Top 16 Motorcycle Roads in the USA by Region

The United States is blessed with a great diversity of geography, climate, and localized history, leaving no shortage of amazing routes to explore on two wheels.

While the following list could include 500 roads and still be far from complete, we’re going to keep it short and sweet and offer up four exemplary options for each of the West, South, Midwest, and Northeast regions of the USA, while hitting a number of states inside of each.

No matter where you’re located, you should find one of these not too far from your reach. And if you disagree, we’re willing to bet you have a road or two in mind that you think should have made the cut to begin with.

West

Pacific Coast Highway

Officially known as California State Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway ranks among the most famous and iconic roads on the planet. Winding through cliff- and ocean-side views, the route includes such fabled sights as Big Sur, the Bixby Creek Bridge, Malibu, and Monterey.

Beartooth Highway

Running through Montana and Wyoming, Beartooth Highway offers up a genuine alpine wilderness experience well into the five-figure elevation range. Snow-capped peaks and gorgeous lakes blend with sharp turns and huge elevation changes.

Scenic Byway 12 

Utah’s Route 12 offers up stunning red rock vistas as it travels past Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This is truly some of the most alien-looking country to be encountered in the continental United States.

Cascade Loop 

The Cascade Loop runs through Washington’s Cascade Mountains, creating a 440-mile loop that connects Puget Sound, evergreen forests, rivers, apple orchards, and vineyards, mountain tops and Space Needles.

Midwest

Great River Road 

The Great River Road snakes alongside the mighty Mississippi for some 3000 miles and hits ten States. Its Midwestern sections in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois make for some especially spectacular riding, particularly in the fall when the changing leaves create a mosaic of colors alongside the river bluffs.

Black Hills Region

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally isn’t just about revelry. It’s also very much about the riding, so it’s a good thing the Black Hills offer up sights and routes that keep hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists eagerly awaiting their annual visit.

Door County Coastal Byway

Wisconsin’s Door County is a popular vacationing spot with lively small towns that dot Lake Michigan. The roads are quite excellent too, offering up awesome views and endless corners, linking parks, shops, and eateries.

The Ozarks

As with the Black Hills and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the riding in the Ozarks has inspired its own popular rally in the form of the Lake of the Ozarks BikeFest, which recently celebrated its 19th edition by attracting well over 100,000 rallygoers. With more shoreline than California, the Ozarks offers breathtaking views to explore while winding your way through the scenery of Mark Twain National Forest and the Lake of the Ozarks.. 

South

The Three Sisters

Perhaps better known as the “Twisted Sisters,” Texas’ Ranch Roads 335, 336, and 337 present a challenging combination of tight corners and rugged elevation changes.

Natchez Trace Parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile route through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee that follows the “Old Natchez Trace” travel corridor used by Native Americans, European settlers, slave traders, and soldiers. Today, you can explore 10,000 years of history through a ride that features dense forests, swamps, and farmlands.

Tail of the Dragon

An adrenaline-rush laid in pavement, the “Tail of the Dragon,” begins at North Carolina’s intersection of NC 28 and US 129 and ends at Tennessee’s Tabcat Creek Bridge. In between are 318 curves packed into just 11 Great Smoky Mountain miles.

U.S. Route 421

Another Tennessee special with a foreboding nickname – “the Snake” – U.S. Route 421 is another Appalachian riding adventure that weaves back and forth, up and down, through 37 miles, three mountains, and nearly 500 curves.

Northeast 

Route 100

Vermont’s Route 100 is in the heart of skier country, which also makes for fabulous motorcycling. The route combines quaint towns, numerous ski resorts, awesome views, and a thrilling ride.

Coastal Route 1

Coast Route 1 delivers serious Atlantic vibes as it travels along Maine’s coastline. Fishing villages and rocky shores abound; it’s one of the region’s most popular routes. 

Mohawk Trail

Among the most historic routes on this list of historic routes, the 63-mile-long Mohawk Trail explores the mountains and forested areas of Massachusetts, offering up both views and stops to take in.

Route 7 

Route 7 connects Connecticut and Massachusetts in a relaxing, beautiful ride. With rolling forest hills and some of the oldest villages in the United States, Route 7 is a dream for riders keen to learn more about our nation’s early history.