America’s 63 national parks were established to preserve the country’s most remarkable landscapes and ecosystems — as well as to provide spaces for people to connect with nature. And connect people they do: More than 300 million people visit national parks each year for hiking, sightseeing, camping, and some of the most scenic drives in the country. From mountain ranges and homesteads in the American West to craggy coastlines and unbeatable foliage in the East, here are five of the most beautiful national park drives in the U.S.
Rim Drive – Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Crater Lake National Park’s 33-mile Rim Drive encircles a caldera that was formed over 7,700 years ago. When the volcano erupted and collapsed, it resulted in a crater that became the deepest lake in the U.S. and the seventh-deepest in the world.
The Rim Drive offers wide-open vistas of the lake’s deep blue waters and surrounding mountains, including the park’s two highest peaks, Mount Scott and Hillman Peak. Visitors can pull over at 30 designated lookouts that were designed to highlight specific views. These include distinct geologic formations, like the Wizard Island cinder cone, or the region’s subalpine meadows, some of which bloom in bright red fleece flowers in the short summer season. The high altitude makes this one of the snowiest places in the inhabited U.S., so it’s best to check park conditions for frequent road closures before planning your trip.
Park Loop Road – Acadia National Park, Maine
Acadia National Park’s rustic carriage road system — built in the early 1900s by John D. Rockefeller Jr. — may offer a more intimate experience of the park, but driving Park Loop Road highlights many of its most stunning sights. Starting near Hulls Cove Visitor Center, the 27-mile road travels through some of Maine’s trademark natural features. Drive through spruce and fir trees, set against dramatic granite cliffs, and alongside rugged Atlantic coastline, home to must-sees such as Thunder Hole — where the changing tide and surging waters create an unforgettable natural roar.
The route also offers easy access to plenty of hiking trailheads and passes by beautiful Sand Beach, where the sands are warm and the water is beautiful but cold. It’s also easy to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain from the Park Loop. This marks the highest point on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, and visitors often flock here to witness America’s first sunrise of the day from October 7 until March 6.
Tioga Road – Yosemite National Park, California
Closed for much of the year due to snow, Tioga Road is a scenic wonderland in the short few summer months that it’s open. The 46-mile drive offers breathtaking views of Yosemite’s dynamic topography at almost every turn. It winds from the Crane Flat campground to Tioga Pass, the highest highway pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains — and in all of California — at an elevation of 9,943 feet. The high altitude offers a unique perspective of the park’s beauty, with panoramic views of monstrous cliffs, lush valleys, waterfalls, and pristine lakes.
Make sure to stop at Olmsted Point, famous for its view of the iconic Half Dome (and, often, its adventurous climbers). The Tuolumne Meadows, a vast subalpine area surrounded by dense evergreens and granite domes and peaks, are another highlight. During the peak summer months, the meadows come especially alive with wildflowers, providing a colorful pop against the stark rocky backdrop.
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive – Big Bend National Park, Texas
The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, named for Big Bend’s first superintendent, reveals the rugged beauty and historical significance of this Texas park’s western region. The 30-mile route weaves through some of the Lone Star State’s most iconic natural features: arid badlands, towering volcanic formations, and impressive canyons along the Rio Grande, seen from several lookouts along the way.
The Sotol Vista Overlook is a must-stop on the drive. Here, you’ll be rewarded with an unparalleled view of the mighty Santa Elena Canyon and a horizon that stretches into Mexico. The historic Sam Nail Ranch, a remnant of bygone homesteading days, is another popular attraction thanks to its iconic windmill. And the Cerro Castellan butte, perched at over 3,200 feet above sea level, stands tall as an unforgettable highlight on this drive — especially when surrounded by blooming bluebonnets and bathed in burning red from the setting sun.
Scenic Drive Loop – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
It’s not often found on official national park driving maps, but the 42-mile Scenic Drive Loop promises breathtaking views of the towering Tetons — some of the oldest rocks in North America. This incredibly scenic drive also boasts sweeping plains, unspoiled glacial lakes, historical homesteads, and up-close views of wildlife. A must-see is the Snake River Overlook. In 1942, Ansel Adams immortalized this winding river set against the iconic Teton Range on film, and today, many years of greenery growth have updated the view for your own photographic keepsake.
The loop also includes a stop at the historic Mormon Row, where the well-preserved Moulton Barns offer a glimpse into the area’s frontier history. Further along, the Signal Mountain Summit Road offers a short detour to a lookout with sweeping views of Jackson Hole and Jackson Lake. This is one of the longest detours along the way — approximately 5 miles each way from the main loop road — but it’s worth the extra time. Along the drive, it’s also possible to spot some of the wide variety of animals that call the park home, from bears to pronghorn, moose, elk, and bald eagles. Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk, but you could get lucky and spot some during a midday drive.
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