# Most interesting stretches of highways/x-ways **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 31, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597 "2016-08-31T19:46:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/1 "2016-08-31T19:46:56Z")
The flip side to [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=802923) Let’s try and restrict it to Interstate-style highways, i.e. four lanes or wider. I’ll set the bar high with [I-70 through Glenwood Canyon, Colorado.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLNUKV2QInI) The whole of I-70 between Grand Junction and Denver is pretty neat, but that part’s definitely the most spectacular. Everyone bags on I-5 in central California, but at least driving south you’re rewarded with the Grapevine between Bakersfield & Los Angeles. (Just watch out for slow driving trucks!) I-40 between Barstow, CA & Flagstaff, AZ has its moments, though there’s a few boring stretches. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/2 "2016-08-31T20:01:17Z")
Adding link for [I-5 Tejon Pass/Grapevine.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrSGw7Mosic) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/3 "2016-08-31T20:11:33Z")
OP got it in one (I-70 through western Colorado). Makes up for Kansas. In the east: I-81 through the Shenandoah Valley, roughly Winchester to Roanoke, VA. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/4 "2016-08-31T20:16:30Z")
NM, missed the 4 lane restriction in the OP ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/5 "2016-08-31T20:18:57Z")
[Hwy 128 from Cisco to Moab Utah.](https://www.google.com/search?q=hwy+128+utah&safe=off&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS702US702&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjV9JuAvOzOAhUGPCYKHYkxAwkQsAQIGw&dpr=1) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/6 "2016-08-31T20:26:57Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > [Hwy 128 from Cisco to Moab Utah.](https://www.google.com/search?q=hwy+128+utah&safe=off&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS702US702&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjV9JuAvOzOAhUGPCYKHYkxAwkQsAQIGw&dpr=1) One of my favorite roads of any type, but it doesn’t meet the OP’s criteria of being an “interstate” style highway of four lanes or wider. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/7 "2016-08-31T20:29:14Z")
That’s because he wants the terrorists to win. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/8 "2016-08-31T20:29:32Z")
I-89 across the north half of Vermont is lovely. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/9 "2016-08-31T20:29:48Z")
nm (I posted California SR 1 and the Beartooth Highway before reading the 4-lane requirement). ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/10 "2016-08-31T20:36:14Z")
Also I-15 around Leeds, Utah. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/11 "2016-08-31T20:39:10Z")
And, I-84 around the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge (Hudson River), New York. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/12 "2016-08-31T20:49:10Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Also I-15 around Leeds, Utah. I’d have put the Virgin River Canyon stretch to the southwest of there ahead. I used to drive Idaho to California twice a year and I dearly loved that stretch, though it’s not terribly long. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/13 "2016-08-31T20:50:30Z")
Finally, I-80 in northern New Jersey is remarkably nice, as is I-287 which connects it to the New York State border, skirting the NY-NJ metro area. Mainly forested hills and valleys, plus a few farms and lakes – almost urban buildup at all! (Some wealthy homes behind the trees in places, but also surprisingly high number of public lands, e.g. Allamuchy Mountain State Park.) Joisey – who knew? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/14 "2016-08-31T21:26:54Z")
US 395 in California along the eastern Sierra from Lee Vining to Lone Pine. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/15 "2016-09-04T22:41:06Z")
I-75 between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/16 "2016-09-04T23:18:54Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > I’d have put the Virgin River Canyon stretch to the southwest of there ahead. I used to drive Idaho to California twice a year and I dearly loved that stretch, though it’s not terribly long. The first time I drove that stretch, we were driving north from Las Vegas. We saw the mountains getting closer and no sign of the road going around or over - then bam, off into the gorge we went! Great little diversion after a stretch of desert. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/17 "2016-09-04T23:34:16Z")
The Western I-84 has a couple of nice stretches; from it’s junction with I-80 down to the Salt Lake Valley is similar to what I understand of I-70’s Glenwood Canyon. Also I-84 runs at river level through the Columbia River Gorge … totally awesome during waterfall season … hey, keep your eyes on the road will ya. US-101 over the Golden Gate Bridge … ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/18 "2016-09-05T03:38:32Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Adding link for [I-5 Tejon Pass/Grapevine.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrSGw7Mosic) Thanks–that video is awesome, showing all the exits, elevation, and other info as you drive up, over, and down the pass.For some reason I think going north is more interesting than going south. I would add to the list the first freeway built in the western U.S.–the 110 ([The Arroyo Seco Parkway, or Pasadena Freeway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway)) which connects downtown L.A. with Pasadena. Because it was build so early, I guess cars didn’t go so fast when it was built, so the on-ramps are kind of nerve-wrackingly short. The windiness of road itself doesn’t help, especially because there are so many interesting things to distract you as you go. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/19 "2016-09-05T12:29:27Z")
[QUOTE=watchwolf49;19605519Also I-84 runs at river level through the Columbia River Gorge … totally awesome during waterfall season … hey, keep your eyes on the road will ya.[/QUOTE] This would be my choice. From Troutdale to The Dalles. It actually used to even nicer. The growth of trees next to the highway has blocked the views quite a bit. A good excuse to get off the interstate Ben Stone. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2016, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-interesting-stretches-of-highways-x-ways/764597/20 "2016-09-05T12:33:12Z")
The Adirondack Northway (i-87), already named the most scenic highway in America.