Weekly Top 3: Best American Driving Roads
We do a lot of blabbering in this trade about "powering through corners," "hanging the tail out," "heel-and-toe downshifting," et cetera. But the reality is, most roads in this country just aren't set up for such shenanigans. That's why certain roads have earned special places in the hearts of American driving enthusiasts -- though probably not by design, they've turned out to be virtual racetracks for the real world, with tight corners galore and impressive scenery to boot. That's what this week's Top 3 is all about: the best driving roads, from sea to shining sea.
1. Big Sur Coast Highway, California
No, we're not biased because we live here. The 1 North from Cambria to Monterey, a.k.a. the Big Sur Coast Highway, has got to be one of the best driving roads in the world, both in terms of scenery and degree of difficulty. This ridiculous ribbon of tarmac snakes along the rim of the Pacific Ocean for miles and miles, 63 of which are particularly glorious (see picture above). If you get tired of navigating switchbacks and decreasing-radius bends, simply pull into one of the countless roadside turnouts and snap some pictures, or take a stroll on a secluded beach. I've been through this stretch in both a sport-packaged 2008 328i and our long-term 2002 M3, and I can tell you it's the most fun I've had on any road, ever. If you enjoy driving, you owe it to yourself to rent a car (preferably a relatively capable one) and head for the Big Sur coastline.
2. Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire
This one's more of a personal pick, since I'm one of the few on staff to have had the privilege of tackling the great Kancamagus. But I'm sure my colleagues would agree if they took a spirited drive along this winding White Mountain byway. Traffic can be more of an issue here than on the Big Sur route, particularly when the leaves are turning -- but you can always employ the time-honored tactic of going 10-15 mph until the cars ahead are well out of sight, then racing through the turns until you've caught up again (not that we would even think of endorsing such antisocial behavior). I've been on the Kancamagus in two old Hondas -- a '93 Prelude Si and a '95 Integra GSR -- and I still vividly remember the thrills from those trips. Next time you're driving around the Northeast, work this road into your itinerary. You won't regret it.
3. Fill In The Blank
Alright, it's your turn. We've all got our favorites, but we want to hear from you. What road(s) have you driven on that you think would stack up well against the best in the country? Who knows -- if you're sufficiently persuasive, we might even show up in a long-term car sometime to check it out.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com
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- S.B. True September 5, 2008, 4:30 AM
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- Life with Cars
I personally think that some of the best driving roads in the country can be found in the hills of the Santa Monica Mountains just north of Malibu, CA. In that area there is just about every kind of road you could imagine. Whether you are looking for a nice scenic cruise, 2nd and 3rd gear switchbacks, or even the illusive one-way, downhill uber-twisty, hard-braking road, the Santa Monica Mountains offer it all. Though they can get relatively crowded (or at least the more popular sections can) on the weekends, they are still an absolute blast to drive seeing as most of the traffic consists of driving enthusiasts out enjoying the amazing roads too.
If you happen to be down in the San Diego area, Palomar Mountain is not to be missed. The road commonly referred to as the "Tight Side" was built to get a parabolic mirror up to the observatory on the top and has nice, smooth, banked, consistent radius turns. Though it is quite a ways outside of the heart of San Diego, just barely still in San Diego County, if you happen to be in town and have a sporty rental car (or your own car), it is definitely worth the drive.
In most cases, a great driving road will have to have elevation changes and tight corners. But there is a road which is straight and yet so spectacular that it needs to be included in this short list. It is HWY 395 north of Mojave in California that runs along the eastern side of Mount Whitney and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You are treated to views of a solid wall of rock dusted with snow rising 10,000 feet from the broad flat valley. There are few twisties here but you can open it up (if you have a radar detector). But beware, a friend of mine got his BMW up to 140 mph and was hauled over by CHP at 120. Big ticket.
I nominate Highway 89 going through Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. Magnificent vistas, interesting volcanic roadside attractions, significant elevation changes (8,500 feet at its highest), plenty of twisties (but few montonous switchbacks), and the majority of it is freshly repaved. When I was there a few weeks ago, we encountered five Dodge Vipers heading rapidly in the other direction, and a group of classic BMW owners in the middle of a grand tour through California.
We also saw an accident scene where a car had gone off the edge of the road and fallen several hundred feet downhill, so be careful; guard rails are few and far between.
Great pictures! I love the "Hills Curves Next 63 Miles" sign. It's enough to make an enthusiast in an M3 drool. And the autumnal scene makes me miss the east coast so much.
My dad used to take us hiking (or sometimes just driving) through various parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. I remember twisty roads, precarious drop-offs, and beautiful vistas. I haven't been there for many years.
We took an interesting drive a few years ago along the Yaak River Road in northern Montana. We started along Lake Koocanusa and followed the road all the way to the blink-and-you-miss-it town of Yaak, where we ate at a little general store. The road was extremely secluded, almost eerily so, but we were rewarded with lots of twisties and the occasional surprise view of the surrounding peaks. I wouldn't call it the best road in the world, but if you're in the area already, it's worth a drive.
The Tail of the Dragon just about beats everything out there.
http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon.html
I was waiting for someone to mention Deal's Gap. Although, I would still put the variety of roads available in the Santa Monica Mountains up against the Tail of the Dragon any day.
I vote for the roads above Santa Barbara. Not the best or most challenging, and the surface can be pretty horrid. The up side are twisty roads that bring you views of the Ocean and the Islands on one side and views into the Santa Ynez Valley on the other. If you are really adventurous you can take some of the fire/maintenance roads and have a little play in the dirt. The only down side, no cell service, so you need to know what you are doing.
I''m not sure of the location but if you youtube carbuzzard, then you'll see some of the cool roads in Penn! The best are the review of the Mazda3 and VW Jetta.
Hey edmunds should review cars like this sometimes... of course with the edmunds addins and great graphics!
-Cj
Autoboy16: I was going to mention Pa. Route 6 between Milford and Scranton. That twisty 2 lane blacktop has spectacular curves and views. During the leaf changing period in early October, it has some of the most beautiful scenery in all of the Northeast.
US 12 across northern Idaho along the Clearwater River is sweet. The whole road from Lolo MT all the way to WA has lots of good stretches, including the part near Mt. Rainier.
Turnagain Arm along the Seward Highway south of Anchorage is another fun one, if you can avoid the RV traffic in the summers.
I notched Deals Gap and Milford off my list in the last decade. All that Delaware Gap area is fun. There are plenty of curves in N. Georgia too. Some sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway qualify.
Bogus Basin Road in my backyard here in Boise has something like 172 turns in 16 miles with a 3,400 foot elevation gain.
And don't forget the Old Priest Grade near Yosemite. That's a hoot.
Hi -
I found this page while searching for "Best Driving Roads in PA" on Google. I'm planning my 30th Birthday Extraordinaire at the end of May, 2009. I'm renting a Viper SRT10 from a place in Lancaster, PA and driving up to the Pocono Mountains to stay at the luxurious Caesars Resorts.
These resorts sit dead-center between Scranton and Milford - near Hawley, PA. Whereas I have no problem driving from the center to one end to the other end back to center, I was just curious if there was a "preferred end" of this trip that I could focus on and maybe save myself a little bit of money (I'll be paying by the mile by the time my vacation ends.) For example - is Scranton to Hawley better than Milford to Hawley...
Any recommendations? Any other "recommended roads" in this area?
Thanks, all. This'll be an event to remember.
Jeff