Scenic Drives

In many ways, national parks and the automobile grew together. The National Park Service (NPS) was founded in 1916 and just two years later, more visitors came to Yosemite National Park by car than by train. 'Auto touring' national parks quickly became a national past time. Soonafter, a generation of NPS landscape architects and designers set out to design roads as experiences, not just transportation routes. In the process they transformed national parks, the fields of landscape architecture, engineering and design, and the nation.

Today, over 5,000 miles of paved roads traverse the national park system, including parkways. A team of dedicated professionals work hard to plan, maintain, and manage a complex road system for the enjoyment of this and future generations. Most parks do not allow ATV experiences and those that do, may only allow them in specific locations and require permits.

Fall at Low Gap in Shenandoah National Park

NPS / N. Lewis

5 Parks with Stunning Scenic Drives