The Most DESOLATE and BORING Interstate Stretch? (overnight, Charlotte, snow)
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Over 800 miles and 16 hours of absolutely nothing on Great Basin Hwy from North Las Vegas to Twin Falls, ID. It's even worse and longer (20 hours) in the winter.
Over 800 miles and 16 hours of absolutely nothing on Great Basin Hwy from North Las Vegas to Twin Falls, ID. It's even worse and longer (20 hours) in the winter.
It doesn't seem like you have traveled the same road I have. Over the years, I believe I've driven every mile of US 93 in both Nevada and Idaho (with the exception of the new Hoover Dam bypass), as well as a fair portion of it in Montana. The portion around Las Vegas is what bores me.
Though it doesn't have many cities or towns through the stretch you mentioned, there is some wonderful scenery, especially in the area around Ely. I love traveling on this route, and am looking forward to taking part of it again this summer.
I find scenery like that shown here to be beautiful:
It doesn't seem like you have traveled the same road I have. Over the years, I believe I've driven every mile of US 93 in both Nevada and Idaho (with the exception of the new Hoover Dam bypass), as well as a fair portion of it in Montana. The portion around Las Vegas is what bores me.
Though it doesn't have many cities or towns through the stretch you mentioned, there is some wonderful scenery, especially in the area around Ely. I love traveling on this route, and am looking forward to taking part of it again this summer.
I find scenery like that shown here to be beautiful:
This is Hwy. 93 just north of Panaca, NV.
I agree with you. What is desolate and what is beautiful is all in the mind of the beholder. I love wide open skies and vast uninhabited places which to me are not boring at all. I'd rather see deer and antelope than people I guess.
I grew up in Kansas, and I don't see how the answer can be anything other than I-70 from about Manhattan to Limon, Colorado. I knew a woman who would read books, while driving, between Denver to Kansas City. The speed limit just increased to 75 mph on the Kansas stretch. In the desert, you will encounter some variation in the landscape. In the great plains, there is none.
1) I-70 from central Kansas to Limon, CO
2) I-40 from Oklahoma City to eastern New Mexico
3) I-10 from San Antonio to Van Horn, TX
4) I-90 from east of Rapid City, SD to south-central Minnesota
5) I-55 from Springfield, IL to Joilet, IL
6) I-72 from Jacksonville, IL to Urbana/Champaign, IL
7) I-80 through Nebraska, Wyoming 8) I-84 from Twin Falls, Idaho to northern Utah. The bright spot is the sign indicating "high wind area, next 30 miles."
9) I-20 from west of Fort Worth, TX to Pecos, TX
10) I-35 from about Cameron, MO to southern Minnesota
note: I have never driven on I-94 in North Dakota; I haven't been to North Dakota at all. I wouldn't be surprised if it looks like the other great plains interstates.
Those desert highways look incredible. I'd have to stop the car and walk out into it and just poke around and maybe do a little digging just to see what I could find. Fossils, rock specimens, glimpses of native plant and wildlife.
Interstate 80 in central Pa is BORING. There are some decent vistas, but not compared to what you can see just off of it along secondary roads. Its just rest stops and exits all the way through. There are some pretty nice bridges over rivers, though. But you can't stop to look around.
I70 Between Indianapolis and Richmond, Indiana is probably the most boring stretch I've driven on. Unfortunately I'm headed that way tomorrow to visit family in Ohio. Yuck.
I'll be moving down to Florida here in the next 6 months so this will probably change
It's not the most desolate stretch of interstate in the country, but I-5 from south of Tracy to the Grapevine is pretty freaking boring. Some dry, barren hills to the west and farmland to the east and not much else besides a few stops with chain restaurants and gas stations. It's probably the most boring drive in California, a state that is filled with interesting highways like 101 up the northern coastal valleys or Highway 1 down towards Big Sur or even I-80 over Donner Pass. I-5 on the other hand, is crowded and boring for much of it's coastal route--101 down through the Salinas Valley past Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo is much more interesting.
US 395 from Victorville to Bishop in California is not a drive I would want to make regularly, either, although the topographic diversity along the way is so freakin' cool!
395 from Victorville to the junction of 14 will agree, do not like this stretch and avoid it if possible. After the junction it becomes much more pleasant through the Owens Valley, and better still after Bishop as it climbs into the Eastern High Sierras and then all the way to Reno/Tahoe. I-5 to 14 to 395 much more scenic way to go from SoCal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles in PGI
Over 800 miles and 16 hours of absolutely nothing on Great Basin Hwy from North Las Vegas to Twin Falls, ID. It's even worse and longer (20 hours) in the winter.
Mentioned this trip two years ago in this thread, and stated that it was perhaps the loneliest road I had ever been on, which is why I liked it so much. Traveled 93 north to south and would like to do it the other way if there is a next time. If so, will spend some time again at Great Basin NP.
Over 800 miles and 16 hours of absolutely nothing on Great Basin Hwy from North Las Vegas to Twin Falls, ID. It's even worse and longer (20 hours) in the winter.
Haha, you're talking about 93. I drove that for the first time this past summer, and it wasn't THAT bad. I found that the scenery was pretty cool until you hit northern nevada then it turned into a desert prarie type of thing without much to look at. Good highway to haul ass on though!!!
MY vote is highway 50.. although scenic in some places it's pretty much the same thing from Austin,NV to the CA border.
Highway 50..
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