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Since I have little experience out west (much to my dissappointment) have to go with some of the stretches I know further east. I know they won't compare with some of the ones mentioned in Utah, Nevada, etc.
As I frequently make the trip from Dallas to Atlanta, the stretch of I-20/59 from Meridian to Tuscaloosa is very monotonous. Same can be said of 20 from Meridian to Jackson as well as much of 20 across Louisiana outside of Shreverport and Monroe.
Once I was traveling west on Interstate 20 past the Mississippi River hoping that I would not break down. It felt like I reached civilization once I got to Monroe.
Interstate 94 from dickenson north dakota to billings montana is very remote
Thats why at one point they had " The American Autobahn" Speed Limit was only "reasonable to conditions" Then the Montana State Government reversed that in 2004 to set the maxium speed limit at 120km/h or 75 mph.
(Sorry for bringing up an old thread for my first post. I googled 'most desolate places in America" and I found this thread and went ahead and singed up. I'll read some other posts and my comment in them as well.)
For me, it was Extra Terrestrial Hwy, Route 375 in Nevada, between Crystal Springs and Warm Springs. There was a small store in a place called Rachel that seemed to be somewhere in out the twilight zone.
Route 163 from Monument Valley to Mexican Hat, Utah, then onto 261 to Natural Bridges, then onto 95 north to Hankville. Very remote, very desolate and very beautiful.
Route 59/389 from Hurricane Utah to Fredonia, Arizona was very remote drive, as was the drive on 89 from Fredonia to Cameron, Arizona.
Route 95 in Nevada from Amargosa Valley to Silver Springs goes across most of southwest Nevada. There are several small towns on the route, but with dozens of miles between most of them.
Route 180 from the north entrance to Kings Canyon National Park, west along the Kings River until it reenters a remote area of the park and dead ends. It was a 40 mile drive to nowhere, but it was some spectacular scenery.
Hwy 56 betwwen Newcastle, Utah and Panaca, Nevada.
Hwy 190 between Death Valley and Olanch, California.
I took the Greyhound across Texas to El Paso along I-20 and I-10. There's not much between Pecos and El Paso. I also rode from El Paso to Carlsbad, New Mexico, route 180.
The beautiful Pacific Coast Hwy 1 between Carmel, California and San Simion is one of the most beatiful roads in the world, but dont expect to find too many sevices. The only places you'll find anything are Big Sur and Gordo.
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Originally Posted by malfunction
Interstate 70 in eastern Utah. There's a stretch of about 100 miles without a single town or service on the highway.
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Originally Posted by gdude
to be a little more correct it is 71 miles. But yes driving that section of I-70 would be very boring
I hope I can help. This was one of my favorite trips though the Grand Circle of Utah, It is 110 miles from Salinas to Green River but the drive is anything but boring
My list of roads traveled that are in the most sparsely populated areas of the country (this list does not included minor, or unpaved roads):
1) Rt 59 in Wyoming, from Gillette to Douglas.
2) Rt 9 in New Mexico, from Columbus to Santa Teresa.
3) Rt 80 from Douglas Arizona to Lordsburg New Mexico.
4) US 62/180 from El Paso Texas to Guadalupe Mountains National Park
5) Rt 83 in Nebraska, from North Platte to Valentine
6) Rt 9 in Maine, from Calais to Bangor
7) Rt 380 in New Mexico, from Carrizozo to San Antonio
8) Rt 285 from Carlsbad New Mexico to Pecos Texas
9) Rt 20 in Nebraska from Chadron to Harrison
10) Rt 71 from Crawford Nebraska to Hot Springs South Dakota
Nice list Mike. I've driven several of those stretches of highway and yes they are quite desolate. Some of the scenery and views probably haven't changed since the days of the pioneers. What a nice drive through those areas after living all my life around a large metropolitan area where you seemingly can't escape congestion and people.
My vote also goes to Interstate 70 in Utah, from Interstate 15 to the Colorado state line. Never have I felt so alone on an interstate highway before. You would go 10 miles sometimes without passing a car or truck in either direction.
I'm surprised noone mentioned US 13 in Maryland/Virginia. That's one of the most desolate highways I've ever been on.
I've been on US 13 on the Delmarva Peninsula between Salisbury, MD and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel, and though that road is desolate by eastern standards, it is nowhere near as desolate as the following 3 roads I've personally driven:
1) US 93 between Wickenburg, AZ and Interstate 40 - for over 100 miles you pass through only one town (Wikieup, AZ, which has about 300 people) and see pretty much only desert landscape and mountains. When call boxes are considered landmarks and the Nothing truck stop is a major landmark, you KNOW the road is desolate.
2) CA 127 between Baker, CA and Shoshone, CA - the only time I've driven over 100 MPH on a public road occurred on a stretch of this roadway. Outside the immediate outskirts of Baker and Shoshone, I think I saw 6-7 cars total for 50 miles.
3) Interstate 10 between Blythe, CA and just east of Indio, CA - there are some very desolate stretches of I-10 in Arizona west of Phoenix (or more accurately, west of Buckeye/AZ Route 85), but those stretches didn't seem as isolated to me as California stretch of I-10 at the southern edge of the Mojave Desert. Much of Interstate 8 in California and Arizona is desolate too.
By eastern standards, one of the most isolated stretches of highway (desolate isn't the right word) is PA Route 120 between Lock Haven, PA and St. Mary's PA, and especially the stretch between Renovo, PA and Emporium, PA. There is only one town that has even a few hundred people in the 46 mile stretch between Renovo and Emporium.
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