Ten Iconic American Road Trips: Scenic Routes, History, and Practical Trip Planning
A Quartz article showcases ten of the most iconic American road trips, spanning coastlines, mountains, and deserts. Routes include California's Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur, Historic Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina, Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, the Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys, Beartooth Highway near Yellowstone, Hana Highway on Maui, the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon, the Natchez Trace Parkway from Mississippi to Tennessee, and the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado's San Juan Mountains. The piece details each route's distance, elevation, best travel times, historical significance, and practical planning advice, such as seasonal closures, fuel stops, and traffic patterns. It emphasizes the journey itself and the unique landscapes and landmarks along the way, from Bixby Creek Bridge and Cadillac Ranch to Multnomah Falls and Red Mountain Pass. The list is designed to help drivers plan real trips, with notes on weather, road conditions, and required reservations.
Key facts
- The article lists ten iconic American road trips across the U.S.
- Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) spans about 656 miles from Dana Point to Leggett, with a 90-mile scenic stretch through Big Sur between San Simeon and Carmel.
- Bixby Creek Bridge, completed in 1932, is a 280-foot-tall concrete arch and was the longest of its kind when built.
- Route 66 was established in 1926, crossed eight states, and was decommissioned in 1985; pieces remain as Historic Route 66.
- Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass (6,646 feet) and is a National Historic Landmark.
- The Overseas Highway follows Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad, destroyed by the 1935 Labor Day hurricane; the current Seven Mile Bridge opened in 1982.
- The Natchez Trace Parkway runs 444 miles, with the final segment completed in 2005, nearly 70 years after construction began in 1937.
- The Million Dollar Highway, a 25-mile stretch of U.S. Route 550 between Ouray and Silverton, crosses Red Mountain Pass at 11,018 feet.
- Many routes have seasonal closures or restrictions, such as snow in high elevations and hurricane evacuations in the Keys.
- Practical details per route include distance, elevation, best time of year, fuel stops, and reservation requirements.
Entities
Artists
- Airam Dato-on
- John Bell
- Johnny Roedel
- Wes Hicks
- Tevin Trinh
- Nils Huenerfuerst
- craig kerwien
- Jashith G
- Sean D'Auria
- Alexander Wark Feeney
- William Randolph Hearst
- Henry Flagler
- Samuel Lancaster
- Meriwether Lewis
Institutions
- National Park Service
- Civilian Conservation Corps
- Caltrans
- Oregon Department of Transportation
- Colorado Department of Transportation
- Hawaii State Parks
- Turtle Hospital
- Durango and Silverton Railroad
- Montana and Wyoming Tourism Offices
- Hearst Castle
- National Register of Historic Places
Locations
- Pacific Coast Highway
- Big Sur
- California
- San Simeon
- Carmel
- Dana Point
- Leggett
- Chicago
- Illinois
- Santa Monica
- Route 66
- Amarillo
- Texas
- Catoosa
- Oklahoma
- Holbrook
- Arizona
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- Shenandoah National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Grandfather Mountain
- Asheville
- Glacier National Park
- Montana
- Logan Pass
- Red Lodge
- Cooke City
- Yellowstone National Park
- Maui
- Hawaii
- Kahului
- Hana
- Waianapanapa State Park
- Haleakala National Park
- Columbia River Gorge
- Oregon
- Crown Point
- Multnomah Falls
- Natchez
- Mississippi
- Nashville
- Tennessee
- Ridgeland
- Ouray
- Silverton
- Colorado
- San Juan Mountains
- Red Mountain Pass
- Telluride
- Durango
- Florida Keys
- Key Largo
- Key West
- Marathon
- Islamorada
- Florida City
- Santa Monica Pier
- Mile Marker 0
- Avalanche Creek
- Sun Point
- St. Mary Lake
- Lake McDonald
- Hidden Lake Overlook
- Garden Wall
- Linn Cove Viaduct
- Richland Balsam
- Craggy Gardens
- Linville Falls
- Wailua Falls
- Pipiwai Trail
- Waimoku Falls
- Vista House
- Wahkeena Falls
- Horsetail Falls
- Eagle Creek Fire
- Sunken Trace
- Tupelo
- Columbia
- Mud Creek
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
- McWay Falls
- Cadillac Ranch
- Blue Whale of Catoosa
- Wigwam Motel
Sources
- Quartz —