As summer approaches, bikers may daydream of riding on the open road with the wind in their faces. This is all the more reason to start planning a road trip. Here are some of the best motorbike routes across the U.S.
1. Natchez Trace Parkway – Tennessee
If you’re looking for a Rocky Mountain ride where you can feel the mountain fog on your skin, the Natchez Trace Parkway is perfect for you. With rolling hills and misty mountain views, you will indeed have a scenic ride.
2. Blue Ridge Parkway – North Carolina
Riding on Blue Ridge Parkway is an enchanting experience any time of year. But if you hit the highway during the fall, you will surely experience a vast spectrum of autumn colors alongside mesmerizing views.
3. San Juan Mountain Skyway – Colorado
Another route through the Rocky Mountains, the San Juan Mountain Skyway, offers bikers curvy roads that wind their way through the mountains. If you’re an experienced rider or a little adventurous, the high altitudes and noticeably absent guardrails will test even the most rigid thrill-seekers.
4. The Devil’s Tail – Oregon
The Devil’s Tail is another picture trail for bikers with a taste for thrill. Located in Hells Canyon, the ominously named stretch of highway offers hundreds of curves and twists sure to keep even the most experienced biker on their toes. With unique Oregon desert views, the Devil’s Tail is a classic warm-weather ride.
5. Bighorn Canyon Loop – Wyoming
Located in the heart of central Wyoming lies a canyon made of mystical volcanic rock. Bighorn Canyon Loop is a popular destination for bikers who enjoy the rugged western scenery. This trail allows bikers to see vast canyons, cascading waterfalls, and uncanny desert scenery.
6. The Lolo Pass – Montana
Ride through the majestic glacial Montana mountains on the very ground where Lewis and Clark once walked. The Lolo Pass offers riders lush valleys as scenery, lower speed limits, and limited opportunities to pass, making this the perfect ride for those looking to take their time on a scenic ride. However, this pass can be dangerous if ridden too fast!
7. The Catskills Preserve – New York
Deep in the heart of the Catskills of upstate New York lies the beautiful, meandering paths of the Catskills Preserve. Among the backcountry and lush scenery lies a calm, windy path perfect for riders looking to meander while taking in the fall foliage.
8. Sonora Pass – California
If you’re riding through Mono County, you’d be missing out if you didn’t take a ride through the famous Sonora Pass. The second-highest pass in California offers riders awe-inspiring views from breathtaking heights. Ride this pass during the later Fall months and early months of Spring for a rare look at the snow-capped peaks of Southern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
9. Black Canyon Run – Colorado
You don’t have to take the 6-month long trip to Mars to feel like you’re on the red planet. When you ride through Black Canyon in Colorado, expect to see elegant geological formations, serene green and blue rivers, and desert views that look like they were painted by hand. Black Canyon Run winds bikers through the canyon, giving them a taste of all the beautiful scenery the Colorado wild offers.
10. Zion National Park – Utah
Utah’s Zion National Park is famous for its monolithic sandstone cliffs, painterly geological formations, bright blue skies, and rare bacterial blooms that create works of art in nature. As a result, Zion offers a scenic motorbike route experience like no other.
11. Tunnel of Trees – Michigan
If you are an avid biker with a bucket list, you want to attend the Tunnel of Trees. A hidden gem in Michigan, the Tunnel of Trees is an arboreal tunnel stretching down Lake Michigan’s eastern coast. Feel enchanted as you ride through the overarching trees with the wind rustling the leaves.
12. Route 66 – USA
You can’t get much more all-American than riding motorcycles. But if you’re looking to take it up a notch, grab your bike and hop on Route 66. Running from coast to coast of the continental U.S., Route 66 has been a favorite destination for bikers worldwide.
No other road in the country offers as much sheer Americana as Route 66. The most common starting point also just so happens to be in California, making it a real route hub for bikers and travelers alike.
13. Peak to Peak Byway – Colorado
You can’t get much more all-American than riding motorcycles. But if you’re looking to take it up a notch, grab your bike and hop on Route 66. Running from coast to coast of the continental United States, Route 66 has been a famous favorite destination for bikers from all over the world. You can see all of the best America has to offer on Route 66.
14. Pig Trail Scenic Byway – Arkansas
The Natural State offers panoramic views if you’re looking for a scenic ride. The Pig Trail is a famous spot for cyclists in the Boston Mountains in the Ozarks. Enjoy a shady, curvy ride through the Ozarks on the Pig Trail, and look out for the wild hogs that give the route its namesake.
15. Cherohala Skyway – Tennessee
According to bikers, one of the best-kept secrets in the United States is the Cherohala Skyway, which hides in the misty hills of Tennessee. Beginning in North Carolina and crossing into Tennessee, the skyway’s long, winding roads make for a soothing ride.
16. Beartooth Highway – Montana
As soon as your wheels touch down on Beartooth Highway, you won’t have to wonder how this route located in Big Sky Country got its moniker, Highway to the Sky. Located in Yellowstone National Park, Beartooth Highway weaves through the fantastical Montana and Wyoming terrain. Bikers who don’t mind rough terrain and are looking for a higher-elevation ride will find themselves at home.