Montana
ModerateLonesome Highway — Garnet Ghost Town Road to Bearmouth via the Clark Fork River Bench
Montana's best ghost town, earned not given.
Surface: Dirt
Colorado
ModerateOuray County Road 26 — Owl Creek Pass to Cimarron via the Uncompahgre Canyon Rim
Ute pass, volcanic ridge, zero crowds.
USA
DifficultLonesome Highway — Centennial Road to Tensleep Canyon via Nowater Creek and the Red Wall Bench
Red walls, dry creek beds, and Wyoming's big empty.
USA
ModerateLonesome Highway — Cisco Desert Road to Westwater Canyon Rim via Bitter Creek and I-70 Frontage
Ghost town to canyon rim across Utah's forgotten desert.
Idaho
ModerateLochsa River Road to Powell Ranger Station — Clearwater High Divide via FR 111
Lewis & Clark country on a road few bother to find.
USA
ModerateLonesome Highway — Escalante River Road to Hole-in-the-Rock via Fifty Mile Bench and Dance Hall Rock
Mormon pioneers. Wagons lowered by rope. You drive it.
Kentucky
ModerateGlade Road to Turkeyfoot Ridge — Daniel Boone National Forest Red River Gorge Backdoor via Tunnel Ridge Road
Sandstone rim driving above the Red River Gorge.
Oregon
ModerateLakeview to Plush — Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge Desert Crossing via Warner Valley
Free hot springs, pronghorn, and zero crowds.
USA
ModerateSwamp Canyon Road to Kodachrome Basin — Grand Staircase Rim to Chimney Rock Desert Circuit
Stone spires and slickrock where no pavement goes.
Texas
ModerateLonesome Highway — Palo Duro Canyon West Rim to Lighthouse Rock via Alternate Trail Road
Texas's Grand Canyon from the bottom up.