Favorite scenic drive?

Veebyes wrote:
Banff to Jasper, AB. Sorry Colorado but Alberta has you beaten by a wide margin.

I'd agree that the Icefields Parkway is spectacular, but I think US 550 from Durango to Ouray gives it a fair run for it's money. Just different type of mountains and scenery. US 550 has better and a more diverse collection of wildflowers and much more colorful rocks. Icefields Parkway has more glaciers (anything more than zero would be more! ;) ), more lakes and is much longer.

Veebyes wrote:
Banff to Jasper, AB. Sorry Colorado but Alberta has you beaten by a wide margin.

:B
Speak for yourself - Colorado has 4 Granddaughters - Nothing in Canada can touch that :)


:B

:R

My favorite was a four month trip from Cincinnati, OH to Fairbanks, AK. and back. Fairbanks is as far as you can go by vehicle. After that, you'll need a canoe. I was lucky to see Denali, which we call Mt. McKinley, when the peak wasn't covered by clouds. At the time, I was visiting a friend of mine that had a log cabin in Cooper Landing, AK. on the Kenai Peninsula. He spent summers there. If you decide to go, remember to buy gas every time you see a station. There aren't that many of them. It wasn't unusual to drive all day and never pass or be passed by another vehicle.

The Overseas highway (US1) through the Florida Keys

Veebyes wrote:
Banff to Jasper, AB. Sorry Colorado but Alberta has you beaten by a wide margin.

Thanks. This one is definitely on my list.

My grandmother and her sister took a ride from New Jersey to BC in the late 1920s. Both were photographers. I inherited many of the photos that they took of Yellowstone, Glacier, and BC. I intend to retrace some of their route and take pictures of the places they photographed.

Banff to Jasper, AB. Sorry Colorado but Alberta has you beaten by a wide margin.

Everyone keeps talking about paved roads. There are some outstanding scenic and interesting drives that are unsurfaced single lane roads. Ponderosa Way from Hwy 36 to Cohasset in northern CA is beautiful with fascinating geology and plant communities, and stunning views across the Sacramento Valley. Not for the faint of heart, though.

One of my favorite drives was US71 from Alma to Fayetteville Arkansas. Its a short stretch of road but the views are absolutely beautiful. especially in the spring

Thank you everyone for all the great information. I'm really looking forward to a time when I can actually travel, but until then I'm planning my trips and dreaming.

I grew up in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts and my dad was a trucker. He took me on several trips throughout New England, so I've seen a lot of the Northeast. I spent 22 years in the Air Force and lived in Texas, Illinois, New Mexico, Germany, Louisiana, Southern California, and Florida. My favorite parts of the country all have mountains. I really miss them and I'm looking forward to seeing them again.

Thanks again for all the input. I'll be looking forward to seeing some of you one my travels.

First of all I hope that you are planning on returning.

As suggested, stay off the interstates. They are the best way to see nothing at all. Use the roads that used to be the major highways before the intersate system. There are very few roads that are restricted to even the tallest RV.

Work in as many state & provincial scenic routes as possible. None of this is possible if you don't have a very open time frame to work with. With anything less than 3 months a relaxed scenic Alaskan trip is impossible.