Where are the Highest Roads & Peaks Across the US?

[TexanRT]

Somebody I was corresponding with got me thinking about a question I've had for awhile -- where are the highest paved roads or bike-accessible peaks in each state across the US? I'll start with Texas: During our recent Davis Mountains & Big Bend trip my riding buddy snapped this shot while we were atop the MacDonald Observatory (http://www.as.utexas.edu/mcdonald/mcdonald.html) road near Fort Davis, Texas. The highest paved road in Texas coincides with the location of the observatory.

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/589.jpg

We visited the MacDonald Observatory and attended the "Star Party" that evening. Several amateur astronomers set up telescopes for visitors to view various stars and constellations -- it was a clear and cloudless evening -- I'd never seen that many stars in my life. Here's a view of the observatory from a few miles away:

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/592.jpg


Here's another shot of the area looking down towards the road to Ft. Davis:

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/590.jpg

[stkmkt1]

I do not have any current digital pictures )yet), but the road to Mt. Evans in Colorado is the highest paved road in North America. I will be there again in July on my new GSA. I will have pics. At the peak, your 14,292 ft. above seal level. And you can ride all the way up till you hit the parking lot, which is about 50 feet below the peak if I remember right.

[SPOKESMAN]

The highest highway/pass in CA is Highway 120/Tioga Pass at 9900'+. A beautiful ride, it's snowbound much of the year, and usually opens around this time. Sonora Pass/Highway 108 is over 9500', and Ebbetts, Carson and Monitor Passes are all well over 8000'.

CA has roads that are higher than Tioga Pass, up to near 12,000', but none of much significance.

Mount Whitney, at 14,505', is the highest point in the lower 48, and CA has about a dozen other peaks above 14,000'.

I would have never guessed that TX has near-7000' terrain. I would have guessed about 5000'.

[SPOKESMAN]

I do not have any current digital pictures )yet), but the road to Mt. Evans in Colorado is the highest paved road in North America. I will be there again in July on my new GSA. I will have pics. At the peak, your 14,292 ft. above seal level. And you can ride all the way up till you hit the parking lot, which is about 50 feet below the peak if I remember right.

There used to be a bicycle race up Mount Evans. Maybe there still is. "An easy race today boys, only one hill!"

[The_Veg]

Mt. Evans is definitely worth a trip! I rode it last year on the way to Gillette, and the day before that I rode Pike's Peak near Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak is only a few feet lower than Mt. Evans, and I'm pretty sure that together they are two of the three highest roads in North America.

Near the top of Mt. Evans:
http://vegomatic.smugmug.com/photos/337402031_z5JEm-M.jpg

Looking down from the summit:
http://vegomatic.smugmug.com/photos/337406426_5Wrik-M.jpg


I currently live in Georgia. This is our highest spot, and yeah, there's a parking lot near the top: http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Brasstown_Bald

[TexanRT]

On our most recent trip we made it to Clingman's Dome (http://www.clingmansdome.com/) in the Smoky Mountain National Park -- the highest point in the park and in TN. It was a beautiful day and you could see for miles -- on this day you could see Mt. Pisgah in NC (not in this pic). Notice the dead limbs -- there's a disease killing one type of fir tree and it's being replaced by another -- there were dead trees throughout this area.

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/595.jpg

We hiked up to the trail to the observation tower....

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/594.jpg

Throughout the trip we encountered lots of beemer drivers...

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/593.jpg

[TexanRT]

I currently live in Georgia. This is our highest spot, and yeah, there's a parking lot near the top: http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Brasstown_Bald

I past right by and didn't stop -- I'll have to catch it next time out. We also past the highest point of the Blue Ridge Parkway road somewhere between the Pisgah Inn and Cherokee, but we didn't get a picture there either. From Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mtn National Park you can see Mount Mitchell -- the highest point in NC.

[kgadley01]

:wave Mt. Evans is definitely worth a trip! I rode it last year on the way to Gillette, and the day before that I rode Pike's Peak near Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak is only a few feet lower than Mt. Evans, and I'm pretty sure that together they are two of the three highest roads in North America.

Near the top of Mt. Evans:
http://vegomatic.smugmug.com/photos/337402031_z5JEm-M.jpg

Looking down from the summit:
http://vegomatic.smugmug.com/photos/337406426_5Wrik-M.jpg


I currently live in Georgia. This is our highest spot, and yeah, there's a parking lot near the top: http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Brasstown_Bald

Hi Veg, :wave Ditto on Pikes Peak. we rode to the top in 07. 14,110 Ft. the top half is Gravel, but no big deal. we had street bikes.

[kgadley01]

PS... My house sits at 26 FT above sea level. LOL :scratch

[TexanRT]

I would have never guessed that TX has near-7000' terrain. I would have guessed about 5000'.

I was surprised that the Davis Mountains had those elevations too because most of our trip to and from west Texas looked more like this.....

http://www.sterlingresidential.com/images/596.jpg

[AKBeemer]

Surprisingly, at least to me, the highest road in Alaska is reputed to be 4800 feet at Atigun Pass on the Dalton. Given that we have the highest range on the continent I would have thought we'd have something higher. Guess it's a function of having relatively few roads.

[Manfred]

Powder River Pass in Wyoming is 9,662 ft at the top - it was beautiful in a car about 21 years ago.

My house sits about 70 ft above sea level.

[SIBUD]

Don't know how close the road is, but ..........


http://data.sailboatowners.com/photos/1244257200.jpg

[TexanRT]

Don't know how close the road is, but ..........


http://data.sailboatowners.com/photos/1244257200.jpg

+1 That's funny

[podsobinski]

Do Colorado Beemer Club's 100,000 foot ride. Enough to satify anyone for one day with 10 mountain passes and most above timberline.
Or like previous riders said try Mount Evans and throw in Pikes Peak (highest tole road in the country 14,110') another day. Let's see where else in almost the world could you drive in two days up two 14,000 foot mountains?

gpodzo

[DarrylRi]

My wife is into, among other things, orchids. Years ago we visited the Everglades (by car, thank heavens; man, it was buggy!) and just before returning to Miami to drop the car and fly home, we had to stop in at The Orchid Jungle, which was the world's largest propogator and shipper of orchids. They had a beautiful facility and a walking trail, along which various orchids were displayed, hanging in trees or in pots on the ground, each with a sign and lots of details (think, motorcycle musuem :)). So, my wife was checking out each one carefully and reading every word on every sign and I'm just kind of wandering along ahead.

There was a small rise, and at the top was a bench and sign. I was sure it was like the others, pointing up into a tree and telling about another orchid. But when I got there, I found it read: "Welcome to Mt. Dade / Highest Point in Dade County / Elevation: 18 ft." I suppose the bench was there so you could rest and catch your breath.

[DarrylRi]

I've been going to Don Cameron's Deming NM BBQ (http://www.deminggathering.com) over Veterns Day weekend for most of a decade, and the last couple years a few of us have gone for a ride afterwards. Last year we went to Corpus Christi and to visit Don's son up at Lake Jackson.

Don had been talking about going out onto South Padre Island and riding around there a bit and then coming back through Port Aransas and Anransas Pass. Now, you Texans will have to excuse a greenhorn Californian like myself, but when someone talks about a Pass road, I think of Tioga (mentioned above) or maybe something like Passo Stelvio in Italy, at or above 10,000 feet. So, I asked Don, "just how high is Aransas Pass?" He gave me a funny look and said "About 20 feet."

When we actually got there, I found that the "pass" is actually a waterway and there's a bridge over it.

[BubbaZanetti]

the only "highest road in the state" i KNOW i've been on is Old Cherry Mountain RD, or something like that which proclaims itself the highest state maintained road in NH, of course, i've been to the top of Washington a fair number of times and that is clearly higher.

i make it a habit of riding up to the tops of mountains whenever i can. highest i've been? i think maybe RT 152 in NM east of Silver City, up around 10K feet. all the big peaks were snowed in for the fall by the time i got out there, so that was the first open place i could pass.

[Mika]

Came across this site Highest Roads in North America (http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/co/highroad.htm) by doing a Google (http://www.google.com/search?q=highest+road+in+us&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7) search that has several listings.

In the early seventies when some friends and I were on one of my first long distance motorcycle trips we met a guy camping. His goal was to be the highest rider in each of the lower 48 states. Wonder if he is out of prison yet.
:scratch

[TexanRT]

Do Colorado Beemer Club's 100,000 foot ride. Enough to satify anyone for one day with 10 mountain passes and most above timberline.
Or like previous riders said try Mount Evans and throw in Pikes Peak (highest tole road in the country 14,110') another day. Let's see where else in almost the world could you drive in two days up two 14,000 foot mountains?

gpodzo

Any maps? Photos? That's exactly the kind of ride I want to plan. :thumb

[Jeff488]

I currently live in Georgia. This is our highest spot, and yeah, there's a parking lot near the top: http://ngeorgia.com/ang/Brasstown_Bald

You'll notice that the site doesn't mention the elevation.
Not makin' fun here, just sayin'.
See ya in Tennessee.:wave

[HexST]

It's 4784 ft above sea level.

[podsobinski]

Email me at gpodzo@msn.com and I could send you pictures and maps. After thinking of it, you could do Mtn. Evans and Pikes Peak in one day if you hit Mtn. Evans in the early morning and drive the 60 miles or so to the Pikes Peak tole road which has hours. The "100,000" foot ride is offered every summer and is on the list of rides and ralleys by BMWMOA.

gpodzo

[DWr100s]

I live in CA so have been over Tioga a few times, we lived in Denver briefly a couple years ago so got to do Mt Evans and while there, the Wyoming one mentioned above

They are all good roads and stunning rides, highly recommended. Around Evans there is a rustic restaurant, fairly large, really worth stopping at. I can't remember the name but you'll see it, there's no malls up there to hide it (yet).

I lived in Illinois till '84, besides no elevation, I had to ride about 20 miles out of town to find a TURN that wasn't a right angle. We'd run up and back on that 1 mile winding stretch for an hour. When the interstate came through, we finally got to practice turns on the cloverleaf!

[OUTBACKUFO]

I do not have any current digital pictures )yet), but the road to Mt. Evans in Colorado is the highest paved road in North America. I will be there again in July on my new GSA. I will have pics. At the peak, your 14,292 ft. above seal level. And you can ride all the way up till you hit the parking lot, which is about 50 feet below the peak if I remember right.

But will cost you you to even stop the cycle to take a picture... the USFS is charging 10$ just to ride up the road even though it is a state maintained road... got a lot of locals peed off about it and they have a platoon of FS employee slaceys to impress the point if you get the free pass to just drive the road and NOT STOP...

there is the highest pass roads in NA in Colorado also. Independance pass is 12200Ft Paved (highest contiunous pass road in NA) and Mostiquio Pass is the highest contiunous pass road in NA at 13185Ft but a very rough dirt road.. also there is Pikes Peak up to 14K

[TexanRT]

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20030622/ai_n10022285/

And a site of scenic byways.....

http://www.byways.org/

[BMWRich58]

Any maps? Photos? That's exactly the kind of ride I want to plan. :thumb

Yes definately do the 100,000' ride!!!
I did it in 2002.. met many a great people and the ride was Fantastic!!! 4 stars!!!
Put on every year by one of the Colorado Dealers and BMW Club's in early August so you still have time to signup.
Beautiful scenery,roads etc...Rally with food-band-gifts...!
You get a map (I still have) and ride at your own pace. About 500 miles total so a good days ride. Each year I'm told they change things/routes a little so as to not be boring but basically the same towns /passes are visited. I also heard they do this in the Fall only route it backwards.
A must DO...!

[TexanRT]

Don had been talking about going out onto South Padre Island and riding around there a bit and then coming back through Port Aransas and Anransas Pass. Now, you Texans will have to excuse a greenhorn Californian like myself, but when someone talks about a Pass road, I think of Tioga (mentioned above) or maybe something like Passo Stelvio in Italy, at or above 10,000 feet. So, I asked Don, "just how high is Aransas Pass?" He gave me a funny look and said "About 20 feet." When we actually got there, I found that the "pass" is actually a waterway and there's a bridge over it.

Unfortunately, all the passes in the Gulf Coast states are at sea level -- Aransas Pass, San Luis Pass, Rollover Pass, Sabine Pass, Southwest Pass..... :)

[bikerfish1100]

Trail Ridge Road thru RMNP is the highest paved road in any National Park http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q13/bikerfish1100/11Smntnforest.jpg, at a peak of 12,188. With 54 "14ers" (mountains over 14,000'), CO is the undisputed Big Elevation state.
The 100,000 Ft. ride takes a different route each year, albeit it many of the passes (Vail, Loveland, Hoosier, Guanella, Fremont- all over 11thou) are kept on the list, primarily due to their proximity to Denver.

[PGlaves]

In Kansas it is Mt. Sunflower. Approximately 4,000 feet. The top of a knoll in a field near the Colorado line.

[thompsonr]

In Kansas it is Mt. Sunflower. Approximately 4,000 feet. The top of a knoll in a field near the Colorado line.

I climbed that free handed once ..never again.......:laugh:laugh:laugh:laugh

I guess you really need to see that hill to think thats funny.........

[rico]

Hi,
Monitor Pass in central Cali is not the highest, but it sure is fun to run!
http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/beniciaboy/Picture172.jpg

[rico]

Whoops, sorry. Here's the launching section of the pass!

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo255/beniciaboy/Picture171.jpg

[41077]

Name: Driskill Mountain
Elevation: 535 feet (163 meters)
Location: 5.3 miles southeast of Bryceland, Louisiana.
Township and Range: Northeast corner of Section 32, T.17N., R.5W.
Parish: Bienville
Looks like LA 507 goes right past it.

I think we need a state by state report on this then some enterprising soul can put together a Grand Tour.

[TexanRT]

Name: Driskill Mountain
Elevation: 535 feet (163 meters)
Location: 5.3 miles southeast of Bryceland, Louisiana.
Township and Range: Northeast corner of Section 32, T.17N., R.5W.
Parish: Bienville
Looks like LA 507 goes right past it.

I think we need a state by state report on this then some enterprising soul can put together a Grand Tour.

+1:thumb

[MLS2GO]

It is Taum Sauk Mountain all 1772 feet of it. We are a little above that here on the old Fire Tower on the top of it.

http://mls2go.smugmug.com/photos/560591822_Yyfeu-L.jpg


Here's a view over the horizon.

http://mls2go.smugmug.com/photos/560594222_Z8CWm-L.jpg

For those of you who go to the Falling Leaf Rally, it's just a little south of Potosi.

[bmwrider88]

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii42/ricochetrider/2nd%20tour%20de%20frank/tourdefrank163.jpg

My former RT @ Mt Davis, Pennsylvania, 3,213 feet above sea level.
Mt davis is located south east of Pittsburgh, in the western part of PA.

looking at the pix of the highest roads out in Colorado, old Pennsyltuckey can't hold a candle to THAT, per se. BUT we do have miles upon miles if traffic-free mountain roads.

unlimited back road riding = miles of smiles.

[TexanRT]

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii42/ricochetrider/2nd%20tour%20de%20frank/tourdefrank163.jpg

.... we do have miles upon miles if traffic-free mountain roads. unlimited back road riding = miles of smiles.

+1 :thumb

[vfroger]

About 20 years ago I embarked on visiting the highest points in each state. The info was on each page in the Rand McNally atlas. I found that many states had markers or even state parks at or near the point.

Examples: Guadalupe NP for Texas highest point. Mt Davis, PA has an overlook as does Brasstown Bald in GA. Clingmans Dome and Mt Mitchell in Tenn and NC are accessible from NP roads (BRP in NC). Spruce Knob in WV has a gravel rd to the top. rode a Concours up it. Now I have a GSA :-)

Backbone Mt is a ridge in Maryland and US 50 crosses near the high point which is actually on the WV/MD stateline. Mt. Cheah in Alabama is a state park on top of the mountain with lodge and restaurant.

I even have pix with home-made signs (pre computer days). It was a grand quest.

I'd considered making my next one going to county courthouses, but I heard about some guy named Higdon who has already done that :clap

[BubbaZanetti]

went over the Jefferson Notch Road in the White Mountains again this weekend, 3009 ft, highest publicly maintained road in NH although i didn't see another motorcycle on it for the whole 10 miles and there was thousands of bikes all over for laconia.