The American Southwest holds a special magic for road trippers. Something about those endless horizons, painted desert landscapes, and winding mountain roads speaks to the soul. Whether cruising through red rock canyons or climbing into pine-covered peaks, this corner of America serves up some of the most jaw-dropping scenery you’ll ever see from behind a windshield.
Out here, every twist in the road reveals another postcard-perfect view. Here is a list of 20 scenic rides in the American Southwest that’ll make you want to keep your camera within arm’s reach.
Route 66 Through Kingman, Arizona
This classic stretch of the Mother Road winds through rugged desert mountains and historic towns. The drive from Kingman to Oatman features hairpin turns and old mining ghost towns, with wild burros often wandering across the asphalt to greet travelers.
Stop at the old-fashioned general stores, where tales of the road’s golden age are shared over ice-cold sodas.
Monument Valley Loop, Utah/Arizona
The 17-mile valley drive takes you to the heart of those famous sandstone buttes you’ve seen in countless Western movies. The red dirt road is bumpy but manageable, and each viewpoint offers scenes that look like they were carved by the gods themselves.
Visit in the late afternoon, when the setting sun turns the monuments into glowing pillars of fire.
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Highway 12 Through Southern Utah
Connecting Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, this 124-mile journey is pure magic. You’ll cross slickrock plateaus, wind through aspen forests, and traverse the “Hogback,” where the road follows a razor-thin ridge with thousand-foot drop-offs on both sides.
Small towns like Boulder and Escalante offer perfect pit stops for homemade pie and local crafts.
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park
Though technically not in the desert Southwest, this mountain marvel earns its spot with 50 miles of alpine grandeur. The road climbs over 6,000 feet through glacier-carved valleys, past waterfalls, and alongside precipitous cliffs where mountain goats often pose for photos.
The famous Weeping Wall creates its own weather system as dozens of waterfalls cascade down the mountainside.
Beartooth Highway, Montana/Wyoming
This 68-mile mountain pass tops out at nearly 11,000 feet, switchbacking through some of the most dramatic scenery in North America. Alpine lakes dot the landscape like scattered mirrors, while distant peaks stretch to the horizon.
Snow patches linger year-round at the highest elevations, creating a stark contrast with summer wildflowers.
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High Road to Taos, New Mexico
This historic byway connects Santa Fe to Taos through centuries-old Spanish villages and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Adobe churches, traditional craft galleries, and fruit orchards line the route, while the mountains provide a stunning backdrop.
Stop in Chimayo for handwoven textiles and the famous red chile that grows nowhere else.
Apache Trail, Arizona
Starting in Apache Junction, this partially unpaved route winds past several lakes before plunging into the Superstition Mountains. The road includes the famous Fish Creek Hill, where it drops 900 feet in just one mile through impossibly tight switchbacks.
Legend has it that the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine lies somewhere in these mountains, still waiting to be discovered.
Turquoise Trail, New Mexico
This 50-mile back road between Albuquerque and Santa Fe earned its name from the mineral deposits in the area. The route passes through old mining towns where artists now occupy former saloons, creating a perfect blend of Old West character and modern creativity.
Once a ghost town, Madrid thrives as an artist colony with galleries in converted coal company houses.
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Valley of Fire Road, Nevada
Just an hour from Las Vegas, this state park drive features some of the most vibrant red sandstone formations you’ll ever see. The 10-mile scenic loop includes ancient petroglyphs, petrified logs, and rock formations that glow like embers in the afternoon sun. Formations like Elephant Rock and Fire Wave look like they belong on another planet.
Highway 163 to Monument Valley, Arizona
This arrow-straight road leading to Monument Valley is the most photographed stretch of asphalt in the Southwest. That famous view of the highway disappearing into the valley with massive buttes on the horizon has graced countless postcards and movie scenes.
Forrest Gump made this spot even more famous when he decided to stop running right here.
Kolob Canyons Road, Utah
This lesser-known section of Zion National Park offers a 5-mile drive through finger canyons of crimson Navajo sandstone. The road ends at a viewpoint overlooking Kolob Terrace, where massive cliffs rise 2,000 feet from the canyon floor.
The contrast between golden cottonwoods and red rock walls in fall creates a natural masterpiece.
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Burr Trail, Utah
Beginning in Boulder, this mostly paved route descends through the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park. The switchbacks through Long Canyon are an engineering marvel, carved into sheer cliff faces with jaw-dropping views.
The road passes through slot canyons so narrow that the walls almost touch overhead.
Moki Dugway, Utah
This graded dirt road drops 1,200 feet in just 3 miles, using hairpin turns carved directly into the cliff face. From the top, you can see Monument Valley in the distance, while the Valley of the Gods spreads out below like a miniature version of its more famous neighbor.
Built in 1958 by Texas zinc miners, this road still challenges even experienced drivers.
Artists Drive, Death Valley
This 9-mile loop through the Black Mountains showcases an incredible palette of colored rocks caused by the oxidation of different metals. The highlight is Artists Palette, where hillsides display purples, greens, yellows, and reds all swirled together.
Visit in late afternoon when the angled sunlight intensifies the mineral colors to their most vivid.
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Rim Rock Drive, Colorado National Monument
This 23-mile route follows the rim of a massive canyon system near Grand Junction. Sheer sandstone cliffs, twisted rock spires, and juniper-dotted mesas create scenery that rivals any national park.
The Independence Monument, a 450-foot sandstone tower, stands as the park’s most recognizable landmark.
Cathedral Valley Loop, Utah
This remote backcountry drive in Capitol Reef requires high clearance but rewards adventurers with some of the most otherworldly landscapes in America. Massive monoliths rise from the desert floor like ancient cathedrals, while the Glass Mountain gypsum formation sparkles in the sun.
The Temple of the Sun and the Moon formations stand like giant chess pieces on a red desert board.
Horseshoe Bend Road, Arizona
While the famous viewpoint is just a short hike from the parking area, the drive along Highway 89 approaching Page offers incredible views of Glen Canyon. The Colorado River has carved a deep gorge, creating one of the most photographed bends in any river.
The best light for photography comes just after sunrise when the canyon walls glow orange.
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Shafer Trail, Canyonlands National Park
This terrifying dirt road switchbacks down 1,500 feet from the Island in the Sky mesa. Originally built for uranium prospectors, it now serves as one of the most thrilling drives in the national park system, with views that stretch for dozens of miles.
Mountain bikers consider conquering this road a rite of passage.
Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park
Reaching 12,183 feet, this is the highest continuous paved road in America. For 48 miles, it winds through alpine tundra above treeline, where you might spot elk, bighorn sheep, and marmots against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.
Due to extreme weather conditions, the road stays open only from Memorial Day to mid-October.
San Juan Skyway, Colorado
This 236-mile loop through the San Juan Mountains connects Durango, Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton. The section between Ouray and Silverton, known as the Million Dollar Highway, features some of North America’s most spectacular mountain driving.
Whether the name comes from the million-dollar views or the cost of building it depends on who’s telling the story.
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The Southwest’s Endless Roads
These scenic drives capture what makes the American Southwest so special—that perfect combination of vast open spaces, dramatic geology, and roads that seem to stretch into eternity. Each journey offers its own flavor of adventure, from desert washes to alpine passes, from ancient rock art to abandoned mining camps.
That’s the magic of Southwest road trips – the journey becomes the destination, and every mile promises something extraordinary around the next bend. Pack plenty of water, keep your gas tank full, and prepare for memories that last a lifetime.
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