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There's a moment on every great mountain road when you forget everything else. The curve ahead demands your focus. The drop below reminds you you're alive. The view at the top makes every mile worth it.
Mountain routes are different from any other kind of riding. They test your skills, reward your patience, and stay with you long after the trip ends. Some roads are famous for a reason. Others are hidden gems, waiting to be discovered.
Here are mountain routes that deliver the kind of ride you'll still be talking about years from now.
The Alps are the heartland of European mountain riding. For generations, riders have come here to test themselves against the high passes, hairpin turns, and breathtaking scenery that define this region.
The Furka Pass has been crowned the best mountain pass for motorcycling in the world, ranking number one globally. It's famous for its exceptional views and scenery — and for the 1964 James Bond car chase inGoldfinger, where Sean Connery's Aston Martin DB5 raced along its dramatic curves. At 2,429 metres, the pass offers a ride that combines alpine majesty with cinematic history.
Crossing the Bernese Alps at 2,164 metres, the Grimsel Pass ranks fourth globally and offers similarly spectacular alpine scenery. Together with the Furka Pass, it forms the backbone of some of the most memorable rides in the Swiss Alps. The road winds through dramatic landscapes, past glacial lakes and rugged peaks that seem to stretch into infinity.
If you're looking for a short ride that packs a serious punch, and you're not fazed by heights, this is the route for you. The Million Dollar Highway snakes through old mining country in the San Juan Mountains, offering truly stunning mountain views and reaching an elevation of 11,000 feet.
With hair-raising switchbacks, steep drop-offs, and few guardrails, the Million Dollar Highway offers some of the most thrilling high-altitude riding you'll experience on a motorcycle. You'll summit three 10,000-foot mountain passes between Ouray and Silverton along U.S. Route 550, enjoying incredible panoramic views along the way.
No one really knows for sure how the Million Dollar Highway got its name. It might be because the road reportedly cost a million dollars a mile to complete in the 1920s. Or because fill dirt used for the highway was said to be rich in gold ore. Some say it's because of its "million-dollar" views. Whatever the reason, it remains a bucket-list ride for those unafraid of heights.
Complete the experience by circling the San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway, a 236-mile scenic loop of which the Million Dollar Highway is a part.
Ranked fifth in a global list of top mountain passes, Independence Pass in Colorado offers stunning roads and breathtaking lake views. It's one of the must-ride mountain passes in the United States, with elevations that challenge both bike and rider.
The Cherohala Skyway connects Robbinsville, North Carolina, with Tellico Plains, Tennessee, crossing the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. This road is one of America's most famous scenic skyways, known for its long, captivating curves, beautiful views, and cool summer breezes. It's a perfect complement to the Tail of the Dragon — a more flowing, sweeping mountain experience.
Just take a look at this route on Google Maps to see the twists and turns that make it so unique. This mountain pass even featured in series 10 of Top Gear, when the presenters went in search of the greatest driving road in the world. Col de Turini is well known to fans of car rallying — it plays a starring role every year in the Monte Carlo Rally — and of the Tour de France. The pass is situated in the French department of Alpes-Maritimes and reaches an altitude of 1,604 metres.
Several routes exist to reach the summit. One route, from Sospel, takes about three hours, climbing the Bevera valley to reach the Col de Turini via the village of Moulinet. Autumn offers a festival of red and gold colours, making every turn even more spectacular.
The Transfăgărășan Highway gained global fame when Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson called it the "best road in the world" — and riders still flock here for the scenery and the adrenaline. The DN7C road stretches for around 140 km, crossing the Carpathian Mountains from the Sibiu area to the town of Bascov.
The route is a succession of linked bends stretching over 90 kilometres. Near Lake Bâlea, the road traces its way across the mountain like a snake of asphalt, creating an instantly recognisable scene. At one point, the route takes travellers through a pass at over 2,000 metres, with excellent asphalt and flowing curves alternating with bridges, lakes, viaducts, and tunnels. The road enters deep forests with a high population of brown bears, so it's best to stay alert.
A truly great mountain ride balances three things: the road itself, the scenery around it, and the feeling you get when you ride it.
The road should engage you — demand your attention, reward your skill, and keep you present in every moment. The scenery should take your breath away. And the experience should stay with you long after you've parked the bike.
These mountain routes have all three.
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