Road collection
These are the roads you build a whole day around. Leave early, stop often, and let the miles do the work.
30 roads, ranked
1. United States, Montana and Wyoming
Swaths of switchbacks climb to 3337 metres past alpine lakes and snowfields.
Red Lodge to Cooke City, 109 km (67.7 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.9/10.
2. India, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh
Five Himalayan passes, thin air and a plateau that feels like another planet.
Manali to Leh, 428 km (265.9 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.9/10.
3. Norway, More og Romsdal, Norway
Hairpins spiral down to the Geirangerfjord past waterfalls with names like the Seven Sisters.
Grotli to Geiranger, 106 km (65.9 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.9/10.
4. Romania, Parang Mountains
Romania's highest road runs along bare alpine ridgelines with almost no barriers.
Novaci to Sebes, 148 km (92 miles). Driving 9.6/10, scenery 9.7/10.
5. Turkey, Bayburt to Trabzon
Thirteen stacked hairpins on a cliff face make this one of the world's scariest roads.
Of to Bayburt, 106 km (65.9 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.6/10.
6. New Zealand, Fiordland
A glacial valley run to the Homer Tunnel and a fiord surrounded by vertical rock.
Te Anau to Milford Sound, 119 km (73.9 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.9/10.
7. United States, Utah
Slickrock, the Hogback ridge with drops both sides, and red canyon after red canyon.
Panguitch to Torrey, 198 km (123 miles). Driving 9.3/10, scenery 9.8/10.
8. Switzerland, Bernese Oberland
Three of the best passes in the Alps stitched into one loop back to the same valley.
Innertkirchen to Innertkirchen, 120 km (74.6 miles). Driving 9.5/10, scenery 9.7/10.
9. Morocco, High Atlas
A colonial era mountain road with hundreds of unguarded bends over the High Atlas.
Marrakech to Taroudant, 180 km (111.8 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.6/10.
10. United States, California
The Pacific coast at its most theatrical, cliff curves above the open ocean.
Carmel to San Simeon, 145 km (90.1 miles). Driving 9.1/10, scenery 9.9/10.
11. Canada, Alberta
Glacier after glacier lines a road through the spine of the Canadian Rockies.
Lake Louise to Jasper, 232 km (144.2 miles). Driving 9/10, scenery 9.9/10.
12. Argentina, Mendoza
A stack of Andean snail bends beneath Aconcagua on the road to Chile.
Uspallata to Paso Los Libertadores, 100 km (62.1 miles). Driving 9.4/10, scenery 9.6/10.
13. Norway, Jotunheimen
Northern Europe's highest mountain crossing, a bare stone plateau between glaciers.
Lom to Turtagro, 108 km (67.1 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.8/10.
14. Germany, Bavarian Alps, Germany
Sweeping alpine curves link lake resorts on the way to the Austrian border.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Berchtesgaden, 150 km (93.2 miles). Driving 9/10, scenery 9.7/10.
15. Croatia, Dalmatian Coast
The Magistrala hugs bare karst cliffs above island studded blue water for hours.
Senj to Zadar, 180 km (111.8 miles). Driving 9.1/10, scenery 9.6/10.
16. Chile, Aysen
Patagonia's legendary road through rainforest, fjords and hanging glaciers.
Puerto Montt to Coyhaique, 600 km (372.8 miles). Driving 8.9/10, scenery 9.8/10.
17. Morocco, High Atlas
The rebuilt main Atlas crossing, wide fast sweepers to the edge of the Sahara.
Marrakech to Ouarzazate, 196 km (121.8 miles). Driving 9.1/10, scenery 9.5/10.
18. Australia, Victoria
Cliff hugging coastal curves past surf breaks and the Twelve Apostles.
Torquay to Allansford, 243 km (151 miles). Driving 8.9/10, scenery 9.7/10.
19. Australia, Victoria
Australia's highest sealed road, a long alpine climb over Mount Hotham.
Bright to Omeo, 110 km (68.4 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.3/10.
20. New Zealand, West Coast
Rainforest and waterfall canyon roads link the lakes to the wild West Coast.
Wanaka to Haast, 145 km (90.1 miles). Driving 8.9/10, scenery 9.6/10.
21. Canada, Nova Scotia
A headland loop of steep coastal climbs on Cape Breton, magic in autumn.
Baddeck to Cheticamp, 298 km (185.2 miles). Driving 8.9/10, scenery 9.6/10.
22. Chile, Coquimbo
A 4780 metre Andean crossing past penitentes ice spikes and no traffic at all.
Vicuna to Argentine border, 180 km (111.8 miles). Driving 9/10, scenery 9.6/10.
23. United States, Colorado
A full loop of the San Juans taking in Coal Bank, Molas and Lizard Head passes.
Durango to Telluride, 190 km (118.1 miles). Driving 8.9/10, scenery 9.6/10.
24. United States, Washington
Glacier peaks, turquoise reservoirs and long clean sweepers with almost no traffic.
Marblemount to Winthrop, 114 km (70.8 miles). Driving 8.8/10, scenery 9.7/10.
25. United States, California
Yosemite high country, granite domes and meadows, then a drop to Mono Lake.
Crane Flat to Lee Vining, 100 km (62.1 miles). Driving 8.7/10, scenery 9.8/10.
26. United States, Alaska
Turnagain Arm tides on one side, glaciers on the other, all the way to the sea.
Anchorage to Seward, 204 km (126.8 miles). Driving 8.6/10, scenery 9.9/10.
27. Mexico, Sinaloa and Durango
The Devil's Backbone, thousands of corners over the Sierra Madre now the toll road took the trucks.
Concordia to El Salto, 180 km (111.8 miles). Driving 9.2/10, scenery 9.4/10.
28. Turkey, Antalya
A Mediterranean corniche of pine forest, ruins and turquoise bays all the way.
Kas to Antalya, 190 km (118.1 miles). Driving 8.8/10, scenery 9.5/10.
29. Australia, Kimberley
A red dirt outback crossing of gorges, cattle stations and river fords.
Derby to Kununurra, 660 km (410.1 miles). Driving 8.8/10, scenery 9.5/10.
30. Canada, British Columbia
Fjord walls on one side, coastal peaks on the other, all the way to Whistler.
Vancouver to Whistler, 120 km (74.6 miles). Driving 8.8/10, scenery 9.6/10.
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