Oklahoma
ModerateCalhoun County Road — Ouachita Plateau to Muddy Boggy Creek via Potato Hills Back Road
Oklahoma hill country with teeth.
Difficulty: Moderate
Level 2
Oklahoma
ModerateLonesome Highway — Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Back Road to Quanah Parker Lake via French Lake Loop
Bison, granite domes, and Oklahoma's oldest rock.
Kentucky
ModerateWilderness Road to Lonesome Pine Ridge — Daniel Boone National Forest Red River Gorge Backdoor via Sky Bridge Road
Sandstone arches and hollow roads deep in the gorge.
New Mexico
ModerateCoyote Ridge to Pecos Wilderness — Santa Fe National Forest High Divide via Cowles and Panchuela Creek
Pecos high country on a dirt shelf above 10k.
Arizona
ModerateForest Road 500 — Kaibab Plateau North to Jacob Lake via East Rim Viewpoint
Grand Canyon's North Rim without the tour buses.
California
ModerateNacimiento-Ferguson Road — Coast Range Divide to Plaskett Creek via Santa Lucia Crest
Big Sur's sharpest ridgeline — no rails, no mercy.
New Mexico
ModerateGila Cliff Dwellings Back Road — Silver City to Gila Hot Springs via NM-15 and Inner Loop Road
Ancient cliff rooms, hot springs, real canyon country.
Oregon
ModerateLonesome Highway — Steens Mountain Loop Road via Kiger Gorge Overlook and Blitzen Valley
Oregon's highest drive, wild horses included.
California
ModerateNacimiento Road to Pozo Summit — Los Padres Central Coast Range High Divide
Coast Range grit, cold beer at the end.
Arkansas
ModerateOuachita National Recreation Trail — Athens to Talihina via the Arkansas-Oklahoma Ridgeline
The South's forgotten mountain spine.