Wheels Of Grace Magazine

Volume 8, Issue 4

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5. Beartooth Highway (Montana and Wyoming) Beartooth Highway (a sec on of US Route 212) is a stretch of road between Red Lodge and Cooke City, Montana. A steep road consis ng of many zigzags and switchbacks, it brings riders to an eleva on of 10,947 feet at Beartooth Pass. The 69-mile highway is typically only open from mid-May to mid-October, and along the short route riders twist through rocky mountains, glaciers, and wildflower-laden alpine meadows. Well known for its thunderstorms and heavy winds, Beartooth Highway has even seen snowstorms during the summer me. 6. Pacific Coast Highway (California) The Pacific Coast Highway, or California State Route 1, is widely considered to be one of the most beau ful motorcycle roads in America. While the PCH stretches from Orange County to Mendocino County, the most notable part of the ride runs through Big Sur. As the name suggests, the 123-mile por on of the PCH hugs rugged cliffs around central California's coastline. With sharp dropoffs, hairpin turns, and heavy fog on the two-lane highway, the PCH demands that riders keep their eyes on the road, despite the distrac ng scenes of redwoods, crashing waves, and million-dollar mansions. 12 BEST MOTORCYCLE ROADS IN AMERICA BY JOE BATRUNY 12 BEST MOTORCYCLE ROADS IN AMERICA PART 2 of 3 7. Skyline Drive (Georgia) With 75 overlooks peering out into the Shenandoah Valley to the east and the Piedmont to the west, Skyline Drive a racts over two million visitors annually. Most popular in the fall due to the changing leaves, this Na onal Scenic Byway has a speed limit of 35mph on account of the traffic, curves, and wildlife. White-tailed deer, black bears, and wild turkey are frequently sighted on the road. Skyline Drive is 105 miles long and runs north to south as the only public road through Shenandoah Na onal Park. The park, in which roadsides are inten onally le unmowed so wildflowers can grow year-round, is known to have one of the densest black bear popula ons in the United States. 8. Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Arkansas) The Pig Trail, a 19-mile por on of Arkansas Highway 23, is a scenic byway of steep hills, dropoffs, and switchbacks cu ng through Ozark Na onal Forest. The road is variously said to have been named a er the University of Arkansas football team, the resemblance between the road's curves and a pig's tail, and the hogs that roam the area — the true origin remains unclear. Running along the heavily wooded Boston Mountains, the Pig Trail addi onally provides access to recrea onal ac vi es, including whitewater ra ing, kayaking, and camping. The road is popular in the spring and fall, when wildflowers bloom and leaves turn to autumn colors, respec vely.

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