Looking for the best motorcycle rides in America? Explore these 10 legendary routes that define American motorcycling and belong on every rider’s bucket list.
The United States is home to some of the best motorcycle routes on the planet. You have towering canyons out west, rolling mountains in the east, long desert stretches, coastal highways, open plains, misty forests, and all kinds of nooks and crannies in between.
Once the basics click into place, the road starts to feel bigger and full of possibility. Before long, you realize just how many incredible routes are out there waiting for you to discover them.
We’ve pulled together a guide to the most iconic routes in America, each of which has shaped motorcycle culture in its own way and absolutely deserves a spot on your bucket list. These are the rides you plan for, dream about, and remember for the rest of your life.
Let’s dig in.
Route 66 – Illinois to California
Dubbed the “Mother Road” by John Steinbeck, U.S. Route 66 holds a special place in American motorcycling culture. Stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, this historic highway carries you past vintage gas stations, classic diners, neon-lit motels, desert landscapes, and small towns that feel frozen in time.
Riders have been chasing the thrill this road offers for generations, and it’s easy to see why. You can ride the entire 2,400+ miles or stick to iconic stretches in Arizona and New Mexico, but either way, the feeling is the same: pure nostalgia.
If there’s one road that belongs on every rider’s bucket list, it’s Route 66.
Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) – California
The Pacific Coast Highway has long been a rite of passage for motorcyclists. This legendary route clings to California’s rugged coastline, offering breathtaking ocean views, dramatic cliffs, and some of the most beautiful riding anywhere in the world. It’s even designated an All-American Road.
Running from the redwood forests north of San Francisco to the sun-soaked beaches below Los Angeles, Highway 1 is one of the most photographed roads on earth. And the moment you see it in person, you understand why.
If you only have time for one section, choose the stretch between Monterey and Morro Bay. The road winds along the cliffs of Big Sur, with every turn opening up another sweeping view of the Pacific crashing against the rocks below.
Tail of the Dragon – Tennessee & North Carolina
318 curves in 11 miles? Enough said.
This stretch of U.S. 129 is one of the most talked-about roads in American motorcycling. Packed with nonstop twists through a tight mountain corridor, it’s a true test of skill and precision, and a real badge of honor for anyone looking to challenge their skills.
There are no intersections, no driveways, and no room for distractions, making it about as close as you can get to a racetrack on public roads.
Riders travel from all over the country to experience it, and its lore only adds to the draw. The dense forest along the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains makes the ride as beautiful as it is demanding, with every turn requiring your full attention.
The Tail of the Dragon is a route to work up to. It’s intense and exhilarating. Newer riders dream of the day they feel ready for it, and veterans return year after year to sharpen their lines. Plus, it’s home to countless meetups, rallies, and gatherings throughout the year.
Beartooth Highway – Montana & Wyoming
Journalist Charles Kuralt once called the Beartooth Highway “the most beautiful drive in America,” and most riders who tackle it tend to agree.
This stretch of U.S. Route 212 from Red Lodge, Montana, to the northeastern entrance of Yellowstone climbs to 10,947 feet, giving you the uncanny feeling of riding on top of the world. Along the way, you can expect to see switchbacks stacked on switchbacks, sweeping climbs, glassy alpine lakes, and snowdrifts even in summer.
It’s dramatic in every sense and feels more like a pilgrimage than a ride.
Million Dollar Highway – Colorado
If there’s a road that feels like it was carved specifically for riders, it’s the Million Dollar Highway. This 25-mile stretch of U.S. Route 550 between Ouray and Silverton cuts straight through the heart of the San Juan Mountains and is often considered one of the most breathtaking sections in the entire Rockies.
Mile for mile, it might even be the most scenic ride anywhere in the country. Narrow lanes, jagged peaks, deep mountain gorges, alpine meadows, sweeping valleys, and cinematic cliffside curves come at you one after another, each more stunning than the last.
It demands confidence on your bike, but once you’re ready for it, there’s nothing else quite like it.
The Overseas Highway – Florida
Some rides are about carving wicked corners, and others are about feeling the world open up around you. The Overseas Highway in Florida is the second kind. This sensational 113-mile highway stretches from Miami to Key West, carrying you over crystal-blue water and long, endless views as far as the eye can see.
The star of the show is the famous Seven Mile Bridge, a long stretch suspended between turquoise seas, with an adjacent section open only to pedestrians and cyclists. On a clear day, the horizon blends into the sky so perfectly that it feels like riding straight into it.
If sunshine, ocean breezes, and wide-open freedom are your idea of the perfect ride, this one belongs at the top of your list.
The Black Hills Loop – South Dakota
Few places fire up the imagination quite like the Black Hills Loop. Winding through Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road, this region has become a cornerstone of American motorcycling, thanks in part to its connection to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Even if you never attend the rally, the ride is absolutely worth the trip. You’ll pass through forested hills, towering granite spires, narrow tunnels carved through stone, and some of the Midwest’s most dramatic scenery. You’ll also see bison, pronghorns, ponderosa pines, and of course, the iconic Mount Rushmore.
Blue Ridge Parkway – Virginia to North Carolina
The Blue Ridge Parkway feels like it was made with motorcyclists in mind. This 469-mile ribbon through the Appalachian Mountains is smooth, scenic, and wonderfully relaxing. It has long sweepers, gentle elevation changes, tunnels cut through the rock, and overlooks that make you want to pull over every few minutes.
Ride at sunrise or sunset, and you’ll understand the hype. There’s nothing quite like it.
Going-to-the-Sun Road – Montana
The first few miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road make one thing clear: Glacier National Park was made to be explored on a motorcycle. This 50-mile stretch hugs cliffs, passes ancient glaciers, and reveals sweeping alpine views that will stop you in your tracks.
Built in the 1930s and only open a few months each year, the road winds through rock-carved tunnels, beneath waterfalls, and up to Logan Pass, where the peaks stretch endlessly in every direction.
It’s dramatic, humbling, and strangely peaceful all at once, and it has a funny way of reminding you just how big and beautiful the world really is.
Highway 12 – Utah
Utah’s Highway 12, also known as the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway, is as surreal as they come. This 120-mile route links Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Dixie National Forest, giving you a front row seat to some of the most dramatic scenery in the American West.
You’ll ride past deep red canyons, slickrock formations that twist into impossible shapes, and desert roads that curve and sweep through wide open space. This ride feels like another planet, capturing the epic beauty of the region.
The Ride of a Lifetime
These are some of the most iconic roads in American motorcycle history, and each one has its own way of creating those special moments you remember for the rest of your life.
Out of 3.9 million miles of road in the United States, this list is only the start. Countless more routes are waiting for you to discover them.
Your next adventure is out there. Just pick a road and go.