Enjoy dizzying panoramic views, five major ski areas, salmon fish hatchery, Columbia River Gorge, majestic waterfalls, overgrown bridges, and tunnels.
For you city slickers who crave a little outdoor adventure on the weekends, the Mt. Hood/Columbia River Gorge Loop is a perfect “must see” panoramic getaway. Encompassing the rich landscape just outside Portland, Oregon’s largest city, this 4-hour drive will take you to dizzying heights. Catch a scenic glimpse of the Gorge at the Grotto as you leave the city on Sandy Blvd. Follow Route 26 to Sandy where you can try your palette at the Wasson Winery. Read more . . .
Heading through the 13,000-foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this 58-mile trek is the most panoramic route between Taos and Santa Fe. Start out from Espanola on U.S. 84, picking up Route 76 to Chimayo. Sights here consists of the fortified Plaza del Cerro, a remnant from the Spanish Colonial times, as well as the Santaurio de Chimayo, which draws the faithful from around the area for its sacred dirt believed to impart cures.
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. 
The Moapa Valley Drive offers excellent vistas of Lake Mead. The 110-mile long Lake Mead and the 1.5 million-acre recreation area were created with the construction of Hoover Dam. It took almost 2 years of tunneling and digging to divert the river, two years to block the canyon with about 7 million tons of concrete, and some 5000 workers working around the clock to complete the project. Checking and driving out the views in the Mead area will remind you of the enormousness of projects that humans can accomplish. The drive will take you about 2-1/2 hours. 
The 2-hour Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway leads into the Ruby Mountains on Forest Road 660. This great drive is Mother Nature’s panorama at its best with mountains and desert. The 34-mile drive through the Humboldt National Forest is closed in the winter. Trace Route 227 east of Elko to the start of the byway. As soon as you are into the national forest, you’ll dead-end in Lamoille Canyon. To the right, you will see the 11,387-foot Ruby Dome. Just a short drive ahead is the Powerhouse Picnic Area.