Posted on 03/31/2013 11:23:08 PM PDT by goldstategop
The Road From Hell.
Here is a list of the world's most challenging scenic drives. Do NOT do this if you'll faint! :)
That was the last segment of the Blue Ridge Parkway to open, the so-called missing link. Most of the parkway was a CCC project initially and opened by the end of WWII. The Linn Cove Viaduct was opened to traffic in 1987.
Very novel design and construction method, it was installed from above to avoid destroying the underlying terrain, rock ledges and plants. It hugs the base of Grandfather Mountain.
Pike’s Peak would probably have me wimpering in the floor boards like a baby. I’m terrified of heights. I got pretty white knuckled a few years ago driving in Yellowstone. I could not drive in the Northwestern part of the park. Road was carved out of a canyon wall with overhanging(and sometimes dropping) rock overhead.
Mt. Evans in Colorado. Sheer terror. Sharp turns, narrow roads, and make a little mistake and plunge thousands of feet. At one point we saw skid marks going over the edge. One trip was enough for me.
The scariest drive was through the San Juan mountains in Ouray Co. in a jeep. scary scary
That looks Photoshopped. However, it’s real. If your breaks give out at that point, it’s sayonara.
I was on the floorboards screaming and crying in terror as I have an extreme fear of heights. Hubby had no clue what to do with me at the time (and he did an excellent job I know now), but NEVER AGAIN.
I’ve driven the Tail of the Dragon. That’s one he!! of a drive. If your attention drifts, you could wind up deader than you ever dreamed possible. 318 curves in an eleven mile stretch. Like riding a Mad Mouse at an amusement park. Ironiclay, it’s also a speed trap. Cops are there itching to give you a ticket for speeding. Anyway, it’s worth a trip. Gotta do it again.
We did the troll road in the early 70’s. Spectacular views. My mom was having a panic attack the whole time.
Hope he enjoys that ride. :-)
LOLOL!! My parents and grandparents drove out there in 1966 and it was such a bad experience for my mother, as she is afraid of heights, I think she made some kind of pledge to God if he would get her out of there alive, she would never go back again. She is the last living person on that trip and she has held up her committment. She will NEVER go back..lol.
There was a stopping place I remember. I refused to get out of the car as I was still in hysterics. I remember telling hubby that I was not going back or forward, to just leave me there as I refused to continue.
After a bit, he did convince me to proceed and continuing north it was not as bad, but at that time, I was laying on the floor in the back seat as not to see anything.
Yellowstone was beautiful, but there are just some places not worth seeing.
Once we got into the Lamar Valley, we did see one enormous black bear with two cubs. Didn’t see a grizzly until we made it down to the Tetons, but atleast I did see one with binocs. A mountain lion came up near the campground one night. That was probably the highlight of the trip for me.
While not treacherous, do a search on Peach Springs, AZ. It’s the only place where you can drive your personal vehicle to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
It’s on a poor reservation, but the motel there is very nice. Highly recommend it.
Do NOT drive the Million Dollar Highway 550 between Ouray and Durango.
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We did it in May....during a snow storm on icy roads. I have never been so terrified in my life! No guardrails and I thought it was the end. Dead relatives were waiting for me I’m pretty sure.
If you are in Arizona and want to go for a scenic drive and are not afraid of drop offs take Highway 191 from Clifton, Az to Alpine, Az. It is 100 miles and takes at least three hours to drive it. Plan to spend more than three hours on this trip- you will want to stop to look at all the wildlife. You may see bighorn sheep, you will nearly always see deer, turkey, etc. There is little traffic and the deer, turkeys, etc. get all over the road. We lived on a ranch below Hannigan Meadow at one time (as the crow flies) and this was our road home.
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