Stateside Roads - the twistier the better! | GTAMotorcycle.com

Stateside Roads - the twistier the better!

shanekingsley

shanekingsley

Curry - so nice it burns you twice
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Given how many of us so frequently head south to ride good roads, I'm putting this thread together to help you plan your routes. The roads below are the ones I have been on and they are sorted by state (especially once I add more states). If you know of some amazing road that I have missed in a state listed below, I'll head south and check it out right away.
Google Maps occasionally updates itself, and so some of the links below may not work over time - if you find something not right, please let me know and I'll correct it. If you need .gpx files of any of the roads below, I would suggest you look at MyRouteApp or a program similar that can easily save routes as gpx files for your gps device.
As I have time to update this (and it will take time), I will add more roads and states to this post. I'm not going to do every state - just the ones to the south and southeast of us, since they are the closest and most frequently visited by us. At the bottom of each state, I'll also throw in some of the routes I have done linking the roads together. Safe travels.

Pennsylvania: leaving from the GTA, this area can be reached within a day, with most of the better ones only a few hours south of Buffalo
Longhouse Scenic Drive: This really is a scenic drive with some nice curves thrown in for good measure. It's a great way to start or end your travels in Pennsylvania and also has the Kinzua Dam right beside the north end of this road. The Dam is a really interesting spot to take a break. And while you are at it, ride about 20 minutes to the east and check out the Kinzua Bridge.
PA949: A sweet road filled with fast sweepers and nice pavement. A good road to link up to the 666
PA666: A great road to ride, but it would be much better if the pavement was as good as the rest of the state.
PA144: One of the best roads in the state. Endless curves, amazing scenery and almost flawless pavement. It's about 75 miles long and the southern half is better.
Kettle Creek Road: There is an awesome park on this road which is a great scenic spot for taking a break by the lake. The road itself is pretty sweet - it can be a bit bumpy and narrow in spots, but the scenery is quite remarkable and it's a scenic twisty road. There is also camping at the Kettle Creek State Park.
PA120: At almost 100 miles long between Lockhaven and Ridgeway, this road is great for fast, long winding sweepers. The views are quite awesome with hills on either side as it meanders along the river. It's also great that it intersects many of the others twisty roads listed here, so it makes for a good connecting road.
Wykoff Run Road: This road is pure fun. It has many tight turns with amazing scenery as you wind along a river. Keep your eyes on the road here, because the lanes are slightly narrow and it can be well traveled at times. The only problem with this road is that it's only 10 miles.
PA872: This 40 mile road is nothing but big scenery and fast sweepers. Very nice road to ride on that's more enjoyable than technical.
Hyner Sate Park: There is a sweet lookout at the top of Hyner Mountain. The road going up is also nice - a very narrow and twisty climb to the lookout point. This is another great place to take a break with an awesome view. There are some nice gravel roads up near the top here where I have seen bears.
PA414: This is a pretty nice road that moves from state forested area into rolling farm country. I liked the section west of Canton the best. It can have a bit of farm traffic during the week, but on weekends it moves pretty good. When you are on the southern portion of this road, check out the Pine Creek Gorge, which is also known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.
PA125 and Gold Mine Road: This is one of the twistiest sections in all of Pennsylvania. You will find nice pavement and several switchbacks here as you climb and descend. This is as close as it gets to PA's Dragon.
 
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West Virginia and Virgina: These two states are somewhat connected, because many amazing roads run between both states. Leaving from the GTA, this area can be reached within a day of straight highway (approx 800km), so any trips here should really be at least 3 days long, giving yourself 2 days of travel to and from the area, and a day spent exploring. The Virginia's really have so many amazing roads that you could actually spend a few weeks exploring here and continually find new amazing roads. Both states are also amazing for both the pavement quality and the sheer number of twisty mountain roads packed into this region. Overall, traffic and police presence is minimal outside of the towns.

West Virginia
US219: The 219 is a common way to travel between the south and north, especially for those riding down to the Smoky Mountains and Deals Gap area. You can catch the 219 from Buffalo, but it really only starts to get interesting in West Virginia as you pass through Monongahela National Forest and George Washington & Jefferson National Forest. Along this portion of the 219 you will find excellent pavement, fast sweepers mixed with tight twisties and great elevation changes. There are a few spots with exceptional scenery and lots of places to stop and enjoy the area.
US33: This road basically connects Elkins, WV in the west to Harrisonburg, VA in the east. It passes over a few mountains, so there are many super fun technical parts to this road. The pavement quality is smooth like butter and the scenery is excellent from one end to the other.
WV250: Considering the number of twisty bits that stretch out over the 225 miles of the road, this is an amazing ride. It passes over a few mountains and has remarkable pavement. There are many switchbacks, tight turns and fast sweepers.
Spruce Knob: This road will take you to the highest point in West Virginia, which is pretty sweet, considering that West Virginia is considered the mountain state. The ride up follows a narrow well paved climb, with a few switchbacks along excellent pavement. It's a really interesting ride up because you can see the rapid change in tree canopy and ground cover over a very short distance. The views from the top are excellent, where on a clear day, you can see for miles. The fall colours are also amazing on both the road itself and while perched at the top looking around.
Smoke Hole Rd: This is probably my favourite road in the state. This is a secret road. From the south it starts out narrow and winding along a river with very high canyon walls to either side of you. There are plenty of spots to stop in the canyon area to take a break and enjoy the moment. As you exit the canyon, you begin to ride up and down a very tight 1 1/2 lane road with no centre line marking and no shoulders passing through forests and fields. It's very tight, technical and twisty, so keep your eyes on the road. The pavement is excellent on the twisty bits and even if you take this road very slow, you will be rewarded with astounding scenery the entire time.

Virginia
Skyline Drive: This road is exceptional and passes through the length of Shenandoah National Park after which begins the Blue Ridge Parkway. Skyline Drive currently has a fee of $15US for motorcycles to enter - a pass that is valid for 7 days. It has many elevation changes and like name suggests, much of it is at high elevation. There are many overlooks for you to stop and enjoy the incredible views from up above. The speed limit is 35mph, which is painfully slow for such a fun road. Apparently there can be a police presence on this road to enforce the speed limit, but I have never seen any. There are many lodges and campgrounds to stay overnight in the park. The pavement is flawless and it's a very twisty road. This is also an awesome map of the entire park with all facilities and overlooks mapped out. Well worth the price of admission if you have never been.
Blue Ridge Parkway: This is the northern half of a very epic road also known as the BRP. The entire parkway starts in Waynesboro, Virginia and finishes in Cherokee, North Carolina, though the section mapped here is just the Virginia portion. Since it is a scenic parkway, there are no services on the road (food/gas), and also no stops or traffic lights. It has excellent pavement, and this Virginia portion is primarily fast sweepers, which seems ironic, because the speed limit is painfully set at 45mph. There is usually less speed enforcement on the parkway than on Skyline Drive. There are many lookouts and the views are really spectacular. Equally impressive are the periodic roads that intersect the BRP, as these roads involve a pretty good twisty climb to reach the parkway. If you have never been before, riding the entire stretch of this road is a must do for every rider and plan extra time for the many times you will stop to take pictures.
VA16: Also known as the 'Back of the Dragon', this is a spectacular road. It's about 30 miles and really lives up to it's name. There are endless switchbacks and tight turns as it climbs and drops over a mountain range. There is a small corner store in the north end in Thomson Valley where you can buy some t-shirts and stickers. At the south end of the road, there is a great state park/lake called Hungry Mother, which has a few scenic places to stop and take a break beside the lake. The state park also has great campsites.
VA311: This road is much better than it looks on a map. It has flawless pavement and has many switchbacks and elevation changes. There is very little traffic on it and it is an absolute treat of a twisty road.
US58: This road connects the two towns of Damascus and Independence Virginia. It's also known the Highlands Parkway or the Jeb Bush Highway, The scenery is really nice and this road has a perfect mix of fast sweepers with tighter corners on beautiful pavement. It's a great way to do a loop between US421 "The Snake" and Boone NC.
 
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North Carolina - Amazing state to ride in and this can not be emphasized enough. Plan to spend some time here.

The Blue Ridge Parkway - This is the southern half of a very epic road also known as the BRP. The entire parkway (855km) starts in Waynesboro, Virginia and finishes in Cherokee, North Carolina, though the section mapped here is just the North Carolina portion. It gets rally good south of Boone, NC. Since it is a scenic parkway, there are no services on the road (food/gas), and also no stops or traffic lights. It has excellent pavement, and this NC portion is amazing. It has switchbacks, tight curves, fast sweepers, many tunnels, major elevation gains, beautiful pavement, many scenic lookout points, and some of the best mountain scenery you can find anywhere in eastern North America. The speed limit is still painfully 45mph. Equally impressive are the roads that intersect the BRP, as these roads have intense, twisty climbs to reach the parkway. If you have never been before, riding the entire stretch of this road is a must do for every rider and plan lots of extra time for the many times you will stop to take pictures. It is simply amazing.
US221: This road is also known as the Linvillle Falls Hwy and is a seriously amazing road. It runs parallel to the BRP for this stretch between Boone and Linville Falls. There are amazing elevation gains with remarkable pavement and awesome scenery, because there are also a bunch of really nice waterfalls along the way, right beside the road that have enough space for you to stop and enjoy the moment. Because this road connects two towns, sometimes there is traffic, so try to take it when it's not raining and not during peak hours. Another amazing road.
NC226A - The Diamondback: Between the towns of Little Switzerland and Marion, this loop road is crazy. It is a very twisty and tight climb up a mountain to the Blue ridge Parkway. The loop consists of NC226 and NC226A. The "A" is the really twisty one and has a sweet view at the top in Little Swizterland at the BRP. With amazing pavement, and very technical corners, it can be tricky if you are heading down the mountain, so watch the road and your speed/momentum.
NC80 - The Devil's Whip - Another road that climbs up towards the BRP. This one sometimes has Blind Kenny the photographer perched at a good corner taking pics. If you are feeling frisky, then ride the section north of the BRP too, because it's awesome as well.
NC261: This road climbs from Bakersville, NC up to Roan Mountain. A little further north, once you cross the Tennessee border the roads changes names to TN143, and it gets even more twisty as you pass by Roan Mountain State Park - which has the highest rhododendron gardens in the world. The road has immaculate pavement with tight corners and remarkable scenery. Well worth the ride.
NC197: I don't know why this road doesn't have a nickname. It's awesome. There is a sweet section south of Murchison that has 6 switchbacks consecutively surrounded by smooth tight twisties. The lane is a little narrow, but the pavement is flawless and there is next to no traffic. Just be mindful of the few miles of twisty gravel that is north of Murchison. If you really want to avoid the gravel bit, then ride NC197 from the south (Barnardsville area) and turn back once you get the gravel.
NC209 and NC212 - The Rattler: Combined, these two roads make up a pretty remarkable 60 mile stretch. It passes through Hot Springs if you are feeling like a quick dip. The road has a lot of awesome corners, beautiful pavement and very little traffic.
NC151: This road is also known as the Pisgah Highway. It's a pretty short section that has an intense climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you are in the area, check it out, because it's a great road to take a quick detour off the BRP, or as a way to get to it.
NC276: Amazing. Tight corners on this spectacular road that goes up and down the BRP. The scenery is flat out breathtaking with dense forests along rivers and waterfalls with switchbacks and sweepers. The Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground is on this road very close to the BRP. Make sure you ride the NC215 as well for an incredible loop.
NC215: Amazing x2. Endless, tight corners on this spectacular road that goes up and down the BRP. The scenery is flat out breathtaking as well with dense forests along rivers and waterfalls with switchbacks and sweepers. I like this one even a little more than the NC276, because I think the pavement is even better. Make sure you ride the NC276 as well for an incredible loop.
NC281: This also known as Canada road, so it's no surprise that this is one of the best roads in the entire region. It has such a smooth rhythm to the endless corners that are very fast and technical - you might just have to ride it a few times. Hands down this is one of my favourite roads that I have ever ridden. Very nice pavement, with very little traffic.
Ellijay Rd and Tilley Creek Rd: These two roads connect the US64 in the west to NC107 in the east. These roads don't have the intense elevation gains as some of the other mountain roads, because they pass through the valleys below. They pass through a lot of rolling farm country and there are lots of awesome corners to be had here. There is very little traffic and the pavement is good.
NC107: This road leads from Sylva in the north down into South Carolina. There is one section that is quite twisty and that is the area north of Glenville - the rest of it is still nice, but less technical and more scenic with wide open fast sweepers.
US64: This road spans almost the entire width of North Carolina, but the best section is linked here. Between the towns of Rosman and Franklin, you will find the twistiest section of this road and it has excellent pavement. It can be a major east/west route, so at certain times of the day there can traffic. It's a great road to use to link up other amazing roads.
Wayah Rd: This is an amazing road for the combination of corners and scenery. The pavement can be a little bumpy in spots, but compared to Ontario it's still much better. Riding along this road you will have either rivers, creeks or a lake beside you. There are some mild elevation climbs and descents. I don't know why, but I seem to like riding it better from east to west. If you are into trying out an amazing, twisty, dirt forest road, then from Wayah Rd, I would highly recommend that you take a detour onto Otter Creek Rd, which turns into Tellico Rd. On this stretch you will be treated to some of the best views in the mountains that very few people get to see, and it's super twisty and remote so take it easy.
NC28: Also known as the Moonshiner 28, this road is just over 100 miles and will take you from the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort all the way down into South Carolina. Some parts of it can be well traveled, especially the area just north and south of Franklin. The road itself is incredible, because there are lengthy stretches of tight turns, switchbacks, fast sweepers all on impeccable pavement. There are also a number of places to stay along the NC28, including The Deals Gap Resort, Fontana Village, Iron Horse Lodge and more. The area around Fontana Dam is simply amazing.
Cherohala Skyway: This is my favourite road I have ever been on. Ever. This road crosses the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, and so on the NC side it is NC143 and on the TN side it is TN165. The whole thing is about 50 miles and it is similar to the Blue Ridge Skyway in that much of the road is at high elevation, but there is much less traffic, the speed limit is 55mph and there is very little enforcement. One thing to consider is that this road is packed with amazing scenery and high speed sweepers, so this road can get far more dangerous than many others in the region based on the speed traveled. You can literally ride above the clouds on this road because it gets well over 5000ft high. The pavement is close to perfect and the lanes are very wide and the scenery is on par with the best of the BRP.
 
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Tennessee Just like North Carolina, this state is packed with amazing roads.

US421 - The Snake: This road is flat out fun. It passes over multiple mountains with a valley in between that has a gas station, restaurant and store to buy your swag and stickers. The road itself claims to be about 33 miles with almost 500 curves. It is packed with switchbacks, tight corners, fast sweepers all on flawless pavement. It is an excellent road to take on your way to or from the Smoky's. Link it up with Denton Valley Rd at the north end for some more twisty fun.
TN32: This might be my favourite twisty road ever and if there was ever a road without a nickname that deserved one - this be the one. It is non-stop twisty madness from start to finish. It is very lightly traveled so it has flawless pavement. The lanes are pretty narrow and essentially goes up and down a deeply forested mountain area with waterfalls and streams that cut through the rock and tree lines slopes. There is a 3 mile hilly, twisty, gravel bit at the eastern end of the road - very close to the US40 Highway. If you really want to avoid the gravel, then approach this road from the north end at Cosby, TN and ride in for 11 miles and then turn around and ride out for 11 miles of what feels like 1000 curves. Be careful - this road is not for the inexperienced or taking big risks as the curves are relentless and the drop-offs are often steep with rarely a guardrail. Simply amazing piece of engineering.
US441: This road has some of the best scenery you will find in the Smoky Mountains Park. The pavement is flawless, and there are some really nice curves - in fact there is a full 360 turn, where through spirals around itself. The speed limit is 45mph, which is painfully slow and this is a prime road for slow moving RV's, buses, leaf lickers and cruiser trains. While the map link shows that this road starts in Gatlinburg - avoid that area at all costs unless you like being sandwiched between traffic and cheese. The southern portion of this road is Cherokee, NC which is pretty much also the southern most point of the BRP.
Little River Gorge Rd: The first time I went on this road, was by mistake and there was no traffic on it and the scenery was some of the best I have ever seen. The curves are awesome and the pavement was perfect. The next time I went on it, there was quite a bit of slow moving traffic, so time your visit accordingly. It's an excellent way to connect between the Foothills Parkway and the US441 while avoiding Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
Foothills Parkway: The views off this road are incredible. There are a few lookouts that are amazing photo stops. There is an interesting read about this road on Wikipedia. The pavement is flawless and the curves are mostly fast sweepers and long gently winding sections that climb into the clouds. This road is more about the scenic value than tight twisties - definitely worth checking out. In the link is also a section that is grayed out called Happy Valley Road - also a great road to check out in the area.
TN360: The best thing about this road is that it is used to connect Cherohala Skyway and the Tail of the Dragon. This road has nice pavement and plenty of fast sweepers, as it makes its was along the lower elevations and farm country.
US129: The link here is more than just the Tail of the Dragon - it follows US 129 for about 40 miles, between Robbinsville NC and Little Fourmile Creek, because this whole stretch is really nice with lots of fast sweepers, beautiful scenery and immaculate pavement. The really popular part is in the middle and essentially begins right where the Deals Gap Resort is and heads westward for 11 miles in Tennessee. That section, known as either Deals Gap or The Tail of the Dragon is supposed to have 318 curves. It is a very technical section of road with amazing pavement and many hairpin turns, elevation changes and short straights immediately followed by tight corners. This is an amazing road. I could ride this road over and over all day long and never get bored with it. The only problem with this road is everyone else who uses it. Beware of people from Florida who have never seen a curve before, as they routinely cross the centre line until they ditch their bike or crash it into some unsuspecting oncoming vehicle. Because it's so popular, there are a few different photographers who perch themselves at various points along the road, and these are good places to park and watch people crash as they pose for the camera while losing control of their vehicle. If you want to have fun on this road, then ride it before 11am, or on weekdays, or even better - on days when there is a very light rain, because then the pavement is still usually dry enough to have fun, but everyone else stays indoors. If you are riding this road and someone faster than you comes up behind you, pull off to let them pass at the first safe place to do so. If you crash on this road, go visit the tree of shame and leave an offering.
 
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I assume you have been to motorcycleroads.com ?
It not complete or comprehensive but it's a good place to start.
 
Thanks for taking this on Shane. What a great benefit for all of us here!
 
Nothing like personal description from Shane tho.

Hyner Sate Park: There is a sweet lookout at the top of Hyner Mountain. The road going up is also nice - a very narrow and twisty climb to the lookout point. This is another great place to take a break with an awesome view. There are some nice gravel roads up near the top here where I have seen bears.
Click to expand...

Mind your fuel - top up on 6

You can't go wrong in this area

https://goo.gl/maps/rxNzi7jDGeN2

44 Cherry Hill Road and 872 worth doing ....872 not as technical but very scenic as it runs along a fishing stream.

Wykoff is always a treat ...sometimes gravel

144 South of Renovo is newly paved in the last couple years and terrific fun as you climb the mountain ....one "gotcha" curve ...you can see the skid marks.
https://goo.gl/maps/2X1cuCTC7892

at Macks Hollow

Perhaps the best comprehensive planner is https://trips.furkot.com once you master the interface.
It draws on a number of existing motorcycle road sites and contributed rides some complete with gpx files.
You can export and import gps files in several formats and add waypoints in a googlemap environment.
Very good help forum too.

Can get cluttered with all the options - declutters as you move in or eliminate some features
Each of the heart images to the right can be clicked on for complete ride descriptions



this specific trip
 
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I can vouch for 144 especially south of Renovo...ABSOLUTELY spectacular...unfortunately, 144 north of Renovo is where I crashed and totalled my bike on August 20 :( great staff at the local hospital though :) definitely will go next year to check out what I wasn't able to finish this time around...
 
Watch for deer in PA. Great roads in the area Shane listed, but our little group of about 4 has had 2 deer hits in 4 years. Fortunately we were able to ride back after both, 1 after finding an aluminum welder in Wellsboro.
 
Face said:
Watch for deer in PA. Great roads in the area Shane listed, but our little group of about 4 has had 2 deer hits in 4 years. Fortunately we were able to ride back after both, 1 after finding an aluminum welder in Wellsboro.
Click to expand...

this at twilight or at anytime?
 
I hit a deer at night on a major highway in WV a few years ago. I have seen a family of deer licking the road in Ohio in the morning as I came around a bend. In PA this past weekend, 2 large deer ran across the road, while the last rider in our group had a deer hit him damaging his fairing. The deer was stunned and just sat at the side of the road for a few minutes before coming to and scampering off. His bike was fixed with zip ties and he managed to keep it upright! There were blood stains on many roads which serve as a healthy reminder.

Face is absolutely right... Within a few hours of dawn or dusk, the deer are dangerous, anywhere south of the border and even during mid day hours, they are still very unpredictable.
 
Touch wood I don`t curse myself.
On my way to Sudbury, back roads, of course, a Family of bears. Normal hours. Don`t they have watches? Lol.
Same around the Creemore area.
 
This is a super-great thread, but can we give some thought to organization? I can see this thread quickly becoming clogged up and unusable...perhaps this is the thread where we can all post our suggestions and comments on roads, and in another that's sticky we can have the final product that Shane owns?

Honestly, I'd love to be able to have a thread like this, but it needs to be easily searchable somehow...by this time next year it could be 10 pages full of comments...
 
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