a hollow that was inhabited by 20 families when the park was established in the 1930s. Just beyond, Hazel Mountain Overlook has views of the park’s third highest peak (3,815 feet/1,163 m); hikes along the streams and forest paths of Hazel Country begin half a mile (800 m) ahead. Keep a lookout for white-tailed deer, skunks, and barred owls as you wind south around The Pinnacle and Stony Man Peak. You have a good view of Old Rag granite on the mountain’s upper peaks at Old Rag View Overlook. Two hikes begin within the next 2 miles (3.5 km). The first runs from Upper Hawksbill Parking to the park’s highest peak, the 4,050-foot (1,234 m) Hawksbill Mountain; the second, a steep trail, descends to the cascades of Dark Hollow Falls. Big Meadows is a remnant of the ancient plains that once covered the region. Hazeltop Ridge Overlook has views of the Blue Ridge’s smoky peaks, and at Bearfence Mountain Parking you can scramble up a trail to one of the few 360-degree vistas in the park. The drive winds on to Swift Run Gap and crosses the park’s southern boundary to end at Rockfish Gap, where a bison path once ran.

FROM: Front Royal, Virginia

TO: Rockfish Gap, Virginia

ROAD: U.S. 340, Skyline Drive

DISTANCE: 105 miles (159 km)

DRIVING TIME: 3 hours

WHEN TO GO: Spring and fall

PLANNING: www.visitshenandoah.org

VIRGINIA/NORTH CAROLINA

Blue Ridge Parkway

Fall colors along the parkway create a magical drive.

One of the most scenic drives in the U.S., the Blue Ridge Parkway follows on from the Skyline Drive, winding across the heights of the southern Appalachians with endless views of forested hills, farmland, river gorges, and distant mountains.

After a brief climb from Rockfish Gap, the Blue Ridge Parkway sweeps along the narrow, forested spine of the Blue Ridge, soaring above foothills to the east and the Shendandoah Valley to the west. At James River, you reach the parkway’s lowest point, before climbing sharply back up to the crest to reach Apple Orchard Mountain, the highest point in Virginia, whose northern red oaks resemble apple trees. Once past the three Peaks of Otter, you enter the Roanoke River Basin and cruise below a series of lofty peaks for the next 30 miles (48 km). South of Roanoke, the scenery turns pastoral as you climb onto the Blue Ridge Plateau.

Continuing south into North Carolina, you approach the soaring mountains and deep valleys of Pisgah National Forest. The Northwest Trading Post, with an array of regional crafts, antiques, and homemade pastries, adds local color. Beyond solitary Mount Jefferson, the route dips into rugged Deep Gap and climbs back up, past the mountain resort of Blowing Rock and 5,964-foot (1,818 m) Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak in the Blue Ridge. Beyond Crabtree Meadows Recreation Area, the parkway begins its last climb on the ridge and, after about 15 miles (24 km), leaves it at Ridge Junction, skirts the Black Mountains, and meanders across the Great Craggy Mountains. Farther on, look for views of Glassmine Falls cascading down Horse Range Ridge. After crossing the French Broad River near Asheville, ascend rocky Pisgah Ledge, with views of Mount Pisgah on the right, and then swing through the Great Balsam Mountains on a twisting, undulating road with views of Cold Mountain and Looking Glass Rock. The parkway reaches its highest point (6,047 feet/1,843 m) at Richland Balsam. For the last 10 miles (16 km), it traverses the Appalachian Mountains, part of the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

Hidden History Four miles (6 km) north of the parkway, on U.S. 25 near Asheville, is the monumental Biltmore House. Built by George Washington Vanderbilt in the late 19th century as a country retreat, the 250-room mansion is styled on the Renaissance chateaus of the Loire Valley in France. Allow a day to see the house, farm, and estate winery.

FROM: Rockfish Gap, Virginia

TO: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina

ROAD: Blue Ridge Parkway

DISTANCE: 469 miles (755 km)

DRIVING TIME: 10.5 hours

WHEN TO GO: Spring through fall

PLANNING: There are no gas stations on the parkway. www.blueridgeparkway.org

SOUTH CAROLINA

Cherokee Foothills

A hiking trail skirts the shoreline of one of the lakes at Table Rock State Park.

The Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway in northern South Carolina runs southwest from Gaffney through the Blue Ridge foothills, past peach orchards, clear lakes, streams filled with darting fish, and country meadows.

First stop is Cowpens National Battlefield—9.5 miles (15 km) west of Gaffney along S.C. 11—where a quiet meadow marks the site of a strategic victory for the colonists during the Revolutionary War. From here, the road begins to rise and fall as the mountains ahead grow ever closer. About 9 miles (14 km) beyond the pretty town of Campobello, the road passes Hogback and Glassy Mountains and enters the beautiful Blue Ridge foothills. Crossing the North and Middle Saluda Rivers, the road passes through Cleveland and continues along the South Saluda River, popular with trout anglers. About 12 miles (19 km) along, you’ll spot a 1,200-foot (365 m) precipice, known as Caesar’s Head, protruding from the mountainside. You can reach it by taking a 7.5-mile (12 km) detour up dizzying U.S. 276, which offers fantastic views of the Blue Ridge and surrounding states. Back on S.C. 11, drive about 7 miles (11 km) to the quirky village of Aunt Sue’s Country Corner, full of craft and food shops. Table Rock State Park, 2 miles (3 km) beyond the village, was revered by the Cherokee Nation as the favored dining spot for the Great Spirit. The park’s east gate leads to historic Table Rock Lodge, famous for its fantastic views; the west gate leads to Pinnacle Lake, with trails up the slopes of Pinnacle and Table Rock Mountains. Forested ridges close in on the road and Sassafras Mountain, the state’s highest peak, towers 3,554 feet (1,083 m) above the hills. Soon the highway soars above Keowee River and continues to the small town of Walhalla. It then veers south, back into a flat, rural landscape. The final stop is at Lake Hartwell State Recreation Area, which has a pretty shoreline, picnic tables, boating, and a nature trail.

Stay a While Shortly after crossing the Keowee River, you can turn onto Rte. 37-25 for 5 miles (8 km) to Devils Fork State Park on the shores of mountain-ringed Lake Jocassee. The lake is popular for trout fishing and scuba diving, or you can take a boat ride to see the many waterfalls that feed the lake. Hiking and nature trails offer good opportunities to enjoy the park’s spring flowers and fall foliage. The park has a campground and holiday cabins.

FROM: Gaffney, South Carolina

TO: Lake Hartwell State Recreation Area, South Carolina

ROADS: S.C 11, U.S. 276

DISTANCE: 112 miles (180 km)

DRIVING TIME: 3 hours

WHEN TO GO: Peach bloom peaks in May, the fall foliage in mid-October.

PLANNING: The byway makes a good alternative to I-85 if you’re not in a hurry. www.discoversouthcarolina.com

TENNESSEE/NORTH CAROLINA

Newfound Gap Road

In spring, colorful blooms along the roadside enhance the extensive views from Newfound Gap Road.

From hardwood forests to alpine spruce and fir, finely colored by more than 1,500 different species of flowering plants, this road through a gap in the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Tennessee is a path through a botanical paradise.

Set in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this beautiful road sets off from the Sugarlands Visitor Center through a forest of red maples, white oaks, tulip trees, and magnolias. Massive Mount LeConte comes into view after about 2 miles (3 km) as the road begins to ascend, bringing the twin peaks of Chimney Tops into sight. The road curves dramatically here, and northern hardwoods dominate the slopes. To negotiate the complex geography of the mountains, the route goes through a tunnel and then loops up, around, and over itself. Anakeesta Ridge, about 8 miles (13 km) farther on, is characterized by rocky outcrops, Fraser fir, and red spruce. From sky-high Morton Overlook, you can peer down into Sugarlands Valley or up at the notch in the State Line Range, where Newfound Gap links Tennessee and North Carolina. Even better views await around the corner, from Newfound Gap Overlook, at 5,048 feet (1,539 m) the road’s highest point. You can take a 7-mile (11 km) detour here, along a spur road to Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the park (this road is closed in winter). From the parking lot at the peak, you can take a short walk to a lookout tower offering 360-degree views of the park’s main summits. Otherwise, continue downhill on the Newfound Gap Road, passing the Oconaluftee Valley Overlook on Thomas Divide ridge. The road then switches back downhill, with breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains. Once past Webb Overlook, you delve into deciduous forest and follow the Oconaluftee River toward Mingus Mill, a working mill built in 1886. At the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, you can visit Mountain Farm Museum, which explains the life of a pioneer in the early days of the U.S.

FROM: Sugarlands Visitor Center, Tennessee

TO: Oconaluftee Visitor Center, North Carolina

ROAD: Newfound Gap Road

DISTANCE: 40 miles (64 km)

DRIVING TIME: 1 hour

WHEN TO GO: Blooms are best from mid-March through July.

PLANNING: www.gov.nps

MISSOURI/ARKANSAS

Crowley’s Ridge Parkway

Piggott’s Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum is the family home of Pauline Pfeiffer, Ernest Hemingway’s second wife.

Rising more than 150 feet (46 m) above the surrounding plains, this thin strip of upland between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers is a distinctive landmark. The drive runs from southeastern Missouri to eastern Arkansas along the top of the ridge.

Only 14 miles (23 km) of the parkway lie in Missouri, but during this brief section on U.S. 62 from Malden, you can see the unique geology of Crowley’s Ridge. Start by taking a short loop hiking trail through Morris State Park to view some of the area’s unusual plants, such as tulip-poplar, American beech, and cucumber trees. After crossing the St. Francis River into Arkansas, on Ark. 141, you soon enter the town of St. Francis, near Chalk Bluff Battlefield Park (see Excursion ). Ernest Hemingway visited the small town of Piggott, just along the parkway, several times between 1927 and 1940, and wrote most of A Farewell to Arms here at his second wife’s family home. Continue along the ridge on Ark. 135, through pastures and croplands and the small city of Paragould to reach Crowley’s Ridge State Park, where you can explore the local scenery on a network of hiking trails or take a rest beside one of the pretty lakes. The route rejoins Ark. 141, and 20 miles (32 km) farther on reaches Jonesboro, the largest city on the ridge and home to Arkansas State University, whose museum has exhibits on paleontology and Native American and pioneer history, as well as a fine glassware and ceramics collection. Visit Village Creek State Park, down Ark. 163 and 284, for a tour of the area’s natural history and to tackle the hiking and horseriding trails around woodland, streams, and lakes. It was through here, in 1829, that the Creek, Chickasaw, and Cherokee Nations were marched away from their homes in the East to new Indian Territories farther west, along the Arkansas section of what became known as the Trail of Tears (now called the Military Road Trail). The parkway continues south on Ark. 1 to Marianna and Ark. 44 to the old river port of Helena-West-Helena.

Excursion History-lovers can take a short detour to the Chalk Bluff Battlefield Park, one of the best-preserved sites in the area, 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of St. Francis. During the Civil War, Confederate and Union armies fought here repeatedly for control of the strategic St. Francis River crossing, which marks the border between Missouri and Arkansas. The short Chalk Bluff Hiking Trail around the preserved portion of the battlefield has markers and interpretive panels along the way.

FROM: Malden, Missouri

TO: Helena-West-Helena, Arkansas

ROADS: U.S. 62, Ark. 141, 135, 163, 284, 1, 44, minor connecting roads

DISTANCE: 212 miles (341 km)

DRIVING TIME: 5.5 hours

WHEN TO GO: Year-round

PLANNING: www.mostateparks.com

OKLAHOMA/ARKANSAS

Talimena Scenic Highway

The road swoops through Ouachita National Forest, the largest national forest in the American South.

This short road across the Oklahoma/Arkansas border was built in the 1960s to give access to the wonderful views of the Ouachita Mountains—a favorite hunting spot of the Choctaw Indians and still full of wildlife.

Ouachita is a Native American word meaning good hunting grounds, and the Ouachita National Forest still holds plentiful deer, squirrel, and a host of other wildlife. The byway starts at the forest visitor center, 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Talihina on Okla. 1. Just beyond the visitor center is Choctaw Vista, which overlooks the dark blue hills and valleys through which the Choctaw traveled on their way west from the Mississippi on the Trail of Tears following the 1830 Indian Removal Act. The road cuts through a forest of shortleaf pine and scrub oak, with prairie grasses such as little bluestem covering the ground. Panorama Vista, about 5 miles (8 km) into the forest, has sweeping views of mountains and the small farming villages of the Holson Valley. The soaring updrafts here attract hang-gliding enthusiasts as well as golden eagles, vultures, and hawks. Past Horse Thief Springs (Mile 16), the road snakes back and forth down Winding Stair Mountain (see Highlights), providing constantly shifting views, and continues to Robert S. Kerr Arboretum and Nature Center (Mile 23) (see Highlights). The byway now follows the crest of Rich Mountain for several miles through dwarf oaks stunted by ice storms and wind. Entering Arkansas, the road becomes Ark. 88 and leads into Queen Wilhelmina State Park, which has dramatic views of Rich Mountain’s crest. Three miles (5 km) east of the park, you reach Rich Mountain Fire Tower (see Highlights), which at 2,681 feet (817 m) is the highest point on the route. The drive ends at the visitor information center in Mena, an old timber, railroad, and cattle town.

Highlights

■ Just beyond Winding Stair Mountain, you can stop and admire views of the Poteau River Valley, Cedar Lake, and Lake Wister from the Emerald Vista Overlook.

■ The Robert S. Kerr Arboretum, about midway along the drive, has exhibits on forest environments as well as three interpretive trails through pine and hardwood forests.

■ Rich Mountain Fire Tower was built in 1952 to keep a watchful eye on Ouachita National Forest. The views from the top are among the most spectacular in the park.

FROM: Talihina, Oklahoma

TO: Mena, Arkansas

ROADS: Okla. 1/U.S. 271, Ark. 88

DISTANCE: 54 miles (87 km)

DRIVING TIME: 1 to 2 hours

WHEN TO GO: Spring bloom occurs in April and May; fall foliage peaks from mid-October through early November.

PLANNING: www.arkansasstateparks.com

At 14,150 feet (4,313 m) high, Mount Sneffels dominates the beautiful scenery around Ridgway.

COLORADO

San Juan Skyway

Ranchers drive cattle along Girl Scout Road near the old railroad and ranching town of Ridgway.

The skyway follows a meandering course across southern Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, past old mining towns and through the desert to Mesa Verde National Park, reaching a height of more than 10,000 feet (3,048 m) three times on its journey through the sky.

The Uncompahgre Valley narrows below mountains that rise at least 6,000 feet (1,829 m) above the river as U.S. 550 travels southeast from Ridgway, bouncing from side to side between red-rock cliffs and forested foothills. Look around the historic district of the mountain town of Ouray, which dates from the 1880s gold- and silver-mining boom, before continuing into the mountains. Waterfalls spill from Uncompahgre Gorge to the right of the road as Abrams Mountain looms overhead. After a series of hairpin bends, you are confronted by a group of vivid peaks, Red Mountain Nos. 1, 2, and 3, whose slopes are streaked with red and orange gravel. The road curves around them, alongside a meadow and past old shacks and gravel heaps, remnants of the area’s mining past, before ascending to the 11,075-foot (3,375 m) Red Mountain Pass and descending to cross the broad Animas River Valley. At the junction with Colo. 110, turn left to Silverton (see Highlights), where you might come across the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad steaming into view.

Back on U.S. 550, climb Sultan Mountain to Molas Pass for fine views of the West Needle Mountains and Grenadier Range rising over tiny Molas Lake. The road winds for 7 miles (11 km) to Coal Bank Pass before leaving the mountains for plateau and canyon country. Hermosa Cliffs soon appear above a lush canyon of grass and hayfields. From the former mining town of Durango, follow U.S. 160 west through minor canyons and mesas as La Plata Mountains rise to the north over a dark forest. After visiting Mesa Verde National Park (see Highlights), continue along U.S. 160 toward Cortez, then follow Colo. 145 north beside the river to Dolores (see Highlights), back into the San Juan Mountains. After the incredible views of San Juan Crest at 10,222-foot (3,116 m) Lizard Head Pass, glide across a meadow toward Ophir Needles, past Trout Lake and huge, glaciated valleys. Turn right at the T-junction to Telluride, with its magnificent Victorian downtown district and 365-foot (111 m) Bridal Veil Falls. You can take a ride on the gondola that links Telluride with the ski area of Mountain Village to enjoy some outstanding mountain views. From Telluride, Colo. 145 and the San Miguel River head through a sandstone-cliff canyon to Placerville. Turn right on Colo. 62 for 11 miles (18 km) to the Dallas Divide and return to Ridgway.

Highlights

■ San Juan County Historical Museum in Silverton tells the story of the region’s railroad and mining past.

■ Mesa Verde National Park protects the ruins of ancient Puebloan villages. Rangers lead tours of the major buildings. Views from the mesa are extraordinary.

■ South of Dolores, make a 10-minute detour west onto Colo. 184 from Colo. 145 for the Anasazi Heritage Center, which explains the evolution of the ancient Puebloans. Self-guided trails lead to two ruins.

FROM: Loop route from Ridgway, Colorado

ROADS: U.S. 550, Colo. 110, U.S. 160, Colo. 145, 62

DISTANCE: 233 miles (375 km)

DRIVING TIME: 5 hours

WHEN TO GO: Spring through fall

PLANNING: The section from Silverton to Ouray is also known as the Million Dollar Highway. www.coloradobyways.org

COLORADO

Trail Ridge Road

The surrounding hills are reflected in the still waters of tree-fringed Grand Lake.

The Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountains National Park in northern Colorado climbs well above the treeline, bringing views of high peaks, deep valleys, and alpine plateaus, sometimes against the dramatic backdrop of an approaching thunderstorm.

Beneath the summit of Longs Peak in Estes Park, Trail Ridge Road winds west along the Fall River, past wooded ridges and granite domes, toward Sheep Lakes in Horseshoe Park, where bighorn sheep, mule deer, and, especially in fall, elk come to graze. Follow the road through Horseshoe Park, up the slope to Deer Ridge Junction, and turn right, quickly ascending into a forest of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and limber pine. At the peak of Many Parks Curve, a boardwalk offers expansive views of the long, glaciated basins of Moraine Park and Horseshoe Park. Back on the road, continue skyward past trees struggling to survive on the rocky ground. Beyond Rainbow Curve, the road passes a knife-edged ridgeline and enters wide, rolling alpine tundra. Stop at Forest Canyon Overlook and take the footpath down to the viewing platform, which identifies the peaks that stretch away from you for more than 20 miles (32 km). The road reaches its highest point between Lava Cliffs and Gore Range Overlook, before descending quickly to the hairpin bend at Medicine Bow Curve, which overlooks the rocky Medicine Bow Mountains, 20 miles (32 km) in the distance, and the silvery headwaters of the Cache la Poudre River below.

As you twist down through forest, you approach pine-ringed Poudre Lake. Two miles (3 km) farther on is Fairview Curve, with views of the Never Summer Mountains and the wide Kawuneeche Valley, with the Colorado River in the distance. Follow the switchbacks to the valley floor, which is carpeted with meadows. At the mountain-ringed Grand Lake, the largest natural lake in Colorado, you can enjoy a drink or meal at the historic Grand Lake Lodge. Continue south to Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby, which has picnic areas, campgrounds, and boating ramps. The road continues for another 5 miles (8 km) to Granby, a former logging community, now popular with outdoor-loving vacationers.

FROM: Estes Park, Colorado

TO: Granby, Colorado

ROAD: U.S. 34/Trail Ridge Road

DISTANCE: 63 miles (101 km)

DRIVING TIME: 2 hours

WHEN TO GO: Open from late May to mid-October (weather permitting)

PLANNING: Be prepared for crowds between mid-June and mid-August. www.nps.gov/romo

NEBRASKA

Pine Ridge Country

Around Chadron, prairie grasslands have been turned into hayfields that extend to the horizon.

In this rugged corner of northwestern Nebraska, scenery seems to change from mile to mile as hilly farm and ranch land mingle with prairie, high buttes and ridges, steep gullies, and clear streams.

From the old frontier town of Gordon, a small community in Nebraska’s rural heart, drive west on U.S. 20 along the western reaches of the desolate grassy desert known as Sand Hills, which lies 10 miles (16 km) to the south and east; ahead are flat plains where trees and cattle are scarce. Drive through the isolated towns of Rushville and Hay Springs, and on to the furrowed uplands of Pine Ridge, a narrow, 100-mile (160 km) long escarpment that defines the edge of Nebraska’s High Plains. The forested hills of ponderosa pine and deciduous trees are home to bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, and wild turkeys. Across the ridge, the old fur-trading town of Chadron has a row of handsome, two-story, Western-style buildings along Main Street. A 10-mile (16 km) detour to the south of town on U.S. 385 takes you to Chadron State Park, an excellent stop for horseback riding, swimming, and hiking. Back on U.S. 20, continue west along the White River—to the north you can see rolling hills, to the south the first buttes of the Badlands. Crawford (see Excursion ), 24 miles (39 km) farther on, was an important town in the old West and is now known chiefly for Fort Robinson State Park. The fort itself dates from the Indian Wars of the 1870s—Chief Crazy Horse, of Little Bighorn fame, was killed here. During World War II, the fort housed German prisoners. Fifteen miles (24 km) north of Crawford on Nebr. 2, you can visit Oglala National Grassland, a popular haunt for camping and hunting, as well as Toadstool Park, named for its strange, mushroom-shaped rocky outcrops.

Excursion Twenty-three miles (37 km) southwest of Crawford is Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, where you can follow a 2-mile (3 km) walk around the fossilized remains of mammals that lived between 13 and 25 million years ago. The site is best known for the surviving evidence of species such as the Moropus—part horse, part giraffe, and part tapir—and the Menoceras, a pony-sized rhinoceros. The Cook Collection in the museum includes more than 500 unique Native American artifacts collected by Captain James Cook, owner of the Agate Springs Cattle Ranch in the late 19th century.

FROM: Gordon, Nebraska

TO: Crawford, Nebraska

ROAD: U.S. 20, 385, Nebr. 2

DISTANCE: 67 miles (108 km)

DRIVING TIME: 1.5 hours

WHEN TO GO: Spring through fall

PLANNING: www.nebraskahighcountry.com

A moose feeds on vegetation in the Snake River, with Mount Moran in the distance.

WYOMING

Centennial Scenic Byway

Fremont Peak and Island Lake, in the Wind River Range, can be reached via hiking trails north of Pinedale.

The long, undulating, doglegging Centennial Scenic Byway winds through the mountains and river valleys of the Rockies in northwestern Wyoming, passing the Tetons, the Snake River, and the Wind River Range along the way.

Rise with the cowboys of Dubois (see Highlights ) to catch a glimpse of the morning sun on the Teton Mountains. Climb from the town past the eastern flank of the Wind River Range on U.S. 26, with the Wind River meandering alongside you. After around 20 miles (32 km), Breccia Cliffs and Pinnacle Buttes burst into view above the tree line. Stop at Falls Campground to explore the waterfall before continuing on U.S. 26 up a steep incline forested with Engelmann spruce, silvery-barked subalpine fir, and lodgepoll pine. Moose, elk, and bears visit the meadows. After crossing Togwotee Pass, descend to Teton Range Overlook to gaze at Wyoming’s best-known mountains. U.S 26 now slopes down to the floodplain of Buffalo Fork River, soon entering Grand Teton National Park. At Moran Junction turn south through wetlands inhabited by moose, elk, and bison and across gentle terrain toward Snake River Overlook, which provides a classic view of 13,770-foot (4,197 m) high Grand Teton and its neighboring peaks. Pass through the valley of Jackson Hole and in another 10 miles (16 km) you reach the tourist mecca of Jackson (see Highlights ), with its galleries, restaurants, bars, and famous ski resorts. Seven miles (11 km) on, follow the Snake River to Hoback Junction, where the Hoback River joins the Snake to rush into the the Snake River Canyon. Drive up Hoback Canyon on U.S. 189/191, dropping out of the mountains past Bondurant and onto the flatlands of Green River Valley, with the ancient Wind River Range coming into view. Take a short detour north to watch the sun set at Fremont Lake, stretched out below the Winds. U.S. 189/191 continues into nearby Pinedale and the Museum of the Mountain Man (see Highlights ).

Excursion At Moran Junction you can take the Teton Park Drive, which runs for 25 miles (40 km) through the heart of the magnificent Teton Mountains. Oxbow Bend Turnout has classic views of Mount Moran and the Snake River. At Jackson Lake Junction, you can turn onto Signal Mountain Road and drive to the summit of Signal Mountain, with grand views of the Tetons. When you reach North Jenny Lake Junction, follow the loop road to Cathedral Group Turnout, with close-up views of Mount Owen, Teewinot Mountain, and Grand Teton. The drive rejoins the Centennial Scenic Byway at Moose Junction.

Highlights

■ The Wind River Historical Center in Dubois has displays on the pioneer, archaeological, and natural history of the region.

■ The National Elk Refuge in the town of Jackson is home to some 10,000 elk every winter, viewable by a sleigh ride from the refuge headquarters.

■ The National Museum of Wildlife Art, situated 2.5 miles (4 km) north of Jackson, has fine wildlife and nature displays.

■ Pinedale’s Museum of the Mountain Man explores the history of the fur-trappers who roamed this region.

FROM: Dubois, Wyoming

TO: Pinedale, Wyoming

ROADS: U.S. 26/Colo. 287, U.S. 189/191

DISTANCE: 162 miles (261 km)

DRIVING TIME: 4 hours

WHEN TO GO: Spring through fall

PLANNING: Grand Teton National Park has almost 200 miles (320 km) of hiking trails. www.wyomingtourism.org

MONTANA/WYOMING

Beartooth Highway

Granite outcrops, clumps of firs, and small pools near Island Lake in the Absaroka Range

Southern Montana’s foothills cower beneath the black mass of the Beartooth Plateau, whose sharpened peaks prick the sky. The drive meanders across the plateau and through the varied Yellowstone region.

Following Rock Creek from Montana’s ranching and mining town of Red Lodge, the Beartooth All-American Road passes grassy hills that soon develop into forested mountains and climbs toward the 1,800-foot (550 m) cliffs that enclose the valley head. The next 5 miles (8 km) include dramatic switchbacks that culminate at Vista Point (9,200 feet/2,804 m), where you can take a short path to a promontory with views across Rock Creek Canyon and Hellroaring Plateau. Back on the road, trees gradually give way to alpine tundra. The route cuts back to the rim of the canyon, and narrow turnouts provide views of glacial lakes, including Twin Lakes 1,000 feet (305 m) below. In the Beartooth Pass ski area, you can see the jagged peaks of the Absaroka Range breaking the southwest horizon. Continue through wildflower meadows to the 10,947-foot (3,337 m) high Beartooth Pass, where only marmots, squirrels, and mountain goats survive year-round. From here, the road descends through scattered islands of pine and spruce, wildflowers, and hundreds of small lakes. As you approach the turnoff to Island Lake campground, the Absaroka’s 11,708-foot (3,569 m) Pilot Peak and 11,313-foot (3,448 m) Index Peak swing into view. Continuing your descent through a forest of lodgepole and whitebark pines toward Beartooth Butte, you pass a great picnic spot at Beartooth Lake, and as the road breaks out of the trees, look across the canyon to your left to see the cascading Beartooth Falls. The road follows the flank of the plateau to a bridge over silvery Lake Creek. From Crazy Creek Campground the road picks up Clarks Fork River and passes through the old mining camp of Cooke City to reach the northeast entrance to outstanding Yellowstone National Park.

Excursion The Chief Joseph Scenic Highway follows part of the route taken by the Nez Perce on their journey from Oregon under Chief Joseph. The 46-mile (74 km) drive follows Wyo. 296 along the northeastern edge of Yellowstone National Park between Cooke City and Cody, Wyoming, with stunning views of Beartooth Peak and the Yellowstone River A few miles north of Cody, the road crosses Sunlight Creek Bridge, which spans the sheer cliffs of Sunlight Gorge.

FROM: Red Lodge, Montana

TO: Yellowstone National Park northeast entrance, Wyoming

ROAD: U.S. 212/ Beartooth All-American Road

DISTANCE: 69 miles (111 km)

DRIVING TIME: 2 to 3 hours

WHEN TO GO: The route is open from Memorial Day weekend to October—the exact opening and closing dates depend on the weather. Aspens are glorious in late September.

PLANNING: www.beartoothhighway.com

IDAHO

Sawtooth & Ponderosa Pine

The Boise Basin Museum in Idaho City tells the history of this gold rush town.

This spectacular drive, a combination of two scenic byways through central Idaho’s wilderness area, ascends from the desert floor around Boise, the state capital, into the heights of the Sawtooth Range, before winding back down to the volcanic plain below.

Climbing into the brown hills above Boise, the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway (Idaho 21) follows the Boise River through a twisting canyon and into thick forest. As the road approaches the old mining town of Idaho City, you can see heaps of cobblestones, leavings from the 1860s goldrush, scattered around. Idaho 21 continues climbing to Mores Creek Summit. Ten miles (16 km) farther on you enter Lowman Burn, where roadside signs chart the impact of the wildfires of 1989—one such sign, a few minutes past Lowman village, overlooks Kirkham Hot Springs, where the South Fork Payette River flows through a granite chasm. After 24 miles (39 km), the road follows the South Fork through a ponderosa pine forest to reach snowcapped Banner Summit, then passes broad meadows—ringed by a forest that is home to elk, deer, and hawks—before the Sawtooth Range bursts into view.

At Stanley, turn right onto Idaho 75, the start of the Sawtooth Drive, and follow the Salmon River through Sawtooth Valley, home to peaks that are more than 10,000 feet (3,048 m) high. Many of them lie within the Sawtooth Wilderness, an enticing landscape for day hikes. The biggest lake in the area, Redfish Lake, is lined with beaches set against pine forests and imposing mountains—follow signs off the main road. Back on Idaho 75, continue past Sawtooth City and Vienna, both old mining towns, and up to Galena Overlook. Soon you top Galena Summit and descend into Big Wood River Valley, with the Boulder Mountains rising to your left. A mile (1.6 km) beyond the sign to Magic Dam are the Shoshone Ice Caves, an ice-filled lava tube, and another 8 miles (13 km) brings you to enormous underground tunnels at Mammoth Cave. The drive ends in the agricultural town of Shoshone.

FROM: Boise, Idaho

TO: Shoshone, Idaho

ROADS: Idaho 21/Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway, Idaho 75/Sawtooth Drive

DISTANCE: 246 miles (396 km)

DRIVING TIME: 6 hours

WHEN TO GO: Year-round

PLANNING: Winter weather can be severe. www.idahobyways.gov