214 Best Sights in USA

One of the best ways to experience the refuge is to take the 15-mile, 1½-hour self-guided auto tour around Lake Bowdoin. The one-way gravel road will expose you to a wide array of bird species and habitat types, and there are 11 signed stops along the way. The auto tour guide provides all the history and nature knowledge you'll need to get the most out of your experience. Depending on the time of year, you can expect to see a colony of gulls on Long Island and pelicans, cormorants, and blue herons on Pelican Islands. As always, spring and fall and early morning and evening will offer you the best opportunity to see wildlife. Don't forget your binoculars and camera.

This 11,312-foot stone lookout hut was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935 atop the highest summit in Iron County. You can see for miles in every direction, as far as Nevada and Arizona, enjoying especially dramatic views of nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument. The windy and dramatic, nearly 3-mile drive along bumpy and unpaved Forest Road 047 from Highway 143 (take it slowly) is part of the fun; when there's snow, the last section of road is closed to vehicles, but you can still hike or snowshoe up to the top. You can also hike to the summit from the junction of Rocky Road and Highway 143—the rugged and picturesque trek is about 3½ miles each way.

If you have a few hours to spare (or a night if you like backcountry camping), you can enjoy two remarkable canyon-country vistas. Turn off U.S. 191 at a point between Moab and Monticello (about 32 miles south of Moab and 26 miles north of Monticello), and the paved Needles Overlook Road runs 22 miles west to Needles Overlook, which takes in the southern end of Canyonlands National Park. Less than 20 miles farther on a graded road is the Anticline Overlook, with a view that encompasses the Colorado River, Dead Horse Point, and other locales to the north.

The north end of Capitol Reef, along this backcountry road, is filled with towering monoliths, panoramic vistas, water crossings, and a stark desert landscape. The area is remote and the road through it unpaved and extremely rough, so don't even think about entering without a suitable mountain bike or high-clearance vehicle, some planning, and a cell phone (although reception is virtually nonexistent, you'll want to download maps to it before you get here). The trail through the valley is a 58-mile loop that you can begin at River Ford Road, 11¾ miles east of the visitor center off Highway 24; allow half a day. If your time is limited, consider touring just Caineville Wash Road, which takes about two hours by ATV or four-wheel-drive vehicle. If you are planning a multiday trip, there's a primitive campground about halfway through the loop. Pick up a self-guided tour brochure at the visitor center.

Located along U.S. 191, 55 miles southwest of Malta, this 20-mile all-weather gravel road allows visitors an up-close and personal view of the inner workings of the refuge. Interpretive stops along the way provide information on the wildlife, geology, and history of this unique landscape. Keep your eyes out for a rare sighting of an endangered black-footed ferret, as this part of the refuge protects one of the largest free-ranging populations in the world. Stop at the Slippery Ann Wildlife Viewing Area to look for elk and deer; early mornings and evenings are best. Expect to spend three or more hours on the drive. But before you decide to tackle the road with a rental car (even a four-wheel drive), make sure your rental company allows this.

The 57-mile paved road, which starts 5 miles northeast of Fairbanks, leads to Chena Hot Springs Resort, a favorite playground of Fairbanks residents. From Mile 26 to Mile 51 the road passes through the Chena River State Recreation Area, a diverse nearly 400-square-mile wilderness. You can stop for a picnic, take a hike for an hour or venture out on an extended backpacking trip, fish for the beautiful yet gullible arctic grayling, or rent a rustic backcountry cabin to savor a truly wild Alaskan adventure. Grayling fishing in the Chena River is catch-and-release from April to May, single-hook, artificial-lure only. Several stocked lakes along the road allow catch-and-keep fishing for rainbow trout, well-suited for the frying pan. Keep a sharp eye out for moose along the roadside.

Highway 410, the highway to Yakima, follows the eastern edge of the park to Chinook Pass, where it climbs the steep 5,432-foot pass via a series of switchbacks. At its top, take in broad views of Rainier and the east slope of the Cascades. The pass usually closes for the winter in November and reopens by late May. During that time, it's not possible to drive a loop around the park.

Christmas Tree Pass Road is a dirt road that provides a gorgeous drive through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area to an extensive petroglyph site in Grapevine Canyon. This side route runs 16 miles through a desert landscape sacred to several historical and modern native tribes. The pass cuts through the rough-cut Newberry Range near legendary Spirit Mountain, with several turnouts (but no designated hiking trails) before the Grapevine Canyon trail. It's the kind of drive you imagined when you bought your SUV, one that also should make sedan drivers extremely wary. Sedans can take a shorter, easier route to the Grapevine Canyon trail by instead approaching from the Laughlin side (U.S. 163), which reduces the dirt-and-gravel drive to two of its easier miles. The Grapevine trail has a parking lot with latrines (no running water) and a ¼-mile walk to the springs, which served as the central gathering point for Yuman- and Numic-speaking tribes, whose messages are etched on the canyon boulders. It's a more pleasant walk in the winter, when water is often channeling through the canyon. The trail around the springs also offers a chance to see desert wildflowers and blooming cacti in spring and early summer. The drive reconnects with U.S. 163 15 miles northwest of Laughlin.

One of the most breathtaking stretches of highway in the state is U.S. 64 west from Cimarron through Cimarron Canyon State Park, which is actually just one small part of the immense 33,000-acre Colin Neblett Wildlife Area. The road passes through a steep and lush canyon banked by 400-foot crenellated granite palisades. Paralleling the road is the sparkling Cimarron River, which is known for its superb trout fishing. Wildlife (including elk, deer, and bear), granite cliff formations, a natural spring, an abandoned mine, and a visitor center are also draws. There's a campground beneath the pines, too, with spaces for RVs (no hookups) and tents, picnic tables, and pit toilets.

Whether you're staying in Grand Lake or merely stopping on your way to another destination, the 80-mile (one way) Colorado River Headwaters Scenic and Historic Byway between Grand Lake and State Bridge is worth a side trip. The route takes you along the Colorado River, past hot springs, ranches, and reservoirs, through wide spaces with views of mountains, along deep canyons, and through a seemingly incongruous sage-covered desert. Along the turnouts within Gore Canyon, you can get a good look at the roaring Colorado River and train tracks below. Stop by the viewing platform at the Gore Canyon Whitewater Park at Pumphouse to see paddlers and boarders playing in the waves.

Surely one of the world's curviest roads, the twisting Coronado Trail portion of U.S. 191 was referred to as the Devil's Highway in its prior incarnation as U.S. 666. The route parallels the one allegedly followed more than 450 years ago by Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado on his search for the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola, where he'd heard that the streets were paved with gold and jewels.

This 123-mile stretch of highway is renowned for the transitions of its spectacular scenery over a dramatic 5,000-foot elevation change—from rolling meadows to spruce- and ponderosa pine–covered mountains, down into the Sonoran Desert's piñon pine, grassland savannas, juniper stands, and cacti. A trip down the Coronado Trail crosses through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, as well as the Fort Apache and San Carlos Apache reservations.

Pause at Blue Vista, perched on the edge of the Mogollon Rim, about 54 miles south of Springerville-Eagar, to take in views of the Blue Range Mountains to the east and the succession of tiered valleys dropping some 4,000 feet back down into the Sonoran Desert. Still above the rim, this is one of your last opportunities to enjoy the blue spruce, ponderosa pine, and high-country mountain meadows.

About 17 miles south of Blue Vista, the Coronado Trail continues to twist and turn, eventually crossing under 8,786-foot Rose Peak. Named for the wild roses growing on its mountainside, Rose Peak is also home to a fire lookout tower from which peaks more than 100 miles away can be seen on a clear day. This is a great picnic-lunch stop.

After Rose Peak, enjoy the remaining scenery some 70 more miles until you reach the less scenic towns of Clifton and Morenci, homes to a massive copper mine. U.S. 191 then swings back west, links up with U.S. 70, and provides a fairly straight shot to Globe.

This scenic 20-mile round-trip drive goes from the Quarry Visitor Center east to the Josie Morris Cabin. Josie's sister, Ann Bassett, was reputedly the "Etta Place" of Butch Cassidy legends. Morris lived alone for 50 years at her isolated home. Along the drive, watch for ancient rock art, geological formations, views of Split Mountain, the Green River, and hiking trails. The route is dubbed the "Tour of the Tilted Rocks" in the $1 guidebook sold at the visitor center.

West of Highlands via U.S. 64 toward Franklin, the Cullasaja Gorge (cul-lah-say-jah) is a 7½-mile gorge passing the Cullasaja River, Lake Sequoyah, and several waterfalls, including Bridal Veil Falls, Dry Falls (which has a path to walk behind the waterfall), Quarry Falls, and the 200-foot Cullasaja Falls. The gorge and falls are in the Nantahala National Forest.

Rocks around waterfalls are slippery, and trying to cross the top of the falls is dangerous.

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline is the main attraction for many who travel the Dalton, but the views from the drive are otherworldly, especially in the areas around Atigun Pass. Thousands of 18-wheelers drive the formerly private highway each year, but since 1994 they've shared it with sightseers, anglers, and other travelers. That doesn't mean the Dalton is an easy drive, however. The road is narrow, often winding, and has several steep grades, and you can encounter snowfall every month of the year. Sections may be heavily potholed, and the road's coarse gravel is easily kicked up into headlights and windshields by fast-moving trucks. If you drive the Dalton in your own car, make sure you have windshield-replacement insurance, because it's highly likely you'll need to make a repair when you return. There's mostly no cell service along the Dalton, few visitor facilities, and almost nowhere to get help if something goes wrong. With tow-truck charges of up to $5 per mile both coming and going, a vehicle breakdown can cost hundreds of dollars even before repairs. Before setting out, make sure everything in your car is working properly, and know how to change tires. Public access ends at Deadhorse, just shy of the Arctic coast. This town exists mainly to service the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay. The only lodging options are down-at-the-heels motels and camps that cater to truck drivers and other workers, or wilderness campgrounds.

One of the most isolated roads in the country, the Dalton Highway (Alaska Route 11) consists mostly of loose-packed dirt and gravel that can put wear and tear on your vehicle, as well as your spine. It can also take you on a magical road trip with sublime views and remarkable experiences. If heading up the 400-plus-mile "haul road" toward the Arctic Ocean, start 80 miles north of Fairbanks at a tiny town called Livengood (population: a baker's dozen, more or less), and then keep heading north.

The Dalton was built to support construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the oil fields on the North Slope, so the pipeline and tinges of industrialization parallel the road—and spellbinding beauty spreads out beyond it. The drive will take you through boreal forest, the Brooks Range, the Arctic foothills, the coastal plain tundra, and finally, a few miles short of the Arctic Ocean, to a town called Deadhorse, a place named exactly how it feels.

There's much to see along the way, yet many reasons to miss the show. The drive can be treacherous, with hazards ranging from speeding 18-wheelers to fog, snow, rain, potholes, and steep grades, with only a few services along the way. Plan ahead (spare tires, provisions, etc.), and take your time.

This heavily traveled 25-mile stretch of road follows the rim from the east entrance to Grand Canyon Village. Starting from the less congested entry near Desert View, road warriors can get their first glimpse of the canyon from the 70-foot-tall watchtower, the top of which provides the highest viewpoint on the South Rim. Six developed canyon viewpoints in addition to unmarked pullouts, the remains of an Ancestral Puebloan dwelling at the Tusayan Ruin and Museum, and the secluded and lovely Buggeln picnic area make for great stops along the South Rim. The Kaibab Rim Route shuttle bus travels a short section of Desert View Drive and takes 50 minutes to ride round-trip without getting off at any of the stops: Grand Canyon Visitor Center, South Kaibab Trailhead, Yaki Point, Pipe Creek Vista, Mather Point, and Yavapai Geology Museum.

From Cleveland Roller Mill you can either return via NM 518 to Las Vegas (about 30 mi) or continue north on NM 518 over the gorgeous eastern face of the Sangre de Cristo range. You'll eventually come to Peñasco, on the High Road to Taos, from which you can either go south to Santa Fe or north to Taos. The drive from Mora to Peñasco offers spectacular mountain views, and passes by old farmsteads and adobe hamlets slowly being worn down by the wind and weather.

You'll see the striking contrast of prairies and mountains as you travel northwest from East Glacier Park Village to Two Medicine Lake on Route 49. Once you turn onto Two Medicine Road, you'll be heading straight toward snowcapped peaks and lovely Two Medicine Lake. From there, head back out to Route 49 and then to U.S. 89 North to make your way to the town of St. Mary and then onto the Going-to-the-Sun Road to reach St. Mary Lake, the park's second largest. The entire route is 49 miles one-way. End the drive with an additional stop at Swiftcurrent Lake, and you'll cover about 75 miles total.

The only way to access the Gunnison River from the park by car is via this paved route, which drops approximately 2,000 feet down to the water in only 5 miles, giving it an extremely steep grade. Vehicles longer than 22 feet are not allowed on the road. If you're towing a trailer, you can unhitch it near the entrance to South Rim campground. The bottom of the road is actually in the adjacent Curecanti National Recreation Area. There you'll find a picnic area, a campground, a primitive riverside trail, and beautiful scenery. A tour of East Portal Road, with a brief stop at the bottom, takes about 45 minutes. Immediately after arrival through the park's South entrance, take a right on East Portal Road.

This scenic 106-mile loop winds from Baker City through the Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains. Only white-bark pine can survive on the range's sharp ridges and peaks, which top 8,000 feet; spruce, larch, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine thrive on the lower slopes. The route is well marked; start in Baker City on Highway 7, head west to Sumpter, turn onto County Road 24 toward Granite, turn north on Forest Road 73 and take that over Granite Pass and eventually by Anthony Lakes ski area to Haines, and then return to Baker City along U.S. 30.

Go back in time as you motor along the 100-year-old road that was once the only way to cross the gorge on one- and two-way roads, including hairpin turns. Stop to revel in cascades at Wolf Creek Falls and Marr Branch Falls, or to watch paddlers disembark from rafts under the dramatic steel span bridge. Allow at least 40 minutes for the scenic drive with many eye-catching bridge views.

This one-way, 3-mile-long road takes you past Great Fountain Geyser, which shoots out jets of water reaching as high as 200 feet about twice a day. Rangers' predictions provide a two-hour window of opportunity. Should you witness an eruption, you'll see waves of water cascading down the terraces that form the geyser's edges.

Past Red Fleet Reservoir north of Vernal, U.S. 191 begins to ascend the eastern flank of the Uinta uplift as you head toward Flaming Gorge. The section of U.S. 191 and Highway 44 between Vernal and Manila, Utah, is known as the Flaming Gorge–Uintas National Scenic Byway. Within a distance of 30 miles the road passes through 18 uptilted geologic formations, including the billion-year-old exposed core of the Uinta Mountains, with explanatory signs. The route also provides plenty of opportunity for wildlife-watching and fossil hunting, with several nature trails. Before setting out, pick up a guide at the Utah Field House of Natural History.

From the visitor center, a drive out along Flint Ridge Road, onto Park Ridge Road, then onto Cave City Road and then back to the visitor center via the Mammoth Cave Parkway provides a rustic excursion through peaceful forests, with a glimpse of rural Kentucky farmland along the park boundary. Along Flint Ridge Road, discover historic Mammoth Cave Baptist Church on the left, one of three remaining churches from the prepark period. This loop can be especially attractive with October's fall color.

A 72-mile scenic roadway, Foothills Parkway has long been planned to parallel the northern, western, and southwestern edges of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, providing dramatic views of the Smokies. Construction began in the 1960s, but due to funding problems it still hasn't been completed. About 17 miles from Chilhowee Lake to Walland were completed in 1966. In late 2018, another 16-mile section of the parkway was opened, connecting with this original section and running to Wears Valley. A 5.6-mile section runs from Interstate 40 south to U.S. 321. In between these sections are more than 33 miles where construction has not even begun; rights-of-way have been purchased, but there is no state or federal money to build it. Known as the "Tail of the Dragon," a serpentine section of U.S. 129 is popular with motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts; it connects with the end of the Foothills Parkway at Chilhowee.

One of the most visually dramatic ways to reach Silver City is via NM 152, which forms the southern prong of the backward-C-shaped Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway (the northern prong is NM 52, leading into Winston and Chloride). As you're heading south down I–25 from Albuquerque and Truth or Consequences, take exit 63, and follow NM 152 west. It's about an 80-mi drive to Silver City, and you should allow two to four hours, depending on how much you stop to look around—and weather conditions.

This twisting byway provides an exciting link to the Wild West. The remote drive (there are no gas stations) follows part of the route taken by the Kingston Lake Valley Stage Line, which operated when this region was terrorized by Apache leaders like Geronimo and outlaw bands led by the likes of Butch Cassidy. Heading west on NM 152, after about 25 miles you'll come to the mining-era boomtown, Hillsboro, where gold was discovered as well as silver (about $6 million worth of the two ores was extracted). The town, slowly coming back to life with the artists and retirees who've moved in, has a small museum, some shops, restaurants, and galleries.

From Hillsboro, you might consider a brief detour south down NM 27, known as the Lake Valley Back Country Byway. A landmark, west of NM 27, is Cooke's Peak, where the first wagon road through the Southwest to California was opened in 1846. Not much is going on these days in the old silver mining town of Lake Valley—the last residents departed in the mid-1990s—but it once was home to 4,000 people. The mine produced 2.5 million ounces of pure silver and gave up one nugget weighing several hundred pounds. Visit the schoolhouse (which later served as a saloon), walk around the chapel, the railroad depot, and some of the few remaining old homes.

Near Baxter State Park, a roughly 20-mile no-fee stretch of this private east–west logging road—named for the huge sum a paper company paid to build it, according to one story—offers access to Maine’s wilderness without venturing too far in. Though paved, it’s rutty and bumpy; yield (keep right!) to logging trucks. From Millinocket follow signs for Baxter State Park from Route 157; 8 miles from the railroad overpass at the edge of town there’s a crossover from Millinocket Lake Road to the Golden Road. This is where the drive begins. Golden Road Crossing is here across from Ambajejus Lake. Stop not just for coffee or a bite, or to shop for supplies or souvenirs, but to pick up the free handout highlighting stops along the drive—with mileage. You’ll need it, since ponds for moose spotting aren't signed and hiking spots that are can be easy to miss. At the end of the drive, walk or drive across Ripogenus Dam, just off the Golden Road between Ripogenus lake and gorge. Below the dam is the best spot (marked on the handout) for watching white-water rafters.

Take photos of Baxter's Mt. Katahdin from the footbridge alongside Abol Bridge: this view is famous.

This byway is 63 miles long and winds its way along Route 65 through meadows sprinkled with wildflowers, shimmering aspen groves, aromatic pine forests, and endless lakes. Scenic overlooks (Land-O-Lakes is a standout), rest areas, and picnic areas are clearly marked. There are two visitor centers on the byway, which has endpoints at I–70 near Palisade and in Cedaredge.

South of Georgetown, the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway treats you to marvelous views of the Mt. Evans Wilderness Area. Along the way—while negotiating some tight curves, especially as you head down to Grant—you'll get close views of Mt. Evans as well as Grays and Torrey's Peaks—two Fourteeners. It takes about 40 minutes to cross the 22-mile fully paved road.

Although I–80 connects Cheyenne and Laramie more quickly, the drive between the two cities on Happy Jack Road (Route 210) is very scenic, particularly in spring and early summer, when wildflowers are in full bloom. The road winds over the high plains, past Curt Gowdy State Park, and provides access to the Vedauwoo Recreation Area before linking back to I–80, 7 miles east of Laramie at the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Monument. At this state rest area you can obtain information about the region and view a larger-than-life sculpture of the 16th president's head looming above you.