9 Historic Highways You Can Still Drive

Roads That Were Built Before the Interstate Made Them Optional

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Before the Interstate system began in 1956, American travel ran along two-lane highways that went through the center of every town. Those roads set the pace of the country, from the first cross-country motorists in the 1910s to the family station wagons of the 1950s. When the interstates bypassed them, many of the old highways faded, but a surprising number remain drivable, marked and loved by preservation groups. Driving one is slower, more scenic and a better way to see a region than any freeway. You pass diners, drive-in signs, stone bridges and the main streets that the interstate skipped. Some are intact, like the parkways managed by the National Park Service, while others survive only in fragments, stitched together by signs and map apps. The nine routes below combine real history with roads you can drive today, from a 1913 mountain engineering feat to a wartime road built through the northern wilderness. Check seasonal closures and current road conditions before you set out, especially for mountain routes.

Route 66

Route 66 was commissioned in 1926 and ran about 2,400 miles from Chicago to the Pacific at Santa Monica, passing through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. It became the road of the Dust Bowl migration and postwar vacations, and it was officially decommissioned in 1985 after the interstates replaced it. Today, about 85 percent of the old route is still drivable, in sections marked with brown Historic Route 66 signs. Highlights include the Cadillac Ranch in Texas, the Blue Whale of Catoosa in Oklahoma, the Wigwam Motel in Arizona and the stretch from Seligman through Oatman, where wild burros wander the main street. The Oatman stretch over the Black Mountains is a tight, winding road that is best taken slowly. Expect gaps and detours, particularly in cities, so a good guidebook or app is useful. Plan at least two weeks for the whole route, or choose a favorite state. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons.

The Lincoln Highway

The Lincoln Highway, dedicated in 1913, was the first road across the United States for automobiles, running from New York's Times Square to San Francisco, roughly 3,000 miles. It was not a government project but a private effort backed by auto industry figures, who wanted to prove that a coast-to-coast road was possible. The route evolved over time, and parts were later absorbed into US 30, US 40 and US 50. Today, long sections remain drivable, and the Lincoln Highway Association maintains markers along the way. The 179-mile stretch through Illinois is known for old bridges, windmills and small-town charm, and Pennsylvania's section crosses the Allegheny Mountains with views and the Lincoln Highway Experience museum. In Nevada, the Lincoln Highway follows the loneliest road in America, US 50, a quiet two-lane that crosses long basin-and-range valleys. Plan to drive pieces rather than the whole thing, and use guidebooks and the association's maps. Gas stations and lodging can be scarce in the Great Basin, so fill up and plan overnight stops.

Historic Columbia River Highway, Oregon

The Historic Columbia River Highway, built between 1913 and 1922 and engineered by Samuel Lancaster, is often called the oldest scenic highway in the country. The surviving drivable sections run roughly 70 miles through the Columbia River Gorge, east of Portland, and they are a showcase of early road design, with arched stone bridges, masonry guard walls and tunnels cut through basalt. Key stops include Vista House, a domed observatory perched on Crown Point 733 feet above the river, Latourell Falls and Multnomah Falls, the state's tallest waterfall at 620 feet. Rockfall and wildfire have caused closures in recent years, so check the Oregon Department of Transportation for current status. Some stretches, like the Mosier Twin Tunnels and sections near Hood River, have been reopened as bike and walking paths and can be combined with the drive. The gorge is windy and often foggy in winter, and parking at popular waterfalls fills early. Midweek and off-season trips are the best way to enjoy it.

Natchez Trace Parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway runs about 444 miles from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, following the path of an ancient trail used by Native Americans, early settlers and traders. The National Park Service manages the road as a parkway, with a 50-mile-per-hour speed limit, no commercial trucks and no billboards, which makes it among the most peaceful drives in the country. The route is dotted with historic sites, from Emerald Mound, a huge ceremonial earthwork, to sections of the original sunken trace, where centuries of travel wore a path into the ground. Campgrounds, picnic spots and short trails provide a reason to stop, and the road stays open year-round, with spectacular color in fall. Because there are few gas stations and services on the parkway itself, plan your fuel and food stops in towns just off the road. Cyclists use the parkway too, so share the road. The southern section is lined with live oaks and Spanish moss, while the northern section winds through Tennessee hardwoods.

The National Road, US 40

The National Road was the first major highway built by the federal government, authorized by Congress in 1806 and begun in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1811. It eventually reached Vandalia, Illinois, opening the interior to settlers, and its route later became US 40. Today, you can drive much of it as the Historic National Road, a designated All-American Road, through Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. The road is lined with stone arch bridges, tollhouses, taverns and mile markers from the early 1800s. In Pennsylvania, look for Fort Necessity and the S-bridges, whose curved design came from the old stone masons' techniques. In Ohio, the road passes through small towns and old brick pavement stretches. Museums and local historical societies tell the story of stagecoaches, Conestoga wagons and the first car travelers. The road is mostly flat and easy, with plenty of diners and motels, so it's a good option for a slow weekend drive that reveals the early American interior.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles along the crest of the Appalachians from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Construction began in 1935 as a Depression-era project and was finished in 1987, with the Linn Cove Viaduct, a curving concrete bridge around Grandfather Mountain, completing the last section. The road is a national park, with a 45-mile-per-hour speed limit, overlooks, hiking trails and historic sites such as Mabry Mill. Fall color brings heavy traffic in October, while spring brings rhododendron and wildflowers. Winter weather often closes sections for ice and snow, so check the National Park Service's real-time map. The parkway has no commercial traffic and few services, so plan fuel and food in nearby towns. The highest point is near Richland Balsam at roughly 6,053 feet. Camping and lodges are generally seasonal. For a quieter drive, try weekdays or late November, when the leaves are down and the long views open up.

The Alaska Highway

The Alaska Highway was built in 1942 by the U.S. Army and Canadian crews in about eight months, after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor raised fears for Alaska's defense. It stretched roughly 1,400 miles from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction, Alaska, through boreal forest, mountain passes and wild country. Today, the route is paved and open year-round, and it is one of North America's great road trips. Along the way, you pass Muncho Lake, Liard Hot Springs, Kluane Lake and herds of bison, caribou and moose that wander onto the road. Fuel and lodging are spaced far apart, especially in winter, so plan your stops and carry emergency supplies. Border crossings between Canada and Alaska require a passport, so check requirements. Summer brings long daylight, while fall brings aurora and fewer visitors. Frost heaves and gravel patches may slow travel. The Milepost guidebook, updated annually, is the classic resource, and mile markers help you find your way.

The Mohawk Trail, Massachusetts

The Mohawk Trail, designated in 1914, is often cited as the first scenic road in New England, a stretch of Massachusetts Route 2 that crosses the Berkshires from the Connecticut River Valley toward the New York border. The route follows an ancient Native American path and climbs through forests, river valleys and small mill towns. Highlights include the Hairpin Turn, a sharp switchback with a view of the Berkshire hills, and the Western Summit, a lookout at around 2,000 feet. Fall foliage season, usually from late September to mid-October, brings a deluge of visitors, but the mountains and rivers are lovely in every season. Shelburne Falls, famous for its Bridge of Flowers, is an excellent stop. Several old tourist stops and trading posts remain open, selling maple syrup and local crafts. The two-lane road can be slow with traffic, so allow plenty of time, and be careful on the tight turns. Winter snow can make the climb difficult.

Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana

Going-to-the-Sun Road crosses Glacier National Park for 50 miles, climbing to Logan Pass at 6,646 feet on the Continental Divide. It opened in 1933 after more than a decade of construction and is a National Historic Landmark and a civil engineering marvel, with stone-lined switchbacks, a tunnel cut through rock and walls blasted out of cliffs. The road passes glaciers, waterfalls and alpine meadows, and it is regularly voted among the most scenic drives in the country. It is only fully open in summer, typically from late June or July to October, once crews clear the snow, which can be 80 feet deep at the pass. Vehicle size limits apply, and sections are closed to large vehicles. The park has used timed-entry reservations in busy periods, so check the National Park Service for current rules. Because it is closed for winter now, this one belongs on your next summer list. Plan to drive it slowly, and use the pullouts.

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