Are you looking for some of the scariest mountain roads to get your heart pumping and chills down your spine?
The scariest mountain roads in America include the I-95 highway, the Dalton Highway in Alaska, The Devil’s Highway, the Highway of Death, and many more.
These roads recorded some of the highest fatalities in recent history.
Most dangerous highways have traumatizing serpentine turns, steep grades, high risks of a head-on collision and running off the road, and a spooky past.
These roads are renowned for their dizzying sharp turns, steep climb and descent, lack of guard rails, poor or no traffic signs, and the added effect of poor weather conditions.
With adrenaline coursing through your body and your heart literally in your mouth, a special thrill comes with driving through scary mountain roads.
That said, these roads are dangerous and pose different challenges. A slight loss of concentration can be devastating. It is, therefore, important to know where these winding roads are.
This post shares the 10 scariest roads you can experience – or avoid – in the USA. We’ll also discuss why some roads are classified as dangerous or scary.
What makes a road scary?
Roads are classified as scary or dangerous based on so many factors.
These factors include the physical features of the road, environmental factors, traffic conditions, and the different psychological effects of the road on each driver.
Physical features of the road
Some of the physical features common with most dangerous roads include:
Narrow lanes or shoulders
Most scary mountain roads are notorious for their narrow stretches and shoulders. They leave you no room to maneuver in the face of onrushing danger. Sometimes, these roads have portions that can only fit one vehicle at a time.
No guardrails
Guardrails protect vehicles from falling off a cliff. Dangerous roads lack guardrails or other protective barriers. You can easily topple over the mountain if you’re not careful.
Steep inclines and declines
Mountain roads with steep inclines and declines will test you and your car. The ones with steep thousand-foot drop-offs, in particular, are treacherous.
Driving up steep inclines will require more power and, thus, more fuel consumption.
Conversely, driving down steep declines requires special caution, especially controlling car speed and managing your brakes.
Tight turns and switchbacks
Making tight turns or switchbacks on some roads will most likely leave you dizzy. Another notable feature of scary roads is the lack of visibility to see and avoid potential hazards on the road.
In some cases, you may also experience uneven or damaged pavement that may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors can also determine if a road is safe or not. These factors include:
Inclement weather conditions
Weather conditions, such as rain, snow, fog, or ice, play an important role in determining the state of roads.
For example, the humidity in Florida makes the I-95 highway often wet and skiddy. The snow in Alaska also complicates things for drivers on the Dalton Highway.
Wildlife and poor warning signs
There’ve also been many accidents caused by wildlife suddenly crossing the road.
In some cases, these roads have been abandoned and thus have no proper or clear warning signs for construction zones or potential hazards like an avalanche.
Traffic conditions on dangerous roads
Some dangerous roads are popular for the city’s heavy traffic. A good example is the I-95 highway.
The perils of heavy traffic include a high chance of driving with speeding or reckless motorists. If you drive with these types of motorists, you have no control over their actions.
With minimal space to navigate at times, these roads can feel like a death trap.
On the other hand, some scary roads are routes that truck drivers and other large vehicles often use. The Dalton Highway is a classic example.
Many drivers have reported being scared or intimidated by the sound and sight of large trucks. And in that instance, they freeze or do something they ought not to do, like swerving unnecessarily.
Scary roads, particularly those in remote places, do not have clear demarcations on the road. You or other drivers may take liberty and encroach on another person’s right of way.
This action may lead to congestion or even car accidents. This is made more dangerous by the lack of traffic signals to direct motorists.
Psychological factors
Psychological attributes of a driver can also heighten the fear factor they experience on certain roads.
Some people struggle with the fear of heights and may have issues driving on roads above sea level.
For some people, driving on narrow roads makes them feel constricted. This case worsens on narrow roads with heavy traffic where the driver may feel claustrophobic.
In some cases, a driver’s previous negative experience may magnify the inherent dangers on the road.
Sometimes, it is not the driver that experienced the unfortunate incident but a family member or close associate. Either way, they have it at the back of their mind that danger is very close.
A lack of familiarity with dangerous roads can also cause drivers to compound or exaggerate the dangers on the road. This issue is especially true for drivers who are unassured of their driving skills.
Furthermore, just the popular notion that a road is dangerous makes some drivers jittery, even if it is something they can handle.
Some roads in isolated locations have become urban legends.
For instance, Zombie Road is called so because people believe a Zombie Killer machine lurks in the shadows. The fact that this dangerous road passes through a thick forest doesn’t help to dispel the rumors.
Top 10 scariest mountain roads in America
These scary mountain roads in America have been selected based on the factors discussed above. Listed in no particular order, the top 11 scariest roads in the United States are:
1. Interstate 70 Colorado – Resort Gateway
Interstate 70 connects Grand Junction to Denver. At an altitude of 11,990 ft, the I-70 has the highest point in the United States interstate highway system.
Apart from the steep grades, the road’s sharp turns, and extreme weather, the heavy traffic of tourists heading to ski resorts means accidents and traffic jams are common on this dangerous road.
Colorado locals have a popular saying: “Friends don’t let friends drive I-70.” Trust them; they know!
2. The Million Dollar Highway in Colorado
The Million Dollar Highway location is a 25-mile stretch of US Route 550 that stretches between Ouray and Silverton. This dangerous highway passes through three 10,000-foot rocky mountains.
This road is filled with numerous hairpin turns, steep drop-offs, abrupt switchbacks, and no guardrails to protect you from falling off.
Heavy RV and semi-truck traffic is also a constant feature on this road. This is one of the reasons officials peg the speed limit at 10 mph on some days.
Regular heavy snow is also something you may have to contend with; the road was closed for three weeks in 2022 due to an avalanche.
You may also like: Top 7 Scariest Mountain Roads in Colorado (with Pics)
3. Dalton Highway in Alaska
Known as the “loneliest road on earth” to some, the James Dalton Highway is just over 400 miles long. It connects the Alaska-Canada border to Deadhorse in Alaska.
This dangerous highway is a commercial route plied by large ice road truckers.
You must know that the 440-mile road has a 240-mile stretch without gas stations, restaurants, or hotels. Rental cars are also not allowed on this road.
Signs warning motorists of avalanches and steep cliffs litter this road. Motorists also face the prospect of poor visibility, thanks to arctic weather.
Read also: 7 Scary Mountain Roads in Alaska
4. The Devil’s Highway
With over 400 blind curves – within a 60-mile stretch – and over 5,000 feet of elevation, the Devil’s Highway is one of the scariest roads in America.
The nickname “Devil’s Highway” was coined after the sixth extension to the U.S. Route 66, thus becoming 666.
Although the state government has changed the name to Highway 491, the old name remains popular. The government said the name change was due to the negative impact of the road’s name on the local economy.
5. Highway 2 in Montana
One of the things that make Highway 2 dangerous is how remote, large stretches of the road are. A large portion of the road contains long stretches of two-lane roads.
Highway 2 has the highest accident fatality rate in the United States. The fatality rate is high because it takes ambulances, on average, about 80 minutes to get to accident victims.
There’s a 70 mph speed limit in place for this road to reduce the risk of fatal accidents.
In 2017, the state government spent $60 million to make the road safer for motorists.
Yet, it remains one of the scariest roads in America.
6. California State Route 138
California Route 138, officially known as Pearblossom Highway, has a lot of nicknames. None of these nicknames are flattering.
Some call it “Blood Alley,” and others call it the “Highway of Death.”
The road has these unsavory names because there was a time when officials recorded many deaths within a five-year period. Motorists familiar with this road will tell you not to drive at night or early morning when visibility is poor.
One of the factors that make California Route 138 dangerous is the multiple serpentine twists and hairpin turns on two narrow lanes without dividers.
This singular reason is why head-on collisions are plenty on this road.
7. U.S. Route 199 in Northern California
Route 199 runs from Grants Pass in Oregon to Crescent City in California. The road is 80 miles long. It is littered with a perilous combination of narrow and winding lanes. There’s also the scenic view to distract you.
Head-on collisions are common occurrences. And the peril of running off the road and crashing into trees is constant. Most deaths on this road occur as a result of the latter.
You should also read: Top 7 Scariest Mountain Roads in California (with pics)
8. Interstate 285 in Atlanta
Using traffic fatalities per mile, I-285 in Atlanta tops the list of most dangerous highways in the United States. One of the factors that make the I-285 dangerous is heavy traffic.
In fact, a recent study ranked five spots on the I-285 Atlanta interstate on the list of 21 worst spots for bottlenecks on American highways. I-285’s Spaghetti junction ranked fourth, while I-20 at I-285 ranked fifth.
Other factors that make the I-285 scary are the presence of large tractor-trailers on the road and its tight curves.
9. I-15 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
Within a 15-year period, many people died on this road. So what makes the I-15 from Los Angeles to Las Vegas dangerous and scary?
Surprisingly, it’s not the conditions of the road but the psychological and physical state of the drivers.
For starters, many accidents on the road are attributable to drunk drivers.
Additionally, the excitement of a Las Vegas road trip causes some people to overspeed, especially through the Mojave Desert section of the road.
The long drive between the two cities means drivers may be physically exhausted. In this state, drivers are more likely to make mistakes and cause accidents.
10. Prospector Road in Georgetown, California
Rumor has it that there’s a ghost on the 3-mile stretch of road located a few meters from where miners found Gold for the first time in the United States.
Legend has it that the ghost is of someone murdered for their mining claim. People have reported being chased by a ghost screaming: “Get off my claim!”
While you don’t have to fight off dizzying turns and sharp declines on Prospector Road, you better beware of a vengeful ghost.
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Takeaway: Buckle up for a thrilling ride on the scariest mountain roads in the USA
The United States is home to some scary and dangerous mountain roads. Some of the scariest roads in America include the Dalton Highway in Alaska, The Devil’s Highway, and The Million Dollar Highway in Colorado.
Remember, each road has what inherently makes them scary and dangerous. Some of these factors include the physical features of the road, the psychological state of the drivers, environmental factors, and traffic conditions.
Ensure you make adequate plans if you intend to take up any of these scary roads, especially the long drives through the desert and remote routes.
You should also read: Why are Mountain Roads so Curvy? (+ Tips to drive them)
