10 Of The Most Scenic Roads In The Midwest For A Road Trip

Looking up at the sky and saying “Oh, it’s about to rain good,” may not be the most Midwest thing in the world after all. Of course, Midwesterners are infectiously friendly; a blend of Southern hospitality and Canadian politeness. It’s not uncommon to find pedestrians and drivers, both complete strangers, waving at each like some long-time acquaintances. We’ll not mention the offering of backyard garden vegetables and the mind-numbing small talk. It’s almost a pity the rest of the country isn’t this way.

And even though not as hilly or forested, even if places like Michigan grow trees like anywhere else, the Midwest is still unbelievably beautiful and boasts some amazingly picturesque scenery. This includes a number of roadside attractions (with a dash of craziness), some of the most underrated national parks in the country, and several sea-sized freshwater lakes. In this article, we reveal the most scenic roads in the Midwest.

10 Ohio’s Hocking Hills Scenic Byway

For those who believe that deer add beauty and animation to any landscape, needless to say, because of their graceful movements and peaceful eyes, this stretch in Ohio will meet, even exceed, expectations.

Cuddling the foothills of the greater Appalachia, Ohio’s Hocking Hills Scenic Byway twists and bends along beautiful hills and lush valleys of Southeast Ohio, goes past enormous sandstone outcroppings, and offers some of the best views of the towering birch and hemlock trees that robe Hocking Hills State Park, the best park in Ohio.

9 Highway 33 In Wisconsin

On a drive that starts from Port Washington, a charming harbor town that, for its postcard beauty and stunning waterfront, may detain a tripper for hours, cruising along Highway 33 is a nice way to explore the Badger State from coast to coast.

The unending miles of picturesque scenery take road trippers to Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake that sits entirely within the United States and, this may come as a surprise, the most dangerous lake in the country.

Trip Highlight: the stretch that cuts through Wildcat Mountain State Park is among the most scenic.

8 South Dakota’s Badlands Loop Scenic Byway

Forget about the misleading name, Badlands is not at all bad. In reality, Badlands Loop Scenic Byway cuts through the northern section of Badlands National Park, a region where erosion has helped create stunning outcrops, several amazing buttes, and other gray, pyramid-like formations, that are some of the most stunning in the country.

7 M-22, Northern Michigan

Stunning beauty waits at almost every bend of M-22. Meanwhile, several small towns, mostly quaint and charming, will be on hand to provide a mesmerizing welcome. Trippers may want to know that M-22 was voted Best Scenic Autumn Drive by both 10Best and USA TODAY in 2015.

And unlike research studies that get debunked with time, we may want to admit that time has no deleterious effect on natural beauty.

Trip Highlight: The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore fеаturеѕ 500-foot bluffs thаt оvеrlооk Lake Michigan and its рriѕtinе, ѕаndу bеасhеѕ.

6 Iowa’s Covered Bridges Scenic Byway

Even those who’ve not read the novel or watched the movie The Bridges of Madison County may know something about the covered bridges of Madison County; their fame and romantic charm.

The winding stretches of the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway offer road trippers a delicious visual taste of some of the most (in)famous bridges in the United States.

Road trippers may particularly want to check out the Roseman Bridge which is rumored to be haunted.

5 Kansas’s Flint Hills Scenic Byway

Kansas may be flat like a pancake, but who said flat terrain is boring? Flat, open landscapes, that provide unobstructed views straight through to the distant horizon, have their distinctive charm and allure.

And here’s the truth. Flint Hills Scenic Byway, the gateway to the tall grass prairie, offers visitors a palpable sense of vastness that’s just so enchanting.

How Long Is The Flint Hills Scenic Byway? 48 miles.

4 Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

This road goes through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and is continuously framed by lush forests and serene settings before one finally sets his eyes on the vivid blue waters that fill up the ocean.

It may be short; just about 7 miles long, yet it packs so much beauty in so short a stretch that trippers will be utterly blown away.

3 Iron Mountain Road

One exciting feature of this South Dakota road is that it offers views of Mount Rushmore and the sculpted heads of four presidents who represent the most important events in the history of the United States.

But aside from this, Iron Mountain Road is a road that has unbelievable twists and turns, many of which are dangerously sharp, but with views the eyes will want to run to.

2 Illinois’s Route 66 Heritage Project

Route 66 doesn’t really need any introduction or even description. It’s no surprise that many regard this as the most iconic stretch of road in the United States.

Just start from Chicago, cut through Illinois all through to St. Louis for one of the most picturesque vistas on earth.