Best scenic drives in Oregon
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Best scenic drives in Oregon
There’s no shortage of scenic drives to take in the United States. According to the National Scenic Byway Foundation, there are 184 designated byway routes with beautiful vistas, as well as historic and cultural sites across the country. That means, no matter where you are in the U.S., a stunning drive isn’t too far away.
Some drives have reached celebrity status, one of the most well known being Historic Route 66, which stretches from downtown Chicago to Santa Monica Pier in California. For nearly 100 years, travelers have been hitting the 2,448-mile road that has more than 250 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Other famous drives include the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which hugs 650 miles of the state’s coast; the Natchez Trace Parkway, a historic 444-mile route from Tennessee to Alabama and Mississippi; and the highest fully paved road in North America, Colorado’s Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, which sits at a cool 14,264 feet at its peak.
Of course, there are plenty more drives that may not be as famous but are just as alluring. The Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia gives riders a picturesque view through the Monongahela National Forest. Make a pit stop in the Cranberry Glades for an unusual site: bogs full of carnivorous plants. Further north, the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in New Hampshire is a particularly beautiful drive as the leaves turn in the fall and won’t take you too long to drive—it’s on the shorter side at only 34.5 miles long.
For those looking to take to the open road, Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in Oregon using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024. Note that Tripadvisor ranks attractions using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a drive with a 5/5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4/5.
Once you locate the closest scenic drive near you, gather your favorite passengers, turn on an epic playlist, and take in the beauty that Oregon has to offer.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and are not of the specific drives listed.
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#29. Sunshine Division Winter Wonderland
– Rating: 3.5/5 (4 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#28. Steens Mountain Loop
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#27. Canyon Drive Park
– Rating: 5/5 (2 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#26. National Outback Scenic Byway
– Rating: 4/5 (6 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#25. Terwilliger Boulevard Parkway
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#24. The Alsea Highway
– Rating: 4/5 (4 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#23. Merriam Point
– Rating: 5/5 (4 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#22. Forest Service Road 19
– Rating: 4.5/5 (6 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#21. Welcome to California
– Rating: 3.5/5 (23 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#20. Rattlesnake Grade
– Rating: 5/5 (6 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#19. Walton Lake
– Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#18. Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site
– Rating: 5/5 (14 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#17. Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail
– Rating: 5/5 (13 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#16. Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway
– Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#15. Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
– Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#14. Three Capes Scenic Drive
– Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#13. Crooked River Scenic Drive
– Rating: 5/5 (75 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#12. Oregon Route 38
– Rating: 5/5 (52 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#11. Crown Point State Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#10. Multnomah Falls
– Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#9. Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway
– Rating: 5/5 (108 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#8. The Fruit Loop
– Rating: 4.5/5 (133 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#7. Oregon Coast Highway 101
– Rating: 5/5 (219 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#6. McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass loop
– Rating: 5/5 (244 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#5. Otter Crest Loop
– Rating: 4.5/5 (359 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#4. Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor
– Rating: 5/5 (263 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#3. Rim Drive
– Rating: 4.5/5 (619 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#2. Willamette Valley
– Rating: 4.5/5 (899 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
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#1. Cape Perpetua Scenic Area
– Rating: 5/5 (1,189 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Sheeka Sanahori, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 46 states.
