New Mexico
ModeratePecos River Canyon Road — Santa Rosa to Puerto de Luna via the Canadian Escarpment
Spanish canyon gateway carved by the Pecos River.
Difficulty: Moderate
Level 2
Texas
ModerateCallahan Divide Road — San Angelo to Big Spring via the Edwards Plateau Rim
West Texas caliche spine above the Permian Basin.
California
ModerateBowman Lake Road to Gold Run Creek — Plumas National Forest Northern Sierra Divide
Glacier lakes and gold-scarred granite above the Yuba.
California
ModerateCoyote Dry Lake to Soggy Dry Lake — Lucerne Valley High Desert Playa Circuit via Deadman Lake
Mojave playas nobody's fighting over.
Arizona
ModerateBloody Basin Road to Table Mesa — Agua Fria National Monument Desert Rim Loop
Ancient ruins, zero crowds, one hour from Phoenix.
USA
ModerateCoyote Gulch to Chimney Rock — Capitol Reef North Desert Circuit via Hartnet Road
Cathedral Valley monoliths, real river ford, real solitude.
USA
ModerateLonesome Highway — Finger Lakes Upland to Big Piney via the Wyoming Range Back Road
Wyoming's loneliest range, wide open and yours.
Arizona
ModerateToroweap Road — Fredonia to Toroweap Overlook via Tuweep Ranger Station
The Grand Canyon's raw, unguarded edge.
Nevada
ModerateLonesome Highway — Sheldon Wildlife Refuge Road to Thousand Creek Gorge via Virgin Valley
Opals, wild horses, and 80 miles of nobody.
Texas
ModerateCoyote Hills to Pine Spring — Guadalupe Mountains Backcountry Loop via Dog Canyon
The Guadalupes' forgotten back door via Dog Canyon.