California
ModerateGenesee Road to Shuteye Peak — Sierra Nevada Foothills Mining Spine via Bass Lake
Sierra summit, zero crowds, hundred-mile views.
Surface: Gravel
USA
ModerateZion Plateau Road to Kolob Terrace — Red Butte and Lava Point Overland Circuit
Zion's back door, no shuttle required.
Oregon
ModerateCoyote Hills to Warm Springs Summit — Ochoco National Forest High Divide via Antelope Flat (Oregon)
High ponderosa divide above Oregon's fossil country.
Oregon
ModerateGrave Creek Road to Rogue River Ranch — Wild Rogue Wilderness Canyon Rim via Marial (Oregon)
Oregon's wildest river canyon by dirt road.
USA
ModerateLonesome Highway — Sunlight Basin Road to Dead Indian Summit via Clarks Fork Absaroka
Wyoming's deepest canyon on a forgotten back road.
Nevada
ModerateLonesome Highway — Extraterrestrial Highway to Rachel via Tikaboo Valley and Coal Valley Crossing
Nevada's loneliest corridor. Eyes on the sky.
USA
ModerateLonesome Highway — Bighorn Mountains West Slope to Shell Falls via Highway 14 Backcountry Spur
Wyoming canyon country above the basin floor.
Arkansas
ModerateOuachita National Recreation Trail — Winona to Iron Fork
Arkansas ridge-and-creek backcountry, no crowds.
Colorado
DifficultAlpine Loop — Animas Forks to Engineer Pass via the San Juan High Country
Four passes, three ghost towns, one brutal San Juan circuit.
Alaska
ModerateWrangell Mountains Loop — McCarthy Road to Kennecott via Chitina and the Copper River Corridor
Railroad spikes and copper ghosts in the Wrangells.