Driving the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road in California is quite an adventure
Usa, north-america
39.26 km
841 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, road trippers! Nacimiento-Fergusson Road in Monterey County, California, is calling your name! This 24.2-mile stretch winds its way through the Los Padres National Forest, hugging the Santa Lucia range like a long-lost friend.
Built back in '37, this beauty is well-maintained but definitely cozy – think two lanes and no center stripe, with steep banks on either side. Give yourself an hour to an hour and a half to soak it all in. While it's usually pretty quiet, keep an eye out for fellow adventurers. The eastern side is all lush forest with peeks of views, so be sure to take advantage of the pull-outs for those Insta-worthy shots.
You'll climb to a cool 2,759 feet, crossing the Old Coast Road about seven miles from Highway 1. Heads up – it can get dicey in winter, and the road sometimes closes for military exercises. Landslides happen, so be aware.
Now, for the real talk: this road isn't playing around. Expect serious drop-offs and zero guardrails. Take your time, hug those curves, and keep your eyes peeled. The last section? Prepare for over 100 turns! Blind corners are a thing, so stay sharp on the way up. If you're cool with driving on the edge (literally), the views are insane. Pro tip: skip this one at night, and don't rely on your cell service. Trust me, it's worth it for the bragging rights!
Where is it?
Driving the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road in California is quite an adventure is located in Usa (north-america). Coordinates: 40.2642, -101.8471
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 39.26 km
- Max Elevation
- 841 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 40.2642, -101.8471
Related Roads in north-america
moderateWhere is the ghost town of Bodie?
🇺🇸 Usa
Bodie, a true ghost town gem, sits way up in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, practically on the Nevada border. You'll find it nestled in the Bodie State Historic Park, northeast of Yosemite, at a lofty 8,379 feet! The town was named after Waterman S. Body (or William Bodey), who found gold nearby. Getting there is part of the adventure. Most of Bodie Road (CA-270 W) is paved, but the final 3 miles? Think rough, dusty dirt. You'll be crawling along, probably taking 35-45 minutes for that last stretch. It's bumpy and slow-going, but generally okay for most vehicles. Just take it easy, especially if it's been raining or snowing! The whole road from US-395 is only 12.5 miles, but feels like a journey back in time. This place is seriously authentic, a real slice of the Old West. From 1877 to 1882, Bodie boomed with nearly 10,000 residents and churned out over $38 million in gold and silver. Now, only about 5% of the town remains, but it’s an eerie and impressive sight. Legend says Bodie's even haunted, with restless spirits guarding against anyone trying to steal artifacts! Heads up on the weather – it can be wild! Bodie is usually open year-round, but sometimes closes from November to May because of snow. Winter brings sub-zero temps, strong winds, and white-out conditions. Summer can be scorching. Layered clothing is a must. In winter, you might need skis, snowshoes, or a snowmobile to get in. Spring can be muddy.
easyWhere is Firehole Lake Drive?
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, so picture this: you're cruising through Yellowstone National Park in the northwest corner of Wyoming, right? You’re near Fountain Paint Pot, and you see a little detour called Firehole Lake Drive. TAKE IT! This short, paved, one-way loop dives right into a crazy thermal area – think geysers, steamy hot lakes, bubbling hot springs, and even a hot waterfall. Seriously, it’s like driving through another world. Now, this isn't your average Sunday drive. This little road is famous (or maybe infamous) because the ground gets SO hot sometimes it melts the asphalt! Back in 2014, it even closed down for a bit because of this! But don't let that scare you away. The views are absolutely unreal. There are tons of pullouts where you can park and gawk at the crazy natural wonders. Plus, this is where you'll find the Great Fountain Geyser. You can literally watch it erupt from the comfort of your car, which is pretty amazing. Just a heads-up: Firehole Lake Drive is usually closed in the winter. Also, leave your RV, bus, or trailer behind as it's too narrow for big rigs. And remember, Yellowstone is a geothermal wonderland with over 10,000 features and 500 geysers, so things can get a little…melty.
hardBow Pass is the highest road in Canada’s national parks
🇨🇦 Canada
Alright, road trip lovers, let's talk about Bow Pass! Nestled high in Alberta, Canada, within the stunning Banff National Park, this beauty tops out at a cool 2,088m (6,850ft). We're talking serious Canadian high-road status! Built back in 1940, this completely paved stretch of Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 north to those in the know) is the highest road you'll find in Canada's national parks. Keep an eye out for the side road just west of the pass that takes you up to Bow Summit and the breathtaking Peyto Lake. Clocking in at 75.8 km (47.09 miles), it winds its way from Lake Louise to Saskatchewan River Crossing in a south-north direction. Perched in the Waputik Range of the Canadian Rockies, Bow Pass is the highest point on this incredible drive. While usually open year-round, don't be surprised by snow any time of year. Winter brings extreme weather, so be prepared! Trust me; the scenery is unreal. Words and pictures don't do it justice. This drive is a masterpiece of road engineering, with the views just getting better and better as you climb. Weekends and holidays get busy, and July and August are peak times with up to 100,000 vehicles hitting the parkway each month.
hardWhere is Mosquito Peak?
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, so you wanna bag Mosquito Peak in central Colorado? This bad boy tops out at a whopping 13,664 feet! You're looking at some serious elevation. Forget pavement, the "road" to the summit is an old, super-eroded mining track. We're talking rugged. It's a short but brutal 1.83 miles from Mosquito Pass, but get this: you'll climb over 1,500 feet! That's a seriously steep average grade. Is it worth it? Absolutely! The views from the top are incredible, especially of the surrounding peaks in the Mosquito Range. Heads up: this is definitely a summer adventure. Snow usually sticks around until late June (or even later!), and this area is known for being super windy, so bundle up! Can you even drive it? Here's the deal, there's an old mining road to the summit, but access for vehicles is blocked. They are very eroded and wouldn't be safe for driving anyways, and I don't believe they go up to the summit at all. There is some old equipment up there. And we did see evidence that someone had driven (or tried to drive) up there at one time. It was really far away, so I didn't get a picture, but a vehicle had rolled off one of the eroded roads a few hundred feet down the slope. I'm not sure if they gated the road after that happened or if that person came in from a different way, but it didn't look like a good time. You could easily hike either to the summit of Mosquito Peak or to the mine equipment from Mosquito Pass, however. It's not very far and shouldn't be terribly difficult, except for the altitude.