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Old 02-19-2014, 04:27 PM
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Default 75 of Your Favorite Roads to Ride!

~ 75 of Your Favorite Roads to Ride!
Well, we've taken the survey and here is the result. We polled our customers, plus we asked you here on HD Forums. This list is by no means exhaustive. And if you don't see your favorite roads to ride on here, let us know. We'd love to add them.

You'll see there are several roads in Canada that were suggested and one in the Canary Islands - if you happen to be heading there with your bike.

Also, we purposefully kept some of the commentaries, especially on places to eat.

Alaska -
~ AlCan highway in the summer - 1390 miles (going North)

Arizona -
~ Coronado Trail (Hwy 191) from Clifton to Alpine, AZ
~ Pick a road, hard to go wrong there, as long as you stay out of Phoenix and Tucson. And there's good rides within an hour of those cities. If you aren't afraid of some dirt, I've never seen anything like the Apache Trail, Highway 88 East of Phoenix. Not to be attempted with an air cooled engine on a hot day.
~ HWY 191 North-South Alpine to Clifton

Arkansas -
~ Arkansas Pig Trail
~ The Arkansas Dragon
~ Highway 7 from Hot Springs Arkansas to where it ends In Harrison, near the Missouri border. Not just a road that stands out by itself, has many short rides off of it that can be beautiful and challenging, like the ride to the top of Mount Nebo, just a few miles west of 7 and south of the Arkansas river. Best riding there for me is early spring or fall, when there aren't so many tourists.
~ Ozark Mountains and Harrison
~ Push Mountain. Push is every bit as good as the Pig Trail, though I don't think it is as well known. I would recommend this one in either early spring or mid fall depending which colors you want to see.
CAUTION: This road is not always well maintained. I have frequently run in to loose gravel within half a mile of either end.
NOTE: If you ever make this ride, google Push Mountain Pics. I don't remember the exact website, but there is a guy that hangs out about half way through snapping pictures. They tend to be pretty good.
~ Petite Jean Mountain. This isn't the most spectacular road (pretty tame for the most part), however the view from the top is great. This is one of the highest points in Arkansas. The history is also very cool. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

California -
~ Without question, HWY 108 Sonora Pass. We left Tahoe and were traveling to the Sonora area to spend time with some friends. The pass was closed due to snow just 2 days before this picture was taken. Was in just in a sweatshirt the whole time and was very comfortable. Walls of snow, waterfalls everywhere, my neck felt like I had been to a tennis match.
~ Highway 36 in California
~ Pacific Coast Highway on coast and northern Caliifornia
~ Hwy 49 from Mariposa, California up to Auburn, California and from Truckee, California until it ends. Especially the portion from Bear Valley to Coulterville, which is know as the Little Dragon.
~ Hwy 180 to Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon Nat Park, California
~ Hwy 198 from Three Rivers California up into Sequoia National Park
~ Decker Canyon, Malibu, California
~ Highway 395, Eastern Sierras
~ For sheer motorcycle pleasure try Route 36 between Red Bluff and Fortuna, California

Colorado -
~ HWY 160 Pagosa Springs to South Fork, Wolf Creek Pass
~ Hwy 82 from Aspen to Twin lakes over Independence Pass
~ Million Dollar Highway - 550 Durango to Ridgway
~ Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Forest. Fantastic ride.
~ San Juan Loop / Mountain Skyway (Includes Million Dollar Highway and Rte 145)
~ Pine Valley Rd., Deckers Rd., HWY 67 from Pine Junction to Woodland Park. A little known beautiful ride quite close to the Denver metro area.

Florida -
~ Overseas Highway (U.S. Highway 1) in Florida 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West is great, not as many twists and turns but a great experience.
~ A great local road here in my area is Bellamy Brothers Blvd from Dade City to St. Joe. Only 10 miles, but the prettiest rural Florida scenery I know of.

Hawaii -
~ Hana Highway in Maui
~ Big Island of Hawaii, circle island through the Volcano National Park and all the way north on the Mauka (upper) road through Kohala Mountain range to Pololu Valley Lookout.

Idaho -
~ U.S. Route 12 over Lolo Pass
~ St. Joe River Scenic Byway. This is just a downright beautiful area. I grew up camping and fishing on this river and consider myself very lucky to be back in the area and able to make these rides. Keep an eye out for loose gravel from campers or four wheelers, but other than that enjoy the scenery. If you happen to find yourself in St Maries with some time to kill, stop in at the pizza parlor on the main drag. They still hand toss the pizzas and the food is great. The Paul Bunyon's burger joint isn't bad either. Their peanut butter shake is amazing.
~ Circling the Coeur d'Alene Lake is also a really nice ride. Great twisties and some very cool places to stop and take in the view. I would recommend starting in Coeur d'Alene and heading south on 95 towards St Maries then head to Harrison. Just before you complete the circle back to Coeur d'Alene, stop in at the Wolf Lodge and get one of the best steaks of your life.

Louisiana -
~ Hwy 22, St. Amant to Springfield. Follows Amite River to Lake Pontchartrain.

Maine -
~ Coastal Highway 1: 170 miles from Kittery to Bucksport, Maine

Michigan -
~ Tunnel of Trees Road
~ Upper Peninsula of Michigan - Gotta ride M-58. My opinion it's better than the tunnel of trees. Take 26/41 towards Copper Harbor. Go over to Gay, get your picture taken at the Gay Bar and then head towards the lake and follow it north. Saw a lot of "Wow". Maybe saw 3 vehicles and I was watching the power lines to make sure we didn't get too far out. Road kinda got a little rough, but the views more than made it worthwhile. Take Gay Lac La Belle Road back to 41. N to Copper Harbor where 41 begins. South on 26 along the lake back to 41. Temperature swings as well as the scenery will take your breath away. There are some small falls on 26 and if you're not careful, blink, you're by them in a flash.

Montana -
~ Going to the Sun Road: 50 miles in Glacier National Park, Montana
~ My personal favorite that needs to be on everyone's bucket list is Highway 37 in Montana. Runs from Libby to Eureka. Only about 70 miles long but it's spectacular and not well travelled, so very little traffic.
~ Beartooth Highway - Section of U.S. Route 212 between Red Lodge and Cooke City.

New Hampshire -
~ Kancamangus Scenic Byway

New Mexico -
~ Highway 180 on the NM side is a great ride. Take 191 on the AZ side from Alpine to Clifton, and then Highway 78 from Clifton to Highway 180 on the NM side. From there take 180 up the NM side and back to Alpine. Makes a great day ride if you like nice scenery and lots of curves.

New York -
~ Highway Route 30 through the Adirondacks in New York

North Carolina -
~ Highway 64 through Western NC

Oregon -
~ What's left of the East Historic Columbia River Highway has some beautiful scenery and twisty areas. I was lucky enough to see it before I-84 replaced part of it. Some very scenic drives on secondary roads off of it, too, where a lot (most?) of those Oregon water fall pictures come from.

Pennsylvania -
~ U.S. Route 6 across northern Pennsylvania between Scranton and Bradford, PA.

South Dakota -
~ Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road in the Black Hills

Tennessee -
~ Cherohala Skyway
~ Tail of the Dragon

Texas -
~ River Road, (FM 170): 120 miles from Terlingua to Candelaria, Big Bend, Texas. (If you do River Road 3 you should definitely hit the McDonald Observatory (highest hwy in Texas) do the 3 Twisted Sisters and any other road you feel like turning down in that area. Please note that it's about 250 miles between the 3 Sisters and the Observatory. NOTE: Avoid the River Road in summer as the temps can get dangerously hot. I have seen 107* temps in Terlingua/Lajitas in mid October.
~ 118 from Study Butte to Ft. Davis is often voted the best road in Texas in biker mags.
~ The "loop" at Fort Davis is a very nice road.

Utah -
~ Highway 12: 124 miles between Bryce Canyon National Park and Capitol Reef National Park

Virginia -
~ Rte 311 North out of Roanoke to Paint Bank (swinging bridge) general store & rest to eat buffalo burgers, then several options back.
~ Rte 39 out of Lexington to Goshen Pass to eat at Just Kay's Restaurant
~ Rte 56 thru Crabtree Falls, across Blue Ridge Pkwy to Staunton to Depot Grille. Every ride needs a good eating opportunity.

Washington -
~ Chuckanut Drive in Bellingham, Wa. Not a super long ride at all but the views are stunning and there are a couple of places to stop along the way. Taylor Creek Shellfish Farm is our favorite on this short ride.
~ Highway 20 through the North Cascades
~ Chukanut Drive in Washington (south of Bellingham to Anacortis). Take it every year en route to the Oyster Run

West Virginia -
~ My favorite road in the whole country is Route 50 from Romney, W. Va. to Grafton, W. Va. Unbelievable mountain scenery, plenty of curves & switchbacks, including the "Famous Horseshoe Curve" & the "Famous Hairpin Turn". While you're at it, stop in at "Cool Springs Park" in Rowlesburg for the best country eatin' & milkshakes ever.

Wyoming -
~ Beartooth Highway, (US 212): 68 Miles in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Canada -
~ In British Columbia - Hwy 99 through Whistler up to Lilooet then back down hwy 12/1 through the canyon.
~ Highway 3 in British Columbia
~ Highway 99 (sea to Sky Highway) from Vancouver to Whistler then the Duffy Lake Road n to Lolloet
~ Highway 5A in British Columbia (Kamloops to Princeton)
~ Highway 8 - Spences Bridge to Merrit, BC
~ Highway 6... Nakusp to the Needles Ferry then it goes through the Monashees to Vernon
~ Cassier Highway in the summer 543 miles, British Colombia (going South)

Canary Islands -
~ Any of the roads from South Tenerife, going over Mount Teide, to the North, the one passed the observatory is particularly breath taking and scary in places.

Multi-state -
~ Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1): 1700 miles from Astoria, Oregon to San Juan Capistrano, California
~ Appalachian Mountains: 770 miles from Front Royal, Virginia to Deal's Gap, North Carolina
~ Blue Ridge Parkway
~ Smoky Mountain National Park Roads
~ The Great River Road (Hwy 61): 2,552 miles from Itasca State Park, Minnesota to Jackson, Louisiana
~ One of the best, Hwy 12...Orofino, Id to Lolo, Mt. A must do for every rider at some point in their lives!!!
~ Cherohala Skyway, two lane mile high legend from Robbinsville North Carolina to Tellico Plains Tennessee
~ HWY 3 (Rattlesnake Grade) Enterprise Oregon into Lewiston ID, HWY 12 Lewiston ID - Lolo Pass, Coeur D'Alene River RD NF 9 to Thompson Pass RD into Thompson Falls.
~ Skyline Drive then continue onto the Blue Ridge Parkway then through the Smokie Mountains
~ Route 66: 2200 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica - Mixed reviews on this one, but some liked parts of it.
~ US-163 thru Monument Valley ( Utah, Arizona)
~ Take 191 on the AZ side from Alpine to Clifton, and then Highway 78 from Clifton to Highway 180 on the NM side. From there take 180 up the NM side and back to Alpine. Makes a great day ride if you like nice scenery and lots of curves.

And Final Thoughts from you on the Best Roads...
~ The best roads are the ones nobody heard of and you discover yourself, and they vary depending on the weather, and sun, and my mood, and what I ate that day, etc..
I have ridden many great roads in Wisconsin, that I never heard of, and I don't remember where they where. Just hope to find another scenic, deserted road next time I ride.
~ Some of the great rides aren't just a road, but an area comprised of many roads. Just ride one of the famous roads without wandering around the secondaries, and you'll miss some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. I've taken most of the day to cover 100 miles on a highway, but twice that much wandering off it along the way.
~ The best roads are the unpublished ones....
~ The best roads are the ones with the least amount of cagers!

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Last edited by Brukus Motorcycle Parts; 02-21-2014 at 06:54 AM.
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Old 02-19-2014, 06:50 PM
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Correction: In AZ, the Apache Trail (AZ SR-88) is EAST of Phoenix.
 
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Old 02-19-2014, 10:24 PM
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New Mexico??, best you could come up with is an Arizona route? I saw this coming from the beginning. Exactly what is your motivation?
 
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Old 02-19-2014, 10:43 PM
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Originally Posted by TwinCooled
New Mexico??, best you could come up with is an Arizona route? I saw this coming from the beginning. Exactly what is your motivation?
If there are any errors, I apologize. These are not my favorites routes. These are routes suggested by other bikers - and a lot in areas I have never ridden. I took a survey and these were the compiled responses to that survey. This list isn't meant to do anything but give ideas of rides and trips from others who have taken them.

And I will gladly correct any errors and certainly add roads you'd like to see added. I said in the beginning this was the result of a survey.

You have roads in New Mexico you like? Add them.
 
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Old 02-19-2014, 10:45 PM
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Originally Posted by slhanks4
Correction: In AZ, the Apache Trail (AZ SR-88) is EAST of Phoenix.
Thanks. Correction made.
 
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Old 02-19-2014, 11:15 PM
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Excellent start. You said up front this was a compilation of people's opinions so I wasn't bothered not seeing some areas mentioned. I think prior to any bashing they need to look at, study and asked themselves if they have ridden all of them. If so, well then maybe you have a valued opinion. Thanks for posting.
 
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Old 02-19-2014, 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Brukus Motorcycle Parts
~ 75 of Your Favorite Roads to Ride!
Well, we've taken the survey and here is the result. We polled our customers, plus we asked you here on HD Forums. This list is by no means exhaustive. And if you don't see your favorite roads to ride on here, let us know. We'd love to add them.

You'll see there are several roads in Canada that were suggested and one in the Canary Islands - if you happen to be heading there with your bike.

Also, we purposefully kept some of the commentaries, especially on places to eat.



Arkansas -
~ Arkansas Pig Trail
~ The Arkansas Dragon
~ Highway 7 from Hot Springs Arkansas to where it ends In Harrison, near the Missouri border. Not just a road that stands out by itself, has many short rides off of it that can be beautiful and challenging, like the ride to the top of Mount Nebo, just a few miles west of 7 and south of the Arkansas river. Best riding there for me is early spring or fall, when there aren't so many tourists.
~ Ozark Mountains and Harrison
Arkansas

-Highway 7 is a great ride for sure. There is a lot to see and quite a few cool Easter eggs out there. Be careful if you decide to exit on highway 16. That is a decent ride, but it isn't maintained worth a damn.

-The Arkansas Dragon is a great ride if you love the twisties. It isn't very long, though. If you are going to do this one be sure to have something else planned for the rest of the day.

-The Pig Trail is a pretty fun ride - it is a lot like the Arkansas Dragon, but a bit more tame. The upside to this ride is the scenery. There is a little BBQ stand on one end (I can't remember which it is). I would recommend stopping in there if you make the ride. The food isn't great, but it's a really cool place. This is another short one.

-Harrison has alright, but I wouldn't make a separate trip there.

-Push Mountain. I'm not sure how this one didn't make the list. Push is every bit as good as the Pig Trail, though I don't think it is as well known. I would recommend this one in either early spring or mid fall depending which colors you want to see.
CAUTION: This road is not always well maintained. I have frequently run in to loose gravel within half a mile of either end.
NOTE: If you ever make this ride, google Push Mountain Pics. I don't remember the exact website, but there is a guy that hangs out about half way through snapping pictures. They tend to be pretty good.

-Petite Jean Mountain. This isn't the most spectacular road (pretty tame for the most part), however the view from the top is great. This is one of the highest points in Arkansas. The history is also very cool. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.


Idaho
-St Joe River Scenic Byway. This is just a downright beautiful area. I grew up camping and fishing on this river and consider myself very lucky to be back in the area and able to make these rides. Keep an eye out for loose gravel from campers or four wheelers, but other than that enjoy the scenery. If you happen to find yourself in St Maries with some time to kill, stop in at the pizza parlor on the main drag. They still hand toss the pizzas and the food is great. The Paul Bunyon's burger joint isn't bad either. Their peanut butter shake is amazing.

-Circling the Coeur d'Alene lake is also a really nice ride. Great twisties and some very cool places to stop and take in the view. I would recommend stoarting in Coeur d'Alene and heading south on 95 towards St Maries then head to Harrison. Just before you complete the circle back to Coeur d'Alene, stop in at the Wolf Lodge and get one of the best steaks of your life.
 

Last edited by HeadoftheBeast; 02-19-2014 at 11:42 PM. Reason: Added Idaho
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Old 02-21-2014, 06:22 AM
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Highway 191 that you mentioned from Alpine to Clifton is not in NM and Alpine and Clifton are not NM towns. This route and towns are right on the Az. NM. border in Eastern Az.

However, Hwy. 180 on the NM side is also a great ride. Take 191 on the Az side from Alpine to Clifton, and then Hwy 78 from Clifton to Highway 180 on the NM side. From there take 180 up the NM side and back to Alpine. Makes a great day ride if you like nice scenery and lots of curves.

Bill
 
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Old 02-21-2014, 06:48 AM
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Originally Posted by billnourse
Highway 191 that you mentioned from Alpine to Clifton is not in NM and Alpine and Clifton are not NM towns. This route and towns are right on the Az. NM. border in Eastern Az.

However, Hwy. 180 on the NM side is also a great ride. Take 191 on the Az side from Alpine to Clifton, and then Hwy 78 from Clifton to Highway 180 on the NM side. From there take 180 up the NM side and back to Alpine. Makes a great day ride if you like nice scenery and lots of curves.

Bill
Thanks! Made corrections. Thought guys sharing their favorite roads would know which state they're in.
 
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Old 02-21-2014, 06:54 AM
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Originally Posted by HeadoftheBeast
Arkansas

-Highway 7 is a great ride for sure. There is a lot to see and quite a few cool Easter eggs out there. Be careful if you decide to exit on highway 16. That is a decent ride, but it isn't maintained worth a damn.

-The Arkansas Dragon is a great ride if you love the twisties. It isn't very long, though. If you are going to do this one be sure to have something else planned for the rest of the day.

-The Pig Trail is a pretty fun ride - it is a lot like the Arkansas Dragon, but a bit more tame. The upside to this ride is the scenery. There is a little BBQ stand on one end (I can't remember which it is). I would recommend stopping in there if you make the ride. The food isn't great, but it's a really cool place. This is another short one.

-Harrison has alright, but I wouldn't make a separate trip there.

-Push Mountain. I'm not sure how this one didn't make the list. Push is every bit as good as the Pig Trail, though I don't think it is as well known. I would recommend this one in either early spring or mid fall depending which colors you want to see.
CAUTION: This road is not always well maintained. I have frequently run in to loose gravel within half a mile of either end.
NOTE: If you ever make this ride, google Push Mountain Pics. I don't remember the exact website, but there is a guy that hangs out about half way through snapping pictures. They tend to be pretty good.

-Petite Jean Mountain. This isn't the most spectacular road (pretty tame for the most part), however the view from the top is great. This is one of the highest points in Arkansas. The history is also very cool. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.


Idaho
-St Joe River Scenic Byway. This is just a downright beautiful area. I grew up camping and fishing on this river and consider myself very lucky to be back in the area and able to make these rides. Keep an eye out for loose gravel from campers or four wheelers, but other than that enjoy the scenery. If you happen to find yourself in St Maries with some time to kill, stop in at the pizza parlor on the main drag. They still hand toss the pizzas and the food is great. The Paul Bunyon's burger joint isn't bad either. Their peanut butter shake is amazing.

-Circling the Coeur d'Alene lake is also a really nice ride. Great twisties and some very cool places to stop and take in the view. I would recommend stoarting in Coeur d'Alene and heading south on 95 towards St Maries then head to Harrison. Just before you complete the circle back to Coeur d'Alene, stop in at the Wolf Lodge and get one of the best steaks of your life.
Thanks! Additions made. Appreciate your input.
 


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