Favorite drives

[Tony S]

As much as I love 101 in my home state of Oregon, 101 from sf north to ft Bragg in California is awesome. Way up on the bluffs above the pacific, it’s spectacular. Also from Susanville over to Shasta is pretty good. Cranbrook to banff really pretty. Locally, the Columbia River gorge still does it for me.

Just visited Oregon for the first time. The drive west from Bend on Rt. 20 through Sisters, over Santiam Pass, and down the McKenzie River on 126 was pretty special.

 

[Posaune]

Late summer into October: WA SR 542, the Mt. Baker Highway. It's not a through road, so go to the end and then head back. As soon as you leave Bellingham the rural farm country is nice with views of Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters from time to time. A bit farther along you begin to follow the N. Fork of the Nooksack River and things get more and more rural until you hit Glacier. After Glacier you are now in Forest Service land and there is no more development of any kind until you pass a highway dept. garage, the speed limit slows to 35, and you begin the real climb up a narrow winding road. Beautiful forest views finally give out to stunning alpine ones. Head all the way to the end past the ski area to "Artist Point" the name of which will make itself obvious when you get there. There are trails and views all over the place, your eyes will hurt from the beauty. (Go early, parking can be an issue later in the day.)

Winter: Same as above, but it stops at the ski area. Go skiing and most of the views mentioned above for Artist Point will be available to you, and you'll be able to ski too.

A few of good stops along the way:

Nooksack Falls. Past Glacier. There are signs for the turnoff, but not many. A narrow gorge and a big waterfall.

Milepost 44: Just west of mp44 are two turnouts (small, dirt, and not marked, plowed in winter). Park in the western one and follow the little trail there into the forest a couple of hundred feet to a HUGE western red cedar and some other similar giant trees. This is real PNW old growth rain forest and you'll be deep in the forest but right next to the highway.

Welcome bridge and bald eagles, usually in January: Between Deming and Kendall is a little store called the Welcome Store right at the turnoff to Mosquito Lake Rd. Go down Mosquito Lake Rd. a short distance to a bridge across the Nooksack River. Stop somewhere along here by the river and get your camera out. When the salmon are running there are flocks of bald eagles sitting in the trees, lining the river bank, and feasting on dead salmon. An amazing sight on the right day.

 

[crosscountry]

As much as I love 101 in my home state of Oregon, 101 from sf north to ft Bragg in California is awesome. Way up on the bluffs above the pacific, it’s spectacular.

Eyes to the beholders. I think Hwy 1 in central California (Big Sur) is unbeatable in views.

Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia

Speaking of Cabot Trail, it's got competition from Rt 132 going around the tip of Gaspe peninsula in Quebec.

 

[chip inderhol]

Just visited Oregon for the first time. The drive west from Bend on Rt. 20 through Sisters, over Santiam Pass, and down the McKenzie River on 126 was pretty special.

Very pretty. Try going from Roseburg up to crater lake.

 

[Bad Bob]

Highway 89 along the Eastern slope of the Rockies through Montana. It is about as 'old west' as it gets.

Lots of bonus points if you follow it up through Albera on what used to be marketed as "The Cowboy Highway".

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I know you guys hate I-70 but I remember the first time driving toward Vail in the summer I said to my brother "whoa, better focus on the road and not on the scenery" and just as I said it we saw a car drive off the road.

 

[RiderRay]

VT Route 100 and VT Route 17 over the Appalachian Gap. Both preferably 2 up with my wife on our motorcycle on a clear, cool Fall day.

 

[JCF]

Second on VT 100 - also Rt 9 NH through the gap and Rt 2 (going west) to North Adams.
Oh - and the Kank and Bear Notch Rd (and many others - Hurricane Mt. rd ...) in the Whites.
Just avoid the busy hours
- in the old Porsche

 

[JCF]

And many in upstate NY…

 

[JCF]

Oh - and can’t leave this one out -#1 !

Rosenfeld, Berchtesgaden - the road they ran hillclimbs on. Ran it in a friends Audi but man I would love to do that one in my old car….

 

[scott43]

Oh - and can’t leave this one out -#1 !

Rosenfeld, Berchtesgaden - the road they ran hillclimbs on. Ran it in a friends Audi but man I would love to do that one in my old car….

View attachment 200666

Rossfeldstrasse I believe. A regular training ride for my brother...

 

[JCF]

Yes that’s it Rosfeld. He’s a lucky bastad to have regular access to that road.
Pretty amazing listening to a black R8 and a F40 chasing each other from the parking lot after coming down.

 

[Philpug]

VT Route 100 and VT Route 17 over the Appalachian Gap. Both preferably 2 up with my wife on our motorcycle on a clear, cool Fall day.

Second on VT 100 - also Rt 9 NH through the gap and Rt 2 (going west) to North Adams.
Oh - and the Kank and Bear Notch Rd (and many others - Hurricane Mt. rd ...) in the Whites.
Just avoid the busy hours
- in the old Porsche

My knock on 100 is the frost heaves and condition but the scenery is beautiful.

 

[Skitechniek]

Dechambeau's drive on the sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational back in 2021 was pretty amazing.
Or is that not what you guys meant?