See hardwood forests of maple, beech, and birch that explode with color, mountain views, and spectacular views of glistening Lower Saranac Lake.
This 2-1/2 hour drive through the thickly forested, 6 million-acre state parkland of the Adirondack Mountains, with 42 peaks rising more than 4,000 feet, will literally take your breath away. Start your drive at the intersection of Route 8 and 30 in the village of Speculator, a popular fishing, hunting, and skiing center. This portion of the road will take you up the base of the mountain through hardwood forests of beech, maple, and birch that explode with color in the fall. Follow Route 30 north to Lewey Lake and the Lewey Lake Campgrounds, the first major stopping place. Read more . . .
On the western side of Massachusetts, bordering New York, is a region known as the Berkshires. It’s actually a county comprising some of the prettiest lakes, forests, mountains and towns in New England. This trip will take you through the central Berkshires, an area filled with lush forests on top of quaint New England towns.
Maine’s Acadia National Park may be very familiar to you from the countless postcards that record its rugged, rocky coastline. This dramatic feature, along with the lush forests and quiet sheltered ponds, make it one of the most popular parks in the country. This tour will give you an idea on some of the best Maine has to offer. The national park on Mount Desert Island is a combination of private and public land. The byway starts in Trenton at the Thompson Island Bridge on Route Three.
Continuing on the drive from Espanola to Taos, this route takes you from the hustle and bustle of Taos into high, valleys, lakes, remote forests, and Wild West towns. The four-to five-hour loop snakes the 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak, the nation’s highest mountain, as well as some outstanding ski spots. Heading east from Taos on U.S. 64, the road ascends through Taos canyon’s evergreen forests and past several picnic spots and campgrounds. After winding through the Carson National Forest, it climbs over a 9,101-foot pass and heads back down to farmlands and the ski town of Angel Fire. 
At Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you can view first hand the real force that is reshaping the Big Island of Hawaii even nowadays. Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, with steam rising from its massive caldera, and a landscape pocked with craters, cooled lava flows and cinder cones. This eleven-mile, 2-hour drive circles the rim and includes a desert and a beautiful rain forest.