The most notable part of the drive is the 12-mile stretch over Red Mountain Pass through Uncompahgre Gorge. This portion features a 8% grade and narrow switchbacks. As you might guess, it can get backed up with traffic from time to time due to slow cars, large trucks, and many RVs that end up on the route.
People Also Ask
The pass is traversed by the Million Dollar Highway, U.S. Highway 550 between Ouray and Silverton, which is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. The pass is known for being treacherous in the wintertime due to the steep 8% grade and switchbacks on the north side facing Ouray, though the entire road is paved.
Driving the Million Dollar Highway is no easy task for the uninitiated. Despite being paved, this dizzying highway is carved from the sides of steep mountains and has zero guardrails. The biggest challenge for the driver? Focusing on the road when there's so much beauty around you!
FindMyPlate stated the Million Dollar Highway, more formally known as U.S. Highway 550, had been chosen as one of the most dangerous because of the high elevation (more than 11,000 feet at the summit) coupled with the number of hairpin turns without guardrails.
Given the stunning views and iconic cities along this route, Highway 1 is a hugely popular drive, but some drivers might find the long sections of two-lane road on this route, combined with steep cliff edges, scary. There's also a risk of landslides, which can often cause damage on this scenic but exposed highway.
CHARLOTTE — A road in North Carolina has been named the #1 Scariest Drive in America, according to SAVOTEUR. The Tail of the Dragon, which begins at the Deals Gap on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, is a remote, long, twisting road with 318 curves, 11 bridges, and few guardrails.
Hardknott Pass is considered to be one of the most challenging in the UK. It has earned this consideration due to its series of hairpin bends and the high risk of ice on the road. It is a steep, twisting, single-track road that cuts right through the heart of the Lake District between the Duddon Valley and Eskdale.