The longest highway in the U.S. stretches over 3,000 miles from coast to coast. With all those miles comes plenty of history: From Indigenous peoples to the pioneers of the American West, cross-country travel and exploration has long been an integral part of American heritage. In 1956, the creation of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways further paved the way for uninterrupted automobile journeys throughout the contiguous United States. Today, a network of over 46,000 miles of major highways in America zigzags from north to south and coast to coast. Buckle up and embark on epic road trips on the 20 longest highways in the United States.
20. Interstate 5
Total length: 1,381 miles
Interstate 5 runs the entire length of the U.S. West Coast, linking some of the largest cities in California, Oregon, and Washington. Starting in San Ysidro, on the U.S.-Mexico border, I-5 stretches north through San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle. It reaches its terminus in Blaine, Washington, at the U.S.-Canada border.
A road trip along I-5 offers a mix of small towns, vibrant cities, and diverse landscapes. The highway passes through the coastal cities of Encinitas and Oceanside in Southern California, ascends the 4,160-foot Tejon Pass north of Los Angeles, and winds through the dense forests of Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Northern California. In Oregon, it crosses the Willamette River via the Marquam Bridge, a double-decked structure built to handle heavy traffic in Portland.
19. Interstate 15
Total length: 1,433 miles
Interstate 15 also starts its journey in San Diego County. From Mission Valley, the highway travels north through Riverside County before turning inland across Southern California toward Nevada. The interstate briefly enters Arizona and then continues north through Utah, Idaho, and Montana. The northernmost point of I-15 is Sweetgrass, Montana, located on the U.S.-Canada border. Mostly built in the early 1970s, I-15 follows the historic route of U.S. 91.
Between Southern California and Salt Lake City, the highway is part of the I-15 Corridor System, a vital route for transcontinental trade and tourism. Along the way, it passes some of the most famous attractions in the West, including the Las Vegas Strip, Utah’s Zion National Park, Idaho’s Shoshone Falls, and Montana’s Gates of the Mountains Wilderness.
18. U.S. Route 101
Total length: 1,540 miles
Continuing the West Coast theme, U.S. Route 101 (aka Highway 101) links Los Angeles with Olympia, Washington. The southern terminus of the highway, which was originally designated in 1926, was once in San Diego, but the section between San Diego and Los Angeles was later incorporated into Interstate 5. Today, the 808-mile stretch from L.A. to the Oregon border is California’s longest stretch of continuous highway.
Heading north, U.S. Route 101 winds through the towering trees of Redwood National and State Parks before tracing nearly the entire length of the Oregon coastline. Along the way, the route passes scenic spots such as Cannon Beach, home to the iconic Haystack Rock. Upon entering Washington, the highway loops around Olympic National Park, serving as the primary access route to the park’s trails and attractions.
17. U.S. Route 11
Total length: 1,645 miles
Traveling from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Rouses Point, New York, U.S. Route 11 spans an impressive 10 states. Its official southern terminus is at Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge, where it merges with Interstate 90. Part of the highway follows the historic Great Wagon Road, a major migration route that once carried settlers from Philadelphia through Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to the Carolinas and Georgia.
A journey along U.S. Route 11 offers a scenic drive in the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains. This mostly rural highway winds through small towns and rolling hills, making it an ideal route for travelers seeking a slower pace. History buffs will find numerous sites linked to colonial and Civil War history, including New Market Battlefield State Historical Park and Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park.
16. Interstate 75
Total length: 1,786 miles
Interstate 75 connects Southwest Florida with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Passing through six states — Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan — it serves as a major north-south corridor in the eastern U.S. The road’s northern terminus is Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Ohio’s section of I-75 is particularly appealing to aviation enthusiasts. Highlights include the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta and the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton. Dayton also boasts several sites honoring the pioneering Wright brothers, such as the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center and Carillon Historical Park.
15. Interstate 95
Total length: 1,917 miles
Spanning 15 states along the Eastern Seaboard, Interstate 95 is the longest north-south interstate in the United States. It runs largely parallel to the Atlantic Ocean and U.S. Route 1, connecting Miami, Florida, with Houlton, Maine. The highway also traces routes linked to the American Revolution, including the King’s Highway, a 17th-century colonial road between Boston and Charleston.
With the coastline never far away, scenic beaches, such as Florida’s iconic Daytona Beach, are easily accessible. Quirky roadside attractions, including the Smallest Church in America in Townsend, Georgia, add further character to the drive. For a historical detour in Virginia, consider a visit to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
14. U.S. Route 41
Total length: 2,008 miles
U.S. Route 41 stretches from Miami, Florida, to Copper Harbor, Michigan. Originally constructed in 1915, it was one of the country’s first long-distance highways. The route weaves together Native American trails, pioneer roads, and historic auto trails.
The section between Miami and Tampa is known as the Tamiami Trail, a scenic stretch that cuts through the Everglades and Seminole tribal lands. Farther north, the highway follows parts of the Trail of Tears between Tennessee and Kentucky. In the Windy City, the route turns into Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, where drivers are treated to sweeping views of both Lake Michigan and the city’s iconic skyline.
13. U.S. Route 52
Total length: 2,072 miles
Starting in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. Route 52 cuts a diagonal path across 12 states to Portal, North Dakota, located on the U.S.-Canadian border. Its direction is contrary to most even-numbered national highways, which typically run east to west.
In the Upper Midwest, Route 52 forms part of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, which traces the Mississippi River. Farther east, it merges with the Ohio River Scenic Byway, a 943-mile route extending into Indiana and Illinois. And, as it nears its southern terminus, Route 52 climbs into Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, where it meets the Blue Ridge Parkway at Fancy Gap, offering stunning mountain views.
12. Interstate 70
Total length: 2,153 miles
Interstate 70 is a major east-west highway spanning nearly the entire width of the United States. Beginning in Baltimore, Maryland, it crosses 10 states before reaching its western terminus in Cove Port, Utah. Along the way, I-70 traverses diverse landscapes, from the Appalachian foothills to the vast Great Plains and the rugged Rocky Mountains. It also connects major cities such as Columbus, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Denver.
Because it covers such a varied section of the country, I-70 offers no shortage of remarkable sights. In Colorado, the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel — sitting over 11,000 feet high in the Rockies — marks the highest point in the U.S. Interstate Highway System. Meanwhile, Maryland’s Sideling Hill Cut reveals 810 feet of exposed rock layers, offering a glimpse into over 300 million years of geological history.
11. U.S. Route 1
Total length: 2,321 miles
As the longest north-to-south highway in the U.S., Route 1 spans 14 states along the East Coast. The route is filled with iconic landmarks and attractions, including the natural beauty of Acadia National Park and the tropical beaches of the Florida Keys.
History is also a key feature of U.S. Route 1, with stops like St. Augustine, Florida — one of the country’s oldest settlements — and the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. Over the years, the highway has earned many nicknames, such as the “Atlantic Highway” and the “Boston Post Road,” the latter of which refers to a 17th-century mail delivery route between Boston and New York City. Like Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1 also follows part of the King’s Highway, an old colonial route from Boston to Charleston.
10. U.S. Route 12
Total length: 2,484 miles
Created in 1926, U.S. Route 12 traverses 2,484 miles across the northern U.S. from Detroit, Michigan, to Aberdeen, Washington. Large parts of the route follow the historic Yellowstone Trail, which was the first east-to-west automobile highway through the northern states.
On its journey across nine states, U.S. Route 12 navigates varied landscapes like the canyons and cedar forests of Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest and the buttes and badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It also cuts through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, a 2.3-million-acre area of prairies and rolling hills that’s home to the Lakota and Dakota nations.
9. Interstate 40
Total length: 2,555 miles
Interstate 40 is one of the top 10 longest interstates in the U.S. The western terminus of I-40 is found in Barstow, California, which was part of the historic Route 66 and is now home to the Route 66 Mother Road Museum. Traveling east, Interstate 40 heads through eight states on its way to Wilmington, a seaside city in North Carolina.
A mix of breathtaking landscapes, bustling cities, and important cultural sites are found along the length of the 2,555-mile highway. Among them are Grand Canyon National Park and Acoma Pueblo, a Native American community set atop a mesa in New Mexico. Interstate 40 also provides easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile scenic drive through the Appalachian Mountains that’s billed as “America’s Favorite Drive.”
8. U.S. Route 2
Total length: 2,571 miles
Nicknamed the “Great Northern” after the pioneering railroad route that runs parallel to its western section, U.S. Route 2 spans 10 states, plus a segment in Canada. The eastern section begins at the border town of Houlton, Maine, then passes through the lush landscapes of New Hampshire and Vermont to Rouse Point, New York.
The highway continues to Montreal and Ottawa in Canada, before returning to the United States in St. Ignace, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Huron. The western section passes through the wide-open spaces of the Great Plains and over to the Cascade Mountains near Everett, Washington. From bustling cities to Victoria-era villages and national parks, there’s plenty to see along the way, including Glacier National Park and the Hiawatha National Forest.
7. U.S. Route 60
Total length: 2,670 miles
Completed in 1926, U.S. Route 60 meanders for 2,670 miles across the country from Virginia Beach, Virginia, to Brenda, Arizona. The original idea was for the highway to link Chicago with Los Angeles, but that plan later took shape as the famous Route 66.
A trip on U.S. Route 60 offers excellent opportunities for both outdoor adventure and cultural experiences. For example, you’ll find stunning views over the Phoenix valley via the Echo Canyon Hike, which skirts Camelback Mountain. In Oklahoma, Bartlesville is famous for its art deco buildings, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s Price Tower.
6. Interstate 80
Total length: 2,899 miles
Interstate 80 connects two of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States — New York City and San Francisco — located on opposite coasts. This transcontinental route crosses 11 states and retraces historic emigrant routes. One of these is the California Trail, which mountain explorers and fur traders used to travel between Missouri and California during the 1840s and 1850s.
Dozens of interesting and offbeat attractions are scattered along Interstate 80 today. Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the “World’s Largest Time Capsule” in Nebraska, and the Tahoe National Forest in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains are all worth a detour.
5. U.S. Route 50
Total length: 3,019 miles
Stretching from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California, U.S. Route 50 incorporates some of the country’s most mesmerizing landscapes. Along the highway, road trippers will encounter the Appalachian, Rocky, and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, in addition to the Great Plains. Noteworthy sights include California’s Lake Tahoe and the rocky wonderlands of Utah’s Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
In Nevada, one of the top 10 longest states to drive through east to west, a barren 300-mile stretch of the highway through the Great Basin Desert is dubbed “the Loneliest Road in America.” Drivers in Nevada can also discover the historic cowboy culture of Lone Pine, which has been the backdrop for western movies since 1939’s Gunga Din starring Cary Grant, and intriguing natural sites like the speleothem-rich Lehman Caves and singing dunes of Sand Mountain.
4. Interstate 90
Total length: 3,020 miles
From the shorelines of Lake Erie and Lake Michigan (two of the Great Lakes) to the Great Plains of North Dakota and the Rocky Mountains, Interstate 90 passes through many areas of breathtaking natural beauty. This east-west highway starts in Boston, travels through 13 states in the northern United States and ends in Seattle, Washington.
If you choose to drive the entire length, you will cross spectacular mountain passes like Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass, Lookout Pass on the Idaho-Montana border, and Montana’s Homestake Pass, where the highway reaches an elevation of 6,329 feet above sea level. Other notable places along the way include Minnesota’s 55-foot-tall Jolly Green Giant Statue, Mount Rushmore National Monument, and the Garnet ghost town in Montana.
3. U.S. Route 30
Total length: 3,073 miles
Another highway that connects the country’s Atlantic and Pacific coastlines is U.S. Route 30. This long-distance roadway starts in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and ends in Astoria, Oregon. A significant stretch between Pennsylvania and Wyoming follows the historic Lincoln Highway, including the 200-mile Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor in Pennsylvania. The Lincoln Highway Experience in Latrobe offers the chance to delve into highway nostalgia. Other standout sights include curious roadside attractions such as The Coffee Pot in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and the Haines Shoe House in York, which can be rented for an overnight stay.
2. U.S. Route 6
Total length: 3,207 miles
U.S. Route 6 begins in Provincetown, Massachusetts, near the site of the iconic Mayflower landing in 1620. It then traverses 14 states on its way to Bishop, California. In 1953, the route was given the name “Grand Army of the Republic Highway” to commemorate Civil War veterans.
Those traveling on the highway today can discover everything from the dune-clad beaches of Cape Cod National Seashore to the adrenaline-pumping switchbacks of Loveland Pass on the Continental Divide. Popular stops include Pennsylvania’s Cherry Springs State Park for stargazing in a Dark Sky Preserve and Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1. U.S. Route 20
Total length: 3,365 miles
Linking Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts, with the Pacific coast town of Newport, Oregon, U.S. Route 20 is America’s longest highway. Over its 3,365-mile coast-to-coast journey, it runs mostly parallel to Interstate 90 and passes through 12 states. From the rural pastures of Pennsylvania and Ohio to the Rocky Mountains, U.S. 20 offers a fascinating glimpse of the country’s ever-changing landscapes.
Many natural wonders lay scattered along the longest route in America, including the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, Yellowstone National Park, and Yaquina Bay State Recreational Site. There are plenty of curious roadside attractions, too — namely Carhenge, a replica of Stonehenge made out of half-buried Cadillacs, and the RV Hall of Fame and Museum.
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