A drive with a view
THE WEATHER IS PERFECT. The car is running great. That new digital
camera is just calling to be used. What better way to put all those elements
together than to take a nice daylong scenic drive?
The Federal Highway Administration has made it easy to find the best
routes with its National Scenic Byways Program Web site, www.byways.org.
The site highlights 126 roads and highways in 44 states that have been designated by Congress as America’s Byways. It offers customizable printing of the
information and maps for your journey. You can even post an account of the
trip to share with fellow adventurers.
Here’s a sampling of some of the routes.
Chinook Scenic Byway (Washington)
Awe-inspiring views, lush vegetation and glacier-fed rivers are presided
over by towering Mount Rainier.
Connecticut River Byway (New Hampshire and Vermont)
Historic landmarks, museums aplenty, lush scenery and dramatic vistas
are enhanced by the beauty of the upper Connecticut River Valley.
Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway (California)
Discover the Sierra Nevada and experience the serenity of pristine lakes,
mountain vistas, massive sequoias and redwoods, and breathtaking panoramas
on an exhilarating ride between Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.
Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway (Florida)
Beaches, wildlife refuges, state parks, museums, waterways and even the
Kennedy Space Center provide plenty of exciting digital camera fodder.
Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway (Arizona)
Spectacular views, natural pleasures and abundant wildlife are found
throughout the geological wonders of the Grand Canyon.
Illinois River Road (Illinois)
Follow the route of early French explorers paralleling a chain of more
than 100 nature sites, the Illinois River Country Nature Trail.
Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway (Kansas)
Wildlife such as whooping cranes, pelicans, bald and golden eagles, shore-birds, ducks and geese fill prairie vistas under vast skies.—Steve Fisher
Chinook Scenic Byway, Washington
Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway, Arizona
