Scenic Drives through the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains

There’s nothing like it – driving through the peaks and valleys of a mountain range with your windows down and the music playing in time with the curves in the road.

Click here to listen to the perfect playlist for your mountain drive, whether you’re winding through the snowcapped Rockies or the rolling Appalachian hills. With their driving rhythms, prominent guitar melodies, and soulful vocals, these heart-stirring melodies evoke the grandness of the mountain landscape.

Rocky Mountains

Adventure has always defined the United States’ backbone, and these vast mountain ranges remain unscarred by roads or summer homes, largely thanks to the USA’s remarkable public lands system.

You’re likely familiar with the big ones: Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks. However, more than half of the total area of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho consists of national forests, monuments, and recreation areas, all open for everyone to enjoy. This is America’s playground, where there’s still plenty of wild places to explore.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Few national parks are as magnificent and pristine as Glacier, where grizzly bears roam freely in a wilderness that’s both easily accessible to humans yet authentically wild. It’s renowned for its historic “parkitecture” lodges, an intact pre-Columbian ecosystem, and the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road. This 53-mile mountain route is a National Historic Landmark, purpose-built for you to drive into this stunning country.

Grand Teton to Yellowstone

America’s most beloved national park, Yellowstone, conveniently pairs with America’s most impressive mountain range, the Tetons, in this epic two-for-one journey. Start in Jackson, Wyoming, and end in Lamar Valley or the Mammoth Hot Springs.

Moreover, with the world’s highest concentration of geysers, Yellowstone excels in both landscape and wildlife. You stand a good chance of spotting herds of bison, lumbering grizzlies, and packs of wolves as you drive past the country’s largest alpine lake and countless gushing waterfalls. When approaching from the south, you’ll be overwhelmed by the craggy peaks of the Tetons towering above the pristine Snake River valley.

Appalachian Mountains

1500 miles east of the Rockies runs one of the world’s oldest mountain chains: the Appalachians. In its heyday, its peaks rivaled those of the Alps, but today the range favors vibrant green ridges over rocky cliffs. Its hills harbor an intriguing ecosystem, a distinctive culture, and characterful towns.

The Appalachians stretch all the way from northern Georgia to New Brunswick, with the famous Appalachian Trail winding along its spine, the longest hiking-only path in the world at 2,190 miles. However, don’t let the mountain chain’s enormity deter you; there are plenty of hiking options – ranging from easy to challenging – as well as picturesque driving routes. Those willing to take the plunge will be rewarded with an incredible variety of waterfalls, swimming holes, rock formations, and rare flora and wildlife.

Blue Ridge Parkway

This drive on America’s favorite byway curves through the leafy Appalachians, swooping up the East Coast’s highest peak and leading towards the Smokies, pausing at America’s largest mansion.

The Blue Ridge Parkway winds for 469 sumptuous miles, stretching from Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains. Each languid curve unveils another panorama of multi-hued trees and mist-shrouded mountains, with tantalizing viewpoints encouraging frequent stops. Furthermore, no billboards ruin the scenic views, and there’s seldom even a sign of human presence.

The Great Smokies

While fictional lands like Hobbiton and Narnia may not exist, if you crave a land of wonders, take this drive through the Smokies, home to vibrant greenery, strutting wildlife, whispering waterfalls, and the irrepressible Dollywood.

You can admire the beauty of the Great Smokies from your car; however, the exhilarating, crash-bang, breathe-it-in wonder of the place cannot be entirely appreciated until you step outside your vehicle. Hold tight as you bounce over Nantahala rapids, nod to foraging black bears as you bicycle through Cades Cove, and press your nose against windows in downtown Gatlinburg, where choosing the right pancake place is an essential experience.