These Are 3 of The Most Treacherous Roads In American Wilderness
They'll take your breath away–figuratively and otherwise.
The U.S. has some of the most beautifully scenic drives in the world, and that’s a fact. A long drive through certain regions of the U.S. can transport you to land's most untamable terrains.
Dangerous (or alluring, depending on who you ask) roads are everywhere from the slopes of the highest peaks to the frozen tundra.
Here are three of the most dangerous:
Tail of the Dragon
Near the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina, on the edge of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, runs this infamous stretch of U.S. Route 129. With a legendary 138 curves, 11 bridges, super-shadowy sections, and rocky walls, it’s the slowest 11 miles you'll ever drive.
Suggestions: take it slow around the curves, have proximity sensors ready for those tight turns
Million Dollar Highway
Also known as Highway 550, it’s chock-full of beautiful views and is 11,000 ft above sea level. Besides the really high altitude (that takes adjusting to) and the finicky weather, drivers need to worry about a deficit of guardrails, the sheer sides, and the lack of shoulders to pull over to.
Suggestions: keep your eyes in front of you at all times to watch for blind turns, take it slow, use sensors to help keep other vehicles at a safe distance, give them ample space to maneuver, and have a backup plan
Dalton Highway
The TV show Ice Road Truckers served as a warning: the high-altitude Dalton Highway is not one to mess with. Running 414 miles through multiple terrains in the rugged Alaskan wilderness, it was originally built to transport oil on trucks. It’s desolate, has whiteout conditions and below-freezing temps on a regular basis, and gets extremely steep in sections.
Suggestions: make sure your visibility is well-served by weatherproof equipment, snow tires, a driving partner, and a record of everything since you're likely a trucker on a route
