National Scenic Byway

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A sign indicating the National Scenic Byway designation for the Creole Nature Trail.
A sign indicating the National Scenic Byway designation for the Creole Nature Trail.

A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often less-traveled roads and promote tourism and economic development. The program is administered by the Federal Highway Administration.

The most scenic of the roads in the program are designated All-American Roads. The designation means they have features that do not exist elsewhere in the United States and are scenic enough to be tourist destinations unto themselves. As of September 2005, there are 99 National Scenic Byways and 27 All-American Roads, located in 44 states (all except Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Texas).[1]

[edit] List of byways


Type Name Image States Description Designated
NSB A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway Florida Follows Atlantic coast barrier islands 2002-06-13
AAR Acadia Byway Maine Scenic drive past mountains on the Maine shore 2000-06-15 (AAR)
AAR Alaska's Marine Highway Alaska Ferry system connecting Alaskan coastal communities 2002-06-13 (NSB)
2005-09-22 (AAR)
NSB Amish Country Ohio Historic drive through eastern Ohio's Amish communities 2002-06-13
NSB Arroyo Seco Parkway Scenic Byway California The first freeway in the Western U.S., connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena through the Arroyo Seco 2002-06-13
NSB Ashley River Road South Carolina Traverses a historic district along the Ashley River 2000-06-15
AAR Beartooth Scenic Byway Montana, Wyoming Scenic northeastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park 2000-06-15 (AAR)
2002-06-13 (extended in Montana)
NSB Billy the Kid Trail New Mexico Scenic drive through rugged mountains 1998-06-09
AAR Blue Ridge Parkway North Carolina, Virginia Scenic drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains 1996-09-19 (AAR, North Carolina)
2005-09-22 (AAR, Virginia)
NSB Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway Delaware Historic rolling hills of northern Delaware 2005-09-22
NSB CanalWay Ohio Scenic Byway Ohio Historic drive along the Ohio and Erie Canal 2000-06-15
NSB Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway Oregon Connects lakes and forests of central Oregon 1998-06-09
NSB Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byway Maryland Scenic and historic drive through the Catoctin Mountains 2005-09-22
NSB Cherohala Skyway North Carolina, Tennessee Ridgetop drive in the Appalachians 1996-09-19 (Tennessee)
1998-06-09 (North Carolina)
NSB Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway South Carolina Scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Escarpment 1998-06-09
NSB Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway Maryland Traverses the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay 2002-06-13
AAR Chinook Scenic Byway Washington Scenic drive with views of Mount Rainier 1998-06-09 (AAR)
NSB Coal Heritage Trail West Virginia Historic drive through coal-producing areas of southwestern West Virginia 1998-06-09
AAR Colonial Parkway Virginia Landscaped parkway through historic areas 2005-09-22 (AAR)
NSB Colorado River Headwaters Byway Colorado Descent along the Colorado River through canyons 2005-09-22
NSB Connecticut River Byway New Hampshire, Vermont Scenic drive on both sides of New England's longest river 2005-09-22
NSB Connecticut State Route 169 Connecticut One of the last unspoiled areas in New England 1996-09-19
NSB Copper Country Trail Michigan Traverses an area developed for copper mining 2005-09-22
NSB Coronado Trail Scenic Byway Arizona Scenic drive through high deserts and forests 2005-09-22
NSB Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway Washington Passes through coulees formed by receding glaciers 2005-09-22
NSB Country Music Highway Kentucky Historic drive through eastern Kentucky 2002-06-13
AAR Creole Nature Trail Louisiana Marshes and prairies of southern Louisiana 1996-09-19 (NSB)
2002-06-13 (AAR)
NSB Crowley's Ridge Parkway Arkansas, Missouri Scenic drive along Crowley's Ridge, with a diversity of plant species 1998-06-09 (Arkansas)
2000-06-15 (Missouri)
NSB Death Valley Scenic Byway California Scenic drive through the lowest place in North America, surrounded by mountains 1998-06-09
2002-06-13 (extended)
NSB Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway Colorado, Utah Passes many dinosaur fossil sites 2002-06-13
NSB Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway California Crossing of the Sierra Nevada past giant sequoia groves 2005-09-22
NSB Edge of the Wilderness Minnesota Scenic drive through forests and hills of northern Minnesota 1996-09-19
NSB El Camino Real New Mexico Historic north-south route through central New Mexico 1998-06-09
2005-09-22 (extended)
NSB Energy Loop: Huntington and Eccles Canyons Scenic Byways Utah Historic drive past coal mining operations 2000-06-15
NSB Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway Utah Scenic drive through the Uinta Mountains 1998-06-09
NSB Flint Hills Scenic Byway Kansas Scenic drive through Great Plains grasslands 2005-09-22
NSB Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway Colorado Follows the paths of early explorers through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 1998-06-09
AAR George Washington Memorial Parkway Virginia Landscaped parkway along the Potomac River 2005-09-22 (AAR)
NSB Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway New Mexico Scenic drive past mountains and lakes of southwestern New Mexico 2005-09-22
NSB Glenn Highway Alaska Terrain shaped by receding glaciers 2002-06-13
NSB Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway Colorado Follows stage and rail routes to historic gold mining locations 2000-06-15
NSB Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway Colorado Climbs to Grand Mesa 1996-09-19
NSB Grand Rounds Scenic Byway Minnesota Continuous parkway surrounding Minneapolis 1998-06-09
NSB Great River Road Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Wisconsin Scenic drive along the Mississippi River from its headwaters to southern Mississippi 2000-06-15 (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin)
2002-06-13 (Arkansas)
2005-09-22 (Mississippi)
AAR Hells Canyon Scenic Byway Oregon Provides views of Hells Canyon on the Snake River 2000-06-15 (AAR)
NSB Highland Scenic Highway West Virginia Scenic drive through mountains and valleys 1996-09-19
NSB Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway Minnesota Historic and scenic drive through southearnern Minnesota 2002-06-13
AAR Historic Columbia River Highway Oregon America's first scenic highway, through the Columbia River Gorge 1998-06-09 (AAR)
AAR Historic National Road Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia Historic gateway to the Midwestern U.S. 1998-06-09 (NSB, Indiana)
2000-06-15 (NSB, Illinois)
2002-06-13 (AAR, all states)
NSB Historic Route 66 Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico Historic "Mother Road" linking Chicago to Los Angeles 2000-06-15 (New Mexico)
2005-09-22 (Arizona, Illinois)
NSB Illinois River Road: Route of the Voyageurs Illinois Scenic drive through the Illinois River Valley 2005-09-22
NSB Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway Florida Diverse estuary near Kennedy Space Center 2002-06-13
AAR International Selkirk Loop Idaho, Washington Loop around the Selkirk Mountains 2005-09-22 (AAR)
NSB Jemez Mountain Trail New Mexico Scenic drive past geological formations and Indian ruins 1998-06-09
NSB Kaibab Plateau - North Rim Parkway Arizona Scenic drive through dense forests to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon 1998-06-09
NSB Kancamagus Scenic Byway New Hampshire Passes through the White Mountains 1996-09-19
NSB Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail Ohio Follows the south shore of Lake Erie 2005-09-22
NSB Lake Tahoe - Eastshore Drive Nevada Follows the east shore of Lake Tahoe 1996-09-19
AAR Lakes to Locks Passage, The Great Northeast Journey New York Passes by the connected waterways of the eastern tier of New York 2002-06-13 (AAR)
AAR Las Vegas Strip Nevada Urban boulevard past casinos and other Las Vegas entertainment 2000-06-15 (AAR)
NSB Lincoln Highway Illinois A portion of America's first transcontinental highway 2000-06-15
NSB Little Dixie Highway of the Great River Road Missouri Part of the Great River Road in northeastern Missouri 2002-06-13
NSB Loess Hills Scenic Byway Iowa Silt deposits in the Missouri River Valley 2000-06-15
NSB Logan Canyon Scenic Byway Utah Passes through scenic Logan Canyon 2002-06-13
NSB McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway Oregon Loop across two Cascade passes 1998-06-09
NSB Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route Illinois Floodplain where the Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers meet 1998-06-09
2000-06-15 (extended)
NSB Merritt Parkway Connecticut Historic parkway with individually-designed bridges 1996-09-19
NSB Midland Trail West Virginia Scenic drive through the New River Gorge 2000-06-15
NSB Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway Minnesota Historic drive through the Minnesota River Valley 2002-06-13
NSB Mohawk Towpath Byway New York Follows the historic Erie Canal 2005-09-22
NSB Mountains to Sound Greenway - I-90 Washington Scenic drive across the Cascades 1998-06-09
NSB Mt. Hood Scenic Byway Oregon Provides views of Mount Hood 2005-09-22
AAR Natchez Trace Parkway Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee Early trail connecting the Mississippi Territory with Nashville 1996-09-19 (AAR)
NSB Native American Scenic Byway North Dakota, South Dakota Traverses four Lakota Sioux reservations 1998-06-09 (South Dakota)
2005-09-22 (extended in both states)
NSB Nebo Loop Scenic Byway Utah Passes near Mount Nebo in the Wasatch Range 1998-06-09
AAR North Shore Scenic Drive Minnesota Follows the north shore of Lake Superior 2000-06-15 (AAR)
2002-06-13 (extended)
AAR Northwest Passage Scenic Byway Idaho Follows Lewis and Clark's search for the Northwest Passage 2002-06-13
2005-09-22 (extended and became an AAR)
NSB Ohio River Scenic Route Illinois, Indiana, Ohio Follows the north bank of the Ohio River 1996-09-19 (Indiana)
1998-06-09 (Illinois, Ohio)
NSB Old Canada Road Scenic Byway Maine Historic route between Maine and Quebec 2000-06-15
NSB Outback Scenic Byway Oregon Scenic drive through rugged country of southern Oregon 1998-06-09
AAR Pacific Coast Scenic Byway Oregon Scenic drive along the Pacific coast 1998-06-09 (NSB)
2002-06-13 (AAR)
NSB Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Minnesota Passes through the forests of central Minnesota 2005-09-22
NSB Payette River Scenic Byway Idaho Traverses foothills and valleys 2002-06-13
NSB Pend Oreille Scenic Byway Idaho Scenic drive along Lake Pend Oreille 2002-06-13
NSB Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway South Dakota Scenic drive through mountains of southwestern South Dakota 1996-09-19
NSB Pioneer Historic Byway Idaho Includes Mormon settlements and Oregon Trail ruts 2005-09-22
NSB Pyramid Lake Scenic Byway Nevada One of the largest desert lakes in the world 1996-09-19
NSB Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway Maine Scenic drive past mountains and lakes 2000-06-15
NSB Red River Gorge Scenic Byway Kentucky Scenic drive through the Red River Gorge 2002-06-13
AAR Red Rock Scenic Road Arizona Scenic drive through the high desert 2005-09-22 (AAR)
NSB River Road Scenic Byway Michigan Scenic drive through the Au Sable River Valley 2005-09-22
NSB Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway Oregon Follows two scenic rivers through southwestern Oregon 2002-06-13
AAR Route One, Big Sur Coast Highway California Scenic Drive along the Pacific coast 1996-09-19 (AAR)
AAR Route One, San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway California Scenic Drive along the Pacific coast 2002-06-13 (AAR)
NSB Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway Georgia Winds through the southern Appalachians 2000-06-15
AAR San Juan Skyway Colorado Loop through the San Juan Mountains 1996-09-19 (AAR)
NSB Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway Colorado, New Mexico Follows a historic trade route through scenic mountains and plains 1998-06-09
NSB Savannah River Scenic Byway South Carolina Scenic drive along the Savannah River 1998-06-09
NSB Schoodic Scenic Byway Maine Unspoiled coastline through the "quiet side" of Acadia National Park 2000-06-15
NSB Seaway Trail New York, Pennsylvania Scenic drive along the shores of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River 1996-09-19 (New York)
2005-09-22 (Pennsylvania)
AAR Selma to Montgomery March Byway Alabama Route of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March led by Martin Luther King, Jr. 1996-09-19 (AAR)
AAR Seward Highway Alaska Scenic drive through mountains and fjords 1998-06-09 (NSB)
2000-06-15 (AAR)
NSB Sky Island Scenic Byway Arizona Climb from the desert to forests with great biological diversity 2005-09-22
NSB Skyline Drive Virginia Scenic drive through Shenandoah National Park 2005-09-22
NSB Sheyenne River Valley Scenic Byway North Dakota Historic drive through a scenic valley 2002-06-13
NSB Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike West Virginia Historic drive through West Virginia forests 2005-09-22
NSB Stevens Pass Greenway Washington Scenic drive across the Cascades 2005-09-22
NSB Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway - SR 112 Washington Follows the shoreline of northwestern Washington 2000-06-15
NSB Talimena Scenic Drive Arkansas, Oklahoma Crest drive along some of the highest ridges between the Appalachians and Rockies 2005-09-22
NSB Talladega Scenic Drive Alabama Scenic drive through the southernmost extension of the Appalachian Mountains 1998-06-09
NSB Tamiami Trail Scenic Highway Florida Traverses the Florida Everglades 2000-06-15
NSB Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road California High mountain pass through Yosemite National Park 1996-09-19
NSB Top of the Rockies Colorado Scenic drive through the Rockies near Leadville 1998-06-09
NSB Trail of the Ancients Colorado, Utah Scenic drive through the Native American history of the Four Corners region 2005-09-22
NSB Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway New Mexico Scenic drive through the mountains of southwestern New Mexico 2005-09-22
AAR Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road Colorado America's highest continuously paved road 1996-09-19 (AAR)
NSB Turquoise Trail New Mexico Back road between Albuquerque and Santa Fe 2000-06-15
AAR Utah's Scenic Byway 12 - A Journey Through Time Utah Scenic drive through canyons, plateaus, and valleys 2002-06-13 (AAR)
AAR Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway California, Oregon Scenic drive through the Cascade Volcanic Arc 1998-06-09 (AAR, Oregon)
2002-06-13 (AAR, California)
NSB Washington Heritage Trail West Virginia Scenic and historic drive through West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle 2000-06-15
NSB West Cascades Scenic Byway Oregon Follows the west side of the Cascades 2000-06-15
NSB Western Heritage Historic Byway Idaho Scenic drive to the Snake River Canyon 2005-09-22
NSB Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway Kansas Scenic drive through wetlands of central Kansas 2005-09-22
NSB White Mountain Trail New Hampshire Passes through the White Mountains and past Mount Washington 1998-06-09
NSB Wilderness Road Heritage Highway Kentucky Follows Daniel Boone's historic entrance to the valleys of Kentucky 2002-06-13
NSB Woodward Avenue Michigan Connects automobile-related historic sites of the "Motor City" 2002-06-13

[edit] References

  1. ^ America's Byways. National Scenic Byways Online. Retrieved on 2007-05-23.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Scenic highway systems in the United States
National systems
National Scenic Byways
State systems

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming