Scenic drives are a great way to experience a National Park. Whether you're short on time and want a quick route that will give you the highlights of the park, or you're looking for a great introduction to a spot you've never visited, a scenic route makes seeing the best of the park easy and effortless-- you don't even need to leave the comfort of your air conditioned car! Hikes, pullouts offering sweeping views, natural features, and historic sites often dot the roads as well, so you can spend as much or as little time delving into the park as you want.
Cruise Hurricane Ridge Road to experience the stunning mountains within Olympic National Park. The park's main visitor center lies at the end of the route, and with an elevation of 5,000 feet, the views are insane. It's a steep and winding road, so stay focused, and don't let yourself get too distracted by the meadows, alpine forests, and rugged peaks. If that's all not enough for you, head from the visitor center parking lot another 1,000 feet up Obstruction Point Road, which ends at a stunning overlook.
Of course, no list of scenic drives through National Parks would be complete without mentioning Going-to-The-Sun Road. It's famous for its appearances in movies like "Blade Runner" and "The Shining", but it's also worth a visit in its own right. 50 miles of twists and turns, with a new vista around each bend. Waterfalls, glaciers, and lakes can be seen right from the pavement, making it the perfect introduction to Glacier National Park. And, as you drive the route, take special note of how the road was built-- the cliff-hugging curves, tunnels, and winding mountain path make it an engineering icon.
If you don't want to miss out on anything, travel Going-to-The-Sun on a bus tour. It'll free you up to focus on the scenery instead of the road, and you'll get tons of background info and historic tidbits along the way.
The Northeast Entrance Road (aka Route 212) runs through the lovely Lamar Valley, and it's the best place to spot some of Yellowstone's famed wildlife. There are plenty of viewpoints where you can stop and bask in the beauty of this landscape, and you're basically guaranteed to spy a glimpse of the Lamar Valley Bison Herd, elk, bears, wolves, foxes, and more. Pro tip: take the drive in the morning... you'll experience less traffic and more wildlife! Oh, and bring binoculars. The road only offers a close-up view of a sliver of the massive valley, and bringing binoculars can allow you to spot animals in their natural habitats.
Canyonlands is known for being a pretty rugged park, one that draws in experienced outdoorsmen, so if you're looking for a drive that might be qualified as a little more intense, then the park's White Rim Road is for you. You need a permit, backwoods camping gear, and a 4WD vehicle to even attempt the 100-mile route (and survival skills wouldn't hurt either) but the scenery makes it all worth the effort. You'll circle around the top and bottom of the Island in the Sky mesa, one of Canyonlands' most majestic features.
Of course, the Rockies have their share of scenic mountain routes as well, but Trail Ridge Road is a standout drive. It's a bit of a nail-biter, seeing as it was the ver first road built through the Rocky Mountains, but you'll be able to relax and enjoy the views of the continental divide once you reach the road's zenith. It's a part of the longer Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway, so if you can't get enough of the hairpin turns and valley views, there's tons more to experience.
Badlands National Park is a strange landscape, filled with colorful sandstone hills and bluffs and scrubby grassland, and you can see the best of it all along the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway. Keep your eyes peeled for stops like Pinnacles and Big Badlands overlooks, and Door Trail and Notch Trail right off the route. Plus, one end of this road is in the quirky little down of Wall, South Dakota, home to the famously kitschy Wall Drug... take a photo with the Jackalope outside, grab some free ice water, and enjoy the fun!
The Great Smoky Mountains are filled with peaceful beauty, but the park is also rich in history as well. Experience both while driving Cades Cove Loop! It's only 11 miles, but you'll want to leave at least a few hours to see and do everything along the way. Scenic pull-offs, historic churches, old cabins, trails, animals, fields of wildflowers, and more can be spotted along the way. It can get crowded, but things in this part of the country tend to move a little slower, so take your time and just enjoy your surroundings.
Skyline Drive is Shenandoah National Park's famed scenic route, and as one end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, it's a stunner. The drive is 105 miles long, and almost has a scenic overlook every mile... there are 75 pull-offs total, and you're gonna want to stop at every last one. If you can't do the drive during the fall, when the leaves are at their peak, do yourself a favor and take the road at sunset or dawn. Like Cades Cove, you should expect it to take some time, as the speed limit here is 35MPH, but you'll be so busy taking in the views, you won't mind at all.
Ah, Acadia. This park highlights Maine's breathtaking coast, and the best way to dive into the park is to start off on the Acadia All-American Road. The historic road follows Route 3 into the adorable town of Bar Harbor, and then travels along Acadia's Park Loop Road. Parts of it require tolls to access, but they'll take you past Sand Beach, Jordan Pond, and more. Plus, the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road is just off Park Loop Road, if you're looking to extend your cruise.