South Dakota
ModerateHarney Peak Road to Black Elk Peak — Black Hills High Country Circuit via Sylvan Lake Approach
Granite spires and lookout towers above the Black Hills.
Surface: Gravel
USA
ModerateSawmill Road to Haynes Ridge — Bighorn National Forest Cloud Peak Wilderness Edge via Tensleep Creek
The Bighorns from the top, not the highway.
Oklahoma
ModerateForest Road 65 — Ouachita National Forest Talimena Backcountry Loop via Potato Hills and Holson Valley
Oklahoma's forgotten backcountry. Zero excuses not to go.
New Mexico
ModerateSawmill Road to Vermejo Park — Cimarron Range High Road via Ute Park and Costilla Creek
Volcanic mesas, elk country, Cimarron high road.
USA
ModerateLonesome Highway — Pend Oreille River Road to Sullivan Lake via the Selkirk Mountain Bench
Grizzly country, glacial lakes, Washington's wild northeast.
Idaho
ModerateYankee Fork Road — Custer Ghost Town to Jordan Creek via Salmon River Mountains Spine
Gold dredges, ghost towns, Idaho high country.
Colorado
DifficultNokhu Crags to Lake Agnes — Colorado State Forest Never Summer Backcountry Drive
Glacial lake, volcanic crags, real rocks.
California
ModerateAmargosa River Road — Death Valley’s Hidden Desert Sink via Shoshone to Saratoga Spring
Desert sink, pupfish, and forgotten silence.
Alaska
DifficultDalton Highway — Fairbanks to Deadhorse via the Brooks Range Arctic Corridor
414 miles to the Arctic Ocean. Bring extra spares.
Texas
ModerateLonesome Highway — Davis Mountains Loop to Marfa via the Highland Desert Rim
Texas sky island solitude — Davis to Marfa the hard way.