America was made for motorcycle travel.
From tight Appalachian switchbacks to roads suspended above the Pacific, high Rocky Mountain passes, Mississippi River bluffs and bridges stretching across tropical water, some roads are more than a way to get somewhere. They become the reason for the trip.
This isn't meant to rank America's motorcycle roads from first to twelfth. Each offers something different. Some are technical. Some are relaxed scenic rides. Several deserve an entire vacation rather than a single day.
Here are 12 rides worth putting on the list.
Eastern Mountain Routes
1. Blue Ridge Parkway — Virginia & North Carolina
Distance: 469 miles
Ride character: Scenic mountain touring
Best for: Multi-day touring, overlooks, sweeping curves
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America's classic motorcycle journeys.
Running 469 miles between Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, the Parkway follows the Appalachian high country through long sweepers, mountain overlooks and changing elevations.
This isn't a road to attack.
It's a road to settle into.
The posted speed limit is generally 45 mph or less, and that's part of the attraction. A motorcycle lets you enjoy the rhythm of the curves while the mountains continually change around you.
You don't have to ride all 469 miles. Numerous highway connections make it easy to build shorter loops around places such as Roanoke, Boone and Asheville.
Fall brings spectacular color but also heavier traffic. Winter weather can close sections of the Parkway, so always check current road conditions before leaving.
ThrottleBuzz take: If you have several days and want the ride itself to be the vacation, the Blue Ridge Parkway belongs near the top of the list.
2. Tail of the Dragon — Tennessee & North Carolina
Distance: 11 miles
Curves: 318
Route: US 129
Ride character: Highly technical
Few American motorcycle roads have a name as recognizable as the Tail of the Dragon.
The famous section of US 129 packs 318 curves into just 11 miles near the Tennessee/North Carolina line.
Unlike many roads on this list, the attraction isn't primarily the scenery.
It's the road.
Corner follows corner with very little time to relax between them. That makes the Dragon entertaining, but it also demands concentration, lane discipline and respect for other riders.
Don't ride somebody else's pace.
Don't cross the centerline.
Don't treat a public highway like a racetrack.
Ride it cleanly and the Dragon earns its reputation.
The surrounding region is also loaded with excellent motorcycle roads, making it worth staying longer instead of riding US 129 once and heading home.
ThrottleBuzz take: Ride it for the challenge, but stay for the mountains surrounding it.
3. Cherohala Skyway — Tennessee & North Carolina
Distance: About 43 miles
Connects: Tellico Plains, TN and Robbinsville, NC
Ride character: High-elevation scenic sweepers
If the Tail of the Dragon is about intensity, the Cherohala Skyway is about flow.
The 43-mile National Scenic Byway crosses the mountains between Tellico Plains, Tennessee and Robbinsville, North Carolina.
The road combines elevation, long sweeping corners and expansive mountain views with very little commercial development along the route.
That lack of development is part of what makes the Cherohala special—but it also means you should think about fuel before heading into the mountains.
Many riders combine the Cherohala with the Tail of the Dragon to create one of the best motorcycle days in the eastern United States.
ThrottleBuzz take: Dragon in the morning, Cherohala afterward. Two completely different personalities in one outstanding riding region.
Western Mountains & Coast
4. Pacific Coast Highway / California Highway 1 — California
Distance: More than 650 miles for California Highway 1
Ride character: Coastal touring
Best for: Ocean scenery, multi-day trips
California Highway 1 is one of those roads you've seen in photographs even if you've never ridden it.
The highway follows much of California's Pacific coastline, with the famous Central Coast portion running through places such as Big Sur.
Ocean cliffs, beaches, redwoods, bridges and coastal towns make the road visually spectacular.
But Highway 1 deserves time.
Traffic, construction, landslides, wildfire conditions and weather can affect portions of the route, particularly around Big Sur. Check current California road conditions before building a trip around a particular section.
Don't measure this ride only by miles.
Stop.
Walk to the overlooks.
Eat somewhere overlooking the ocean.
Make the road part of the destination.
ThrottleBuzz take: Few motorcycle trips combine great pavement and scenery on this scale. Give Highway 1 more than one day if you can.
5. Million Dollar Highway — Colorado
Route: US 550
Core section: Ouray to Silverton
Ride character: High-mountain technical touring
The Million Dollar Highway is the famous Ouray-to-Silverton section of US 550 and part of Colorado's larger San Juan Skyway.
This is serious mountain country.
The highway climbs through the San Juan Mountains past dramatic cliffs, steep grades, mining-country history and Red Mountain Pass.
The scenery can be extraordinary, but this isn't a road where you want your attention wandering.
Mountain weather can change quickly. Road conditions can change because of snow, rockfall, flooding, construction or other hazards.
Check conditions before riding.
If you're uncomfortable with exposed mountain roads or significant elevation changes, approach this one conservatively.
ThrottleBuzz take: One of America's spectacular mountain rides—but bring your attention span with you.
6. Beartooth Highway — Montana & Wyoming
Distance: About 68.7 miles
Ride character: High-altitude mountain crossing
Best for: Alpine scenery and Yellowstone-area touring
Beartooth Highway crosses the rugged Beartooth Mountains through Montana and Wyoming and provides access toward Yellowstone National Park's northeast entrance.
The road climbs into true alpine terrain.
Switchbacks, broad mountain views and high-elevation landscapes make it one of the most dramatic paved rides in the country.
This is also a strongly seasonal road.
Snow and severe mountain weather can limit the riding season, and conditions at elevation can be dramatically different from those in the valleys below.
Don't assume that a warm day at your hotel means warm conditions on top.
ThrottleBuzz take: If mountain passes are why you own a motorcycle, Beartooth needs to be on your list.
Great Lakes & Plains
7. Michigan's Upper Peninsula — Michigan
Ride character: Great Lakes touring
Best for: Forests, shoreline, waterfalls and multi-day exploration
Michigan's Upper Peninsula isn't one single motorcycle road.
That's exactly why it belongs here.
The U.P. gives riders a network of routes through forests, small towns and long stretches of Great Lakes shoreline.
Michigan maintains several designated scenic byways in the region, including routes associated with Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Tahquamenon country.
Build a trip around places such as Pictured Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls and the Lake Superior shoreline and the mileage adds up quickly.
One clarification worth making: Michigan's famous M-119 Tunnel of Trees is in the northern Lower Peninsula, not the Upper Peninsula. It's still an excellent addition to a northern Michigan motorcycle trip, but don't confuse the two.
Weather matters here, too. The northern riding season is shorter than in much of the country.
ThrottleBuzz take: Don't plan one road. Plan several days and explore the U.P. as a riding region.
8. Wisconsin's Great River Road — Wisconsin
Distance: About 250 miles
Route: Primarily Wisconsin Highway 35
Ride character: Relaxed river touring
Wisconsin's Great River Road follows the Mississippi River for approximately 250 miles through 33 river towns.
This isn't a Tail-of-the-Dragon type of ride.
It's a road for settling into the motorcycle, watching the river and bluffs, stopping in small communities and enjoying a full day without needing every corner to be an event.
The combination of river scenery, historic towns, overlooks and relatively relaxed riding makes it particularly well suited to touring motorcycles.
Fall color can make the corridor especially attractive.
ThrottleBuzz take: Sometimes the best motorcycle road isn't the most technical one. This is a ride for slowing down and enjoying where you are.
9. South Dakota Badlands & Black Hills — South Dakota
Ride character: Open prairie, unusual geology and Black Hills touring
Best for: Combining multiple iconic roads
South Dakota deserves more than one line on a motorcycle map.
Badlands National Park's paved Highway 240 Loop Road cuts through one of America's strangest landscapes, with sharply eroded formations rising from the surrounding prairie.
Then keep going.
The Black Hills open up an entirely different riding environment with pine forests, granite formations and roads such as the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.
That 68-mile byway includes tunnels, pigtail bridges and access to some of the region's best-known scenery.
This is also Sturgis country, but you don't need rally week to appreciate why motorcyclists keep returning to western South Dakota.
ThrottleBuzz take: Treat the Badlands and Black Hills as a riding region, not a single road. Give yourself several days.
Southern Routes
10. Natchez Trace Parkway — Mississippi, Alabama & Tennessee
Distance: 444 miles
Ride character: Historic, relaxed scenic touring
Best for: Long-distance cruising
The Natchez Trace Parkway runs 444 miles from Natchez, Mississippi toward Nashville, Tennessee, crossing a corner of Alabama along the way.
The route roughly follows the historic Natchez Trace travel corridor.
For motorcyclists, its personality is completely different from the Dragon or Million Dollar Highway.
This is smooth, deliberate touring through forests, farmland and historic landscapes.
The Parkway has no commercial food, fuel or lodging directly on the road, so you'll need to exit into surrounding communities for those services.
The speed limit is generally 50 mph or lower.
Cell coverage can also be inconsistent in places.
That's not necessarily a disadvantage.
For a few hours, put the phone away and ride.
ThrottleBuzz take: A great choice when the goal is miles, history and scenery rather than technical intensity.
11. Florida Keys Overseas Highway — Florida
Distance: About 113 miles
Route: US 1
Ride character: Tropical island touring
The Overseas Highway carries US 1 through the Florida Keys toward Key West.
It's one of the most unusual motorcycle rides in the country because so much of the experience is defined by water.
Bridges connect island after island, with turquoise water often visible on both sides of the motorcycle.
The Seven Mile Bridge is the signature experience, but the Keys are better enjoyed as a trip than a speed run.
Traffic can be significant, and tropical weather deserves respect. Heat, strong sun, heavy rain and hurricane-season conditions can all affect a ride.
Take your time.
Stop along the islands.
And when you finally reach Key West, you've ridden about as far south as a motorcycle can take you on the continental U.S. highway system.
ThrottleBuzz take: Not a corner-carving destination. It's about the experience of riding across the ocean toward Key West.
12. Texas Hill Country & the Twisted Sisters — Texas
Distance: Roughly 130 miles for the core Twisted Sisters route
Roads: Ranch Roads 335, 336 and 337
Ride character: Technical Hill Country riding
Texas Hill Country has plenty of excellent motorcycle pavement, but the best-known combination is the Twisted Sisters.
Ranch Roads 335, 336 and 337 form roughly 130 miles of riding through rugged Hill Country terrain.
Expect elevation changes, tight turns, open ranch country and long-distance Texas views.
Spring can bring the famous Hill Country wildflowers, while other parts of the year offer their own advantages.
This is rural riding, and that means riders should also watch for wildlife, livestock, changing pavement and limited services.
The Twisted Sisters are the centerpiece, but they're also a good excuse to spend several days exploring the surrounding Hill Country rather than simply checking three road numbers off a list.
ThrottleBuzz take: Texas is bigger than most motorcycle trips. Hill Country gives you a manageable piece of it with genuinely entertaining roads.
Which One Should You Ride First?
That depends on what kind of rider you are.
Want technical corners?
Start with the Tail of the Dragon or the Twisted Sisters.
Want high mountains?
Look toward Beartooth Highway, the Million Dollar Highway or the Cherohala Skyway.
Want a long touring trip?
Blue Ridge Parkway or Natchez Trace Parkway can become vacations by themselves.
Want something completely different?
Ride across the Florida Keys or spend several days exploring the Badlands and Black Hills.
Want water beside the motorcycle?
California Highway 1, Wisconsin's Great River Road and northern Michigan offer three completely different versions of that experience.
The important thing isn't checking every road off a list.
It's riding enough of them to discover which kind of road makes you want to turn around and ride it again.
Before You Go
Road conditions change.
Mountain passes close. Construction happens. Wildfires, flooding, snow, rockfall and severe weather can change a route with little warning.
Before leaving:
- Check official road and park conditions.
- Check the weather for the highest elevation on your route, not just your starting point.
- Know where fuel is available.
- Give yourself more time than the mileage suggests.
- Carry appropriate rain and temperature layers.
- Ride your own pace.
- Stay in your lane.
- Don't let a famous road convince you to ride beyond your ability.
The road will still be there.
Make sure you're around to ride the next one.
What's the Buzz?
These 12 routes are only the beginning.
ThrottleBuzz is building regional Ride coverage around the country, so as our library grows you'll see riding articles relevant to your part of the country alongside national destination rides like these.
Have a road you think belongs on the list?
Keep riding. Keep exploring.
What's the Buzz?