California
ModerateLonesome Highway — Owens Peak Wilderness Desert Spine to Ridgecrest via Nine Mile Canyon Road
Granite ramps and desert floor — no crowds, no pavement.
Feature: Scenic
New Mexico
ModerateSawmill Road to Cloudcroft High Country — Lincoln National Forest Sacramento Mountains Crest
Pine forest and limestone crest above the desert.
USA
DifficultCoyote Gulch to Fortymile Ridge — Grand Staircase-Escalante Desert Bench via Egypt Trailhead
Sand, clay, and canyon views with no easy out.
California
EasyCrowley Lake Road to Benton Crossing — Long Valley Caldera Desert Basin Traverse
Volcanic basin drive most Mammoth visitors never find.
California
ModerateMojave Road — Needles to Fenner via Piute Valley and Lanfair Road
60 miles of Mojave history with nobody watching.
Colorado
ModerateConundrum Creek Road to Conundrum Hot Springs — Elk Mountains High Approach via Castle Creek
Aspen's back door to 14er country and hot springs.
New Mexico
ModerateSawmill Road to Baldy Mesa — Lincoln National Forest High Country Approach via Nogal Canyon
Desert to sky island in one canyon climb.
USA
DifficultCoyote Gulch to Red Well — Grand Staircase-Escalante’s Slot Canyon Approach via Red Well Trailhead
Sand, slickrock, and zero company in Coyote Gulch.
Texas
ModerateSawmill Road to Mount Locke — Davis Mountains High Desert Observatory Approach via Limpia Creek
Texas sky island — dark skies, thin air, wide open.
Colorado
DifficultOphir Pass Road — Ouray to Telluride via the San Juan High Crossing
13,114 feet of San Juan air and loose shelf road.