California
ModerateMineral King Road — Three Rivers to Mineral King via Sequoia Backcountry High Valley
Marmots will eat your truck. Park anyway.
Trail Type: Scenic Drive
Alberta
EasyIcefields Parkway — Crowfoot Glacier to Columbia Icefield via the Banff–Jasper High Spine
The most scenic 230km of tarmac on the continent.
Colorado
DifficultSlumgullion Pass to Silverton — Alpine Loop High Spine via Cinnamon and Engineer Passes
Two 12,000-foot passes. Ghost towns. Real exposure.
Australia
ModerateFlinders Ranges Brachina Gorge Geological Trail — Wilpena Pound to Blinman via the Pound Wall and Brachina Creek
Drive through 600 million years in an afternoon.
Kenya
ModerateNairobi to Isiolo — Northern Kenya Transition Road via Nanyuki and the Laikipia Plateau
Where Kenya's tarmac ends and Africa begins.
Montana
ModerateBeartooth Highway — Red Lodge to Cooke City via the Montana–Wyoming High Plateau
11,000 ft of open tundra, switchbacks, and zero mercy.
Morocco
ModerateTizi n’Test Pass Road — Marrakech to Taroudant via the High Atlas Southern Spine
High Atlas death-drop road with an ancient mosque in the clouds.
Romania
ModerateTransfăgărășan Highway — Bâlea Lac to Sibiu via the Southern Carpathian High Crossing
Ceaușescu's mountain scar. Europe's wildest paved pass.
England
DifficultHardknott and Wrynose Passes — Eskdale to Little Langdale via the Lake District’s Hardest Road
England's steepest road — no room for mistakes.
Canada
ModerateKluane–Haines Junction High Country Road — Dezadeash Lake to Kathleen Lake via the St. Elias Mountain Front
Biggest icefields in North America. Smallest crowds.