Best 15 US Roads Challenge
Since 2011
Ride the Best Roads in the US, selected by riders.
Navigate through the US to see other interesting which lead to the iconic ones.
20 roads from the list, all over the US, in any order.
Include the Best 15 US in your Triple Crown Award plan.
Become part of the top tier group of 100+ finishers.
Take the challenge and ride what the SCMA considers to be the best 15 roads in the US in one calendar year.
In 2018 the American Motorcycling Association collected input and votes from almost half a million riders to
select the first list of best 15 roads in the US.
The SCMA has been providing variations on the ride challenge since 2011.
Best 15 US Roads Challenge
The Best 15 US Roads Challenge is an invitation to experience 15 of the best motorcycling roads in the USA. The Challenge changes, but it always contains two mandatory roads to ensure that it remains a national ride rather than a regional one. The remaining 13 roads are your choice from our curated collection. The majority of these are generally acknowledged as exceptional rides, but we also try to include a few hidden gems that that are less celebrated. Periodically, we encourage riders to include their favorite road as part of their Challenge; this helps us discover lesser-known favorites and expand our portfolio.
If you’re just getting started in motorcycle touring, the Best 15 US Roads Challenge works great as a build-your-own best-of tour. With the ability to choose your selection of roads, it also integrates well with visits to national or regional club rallies as well as other SCMA tours like the USA Four Corners Tour and Three Flags Classic. A member recently rode a Four Corners Tour that included the Three Flags Classic and twelve Best 15 US Roads Challenge segments, so planning is the key to success!
Our former Best 15 US Roads Ride Chair, Bob Roger, wrote an article about his first Best 15 Rides for Rider Magazine. For a look at the ride, you can see the article here.
Best 15 US Roads Challenge Rules
To complete the Best 15 US Roads Challenge, you must ride 15 roads on the current list 2026 Best 15 US Roads (2 mandatory and 13 of your choice from the collection of 25 roads) within one calendar year.
2026 Best 15 US Roads Challenge - Maps shows the location and layout of the roads on the list.
The Best US 15 Roads Challenge includes riding your motorcycle the entire distances to and from home, to and from and along the prescribed roads. The fifteen roads may be traveled in any sequence, breaks in time between roads are allowed and can be taken at the discretion of the rider. In the event of a road closure, ride to the closure sign to take the photo.
The Best 15 US Roads Challenge is a PHOTO TOUR. For each road, you must obtain a dated business receipt (DBR) at each end of the specified road segment or road group and take a photo of yourself, your motorcycle with a recognizable landmark along the way. You may document your ride with hardcopy or use your phone to document your adventure via the SpotWalla location management app. Recording your ride with Electronic Journaling provides a backup for your documentation rather than collecting and protecting a stack of receipts. See the information provided on the Electronic Ride Journaling page. To submit hardcopy, you must assemble your DBRs with a ride log.
ALL 15 Roads must be ridden in ONE calendar year. There are no time extensions for any reason, including weather, mechanical failures, accidents, illness etc.
Upon completion of your ride, submit a certification request with your ride documentation to the Ride Chair Certification Request - Best 15 US Roads.
While most SCMA rides have the option to purchase ride swag including a certificate, shirts and other items, the Best 15 US Roads Challenge is unique in offering an engraved and personalized Buck knife in one of the certification bundles.
Certified Finishers will be invited to attend Finishers' celebrations.
Best 15 US Roads Challenge History
The SCMA Best 15 US Roads Tour was created in 2011 incorporating an idea from the AMA when they published the best 15 roads in the US.
All Roads Listed 2011 – 2022
Beartooth Pass / Chief Joseph Scenic Highways Red Lodge to Cody
Blue Ridge Parkway – Any 150-mile segment
The Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway
US 550 – Million Dollar Highway Durango to Montrose
CA1 – PCH – Monterey to Moro Bay
Going to the Sun Road Glacier National Park
CA36 – Susanville to Alton
US12 Idaho – The Lolo Trail Lewiston ID to Lolo MT
CA2 – Angeles Crest Hwy Wrightwood to La Canada Flintridge
Natchez Trace – Originally “The Length”
US33 – Harrisonburg VA to Seneca Rocks Later extended to Elkins, WV
CA58 – McKittrick to Santa Margarita
OH170 – Calcutta to Poland
WA129 / OR3 Clarkston, WA to Enterprise OR
WA20 – Concrete to Omak
Twisted Sisters RR337 / RR336/ RR335 TX41 Medina to Camp Wood
US16A – Iron Mountain Road Custer to Keystone, SD
CO12- Highway of Legends Trinidad to La Veta
VT100 – Stamford to Waterbury, VT
US191 – Three Way to Springerville, AZ
UT12 – Brice Canyon to Torrey
US50 – Ely, NV to Carson City, NV
Kancamagus Scenic Byway – Lincoln to Mt Washington Auto Road
VA16 – The Back of the Dragon – Tazewell to Marion
Big Bend Nat Park – Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Santa Elena Canyon
Acadia National Park – The Park Loop
CA70 – Oroville to Quincy
UT128 – Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric HWY I-70 ex204 to Moab
Great River Road – WI 35 Prairie du Chien to LaCrosse, WI
Ozark Hellbender – MO 19 Cuba to Winona
Rocky Mt Nat Park – Walden Loop
Apache Trail – Roosevelt Dam to Tortilla Flat, AZ (NOT the Direct route)
OH555 – The Triple Nickel – Zanesville to Little Hocking
AR23 – Arkansas Pig Trail – Ozark to Eureka Springs
US163 – Monument Valley – Kayenta AZ to Bluff UT
CO 145 – San Juan Skyway – Cortez to Placerville
ID55 – Payette River Run – Horseshoe Bend to Cascade
US14 – Big Horn Run – Ranchester to Greybull, WY
Geronimo Trail Hatch to Silver City NM (NM Routes 26,27,152,35 15)
MI 22 – Tunnel of Trees – Cross Village to Empire (MI Routes 119,31, 22)
Theodore Roosevelt Nat Park Park Loop (I-94 ex24) Medora ND
Enchanted Circle Loop out of Taos NM (US64, NM38, NM522)
Certify Your Best 15 US Roads Challenge
Congratulations! Your almost done!
After you have requested Ride Certification please gather all your photos, Spotwalla Track(link) or Day 1 Journal and EMAIL them to the ride chair. We understand that you may not be able to send them in one email so utilize as many as you need. If your file is too large to email contact the ride chair and arrangements will be made to receive your file.
Your Ride Chair is: Charles Lamb at best15@sc-ma.com
Certify Now!
Follow this link to request certification of your Best 15 US Roads Challenge.
For further clarification and questions about the Best 15 US Roads Challenge, contact:
Ride Chair – Charlie Lamb
best15-us@sc-ma.com
2026 Best 15 US Roads
In 2026 riders will need to ride 2 mandatory roads from the list of 26, and 13 more selected from the list below to make 15. The roads can be ridden in any order, and in either direction.
Two roads are Mandatory:
- Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) – CA
ANY 120-mile continuous section of this 656-mile-long scenic highway in California (CA-1). Recommended PCH section is Morro Bay, CA to Monterey, CA (120 miles). - Blue Ridge Parkway – VA/NC
ANY 120-mile continuous section of this 469-mile-long scenic highway.
Any Thirteen of the following roads:
- Feather River Scenic Byway – CA
CA-70: Oroville, CA to Quincy, CA – 77 miles. - Northern Cascades Highway – WA
WA-20: Concrete, WA to Okanogan, WA – 145 miles. - Lolo Trail – ID/MT
US-12: Lewiston, ID to Lolo, MT – 206 miles. - Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park – MT
West Glacier, MT to St. Mary, MT – 50 miles. - Beartooth & Chief Joseph Highways – MT/WY
US-212 & WY-296: Red Lodge, MT to Cody, WY – 124 miles. - Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit Loop – ND
Medora, ND (I-94 exit 24) – 35 miles. - Iron Mountain Road – SD
US-16A: Keystone, SD to Custer, SD – 34 miles. - Highway of Legends – CO
CO SR-12: Trinadad, CO to La Veta, CO – 65 miles. - Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway – UT
UT-128: Cisco, UT (I-70 exit 204 or 214) to Moab, UT – 47 miles. - Monument Valley – UT/AZ
US-163: Mexican Hat, UT to Kayenta, AZ – 43 miles. - Coronado Trail – AZ
US-191: Springerville, AZ to Three Way, AZ – 130 miles.. - Valley of Fire – NV
Valley of File Highway: Overton, NV (Rt-169) to Crystal, NV (I-15 exit 75) – 32 miles. Visitor Center: 29450 Valley of Fire Road, Overton, NV. - Twisted Sisters in Texas Hill Country – TX
Ranch Roads 335, 336, 337: Suggested route from Medina, TX RR-337 west to Camp Wood (58 miles); Rt 55 north to Barksdale (4 miles); RR-335 north to Rt41 (29 miles); Rt 41 east to RR-336 (14 miles); RR-336 south to Leakey (27 miles) – 132 miles. - The Pig Trail – AR
SR-23: Eureka Springs, AR to Ozark, AR – 80 miles. - Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail – TN/AL/MS
ANY 120-mile continuous section pf this 444-mile-long scenic highway. - The Snake – TN/VA
US-421: Bristol, VA to Mountain City, TN – 34 miles. - The Triple Nickel – OH
SR-555: Zanesville, OH to Little Hocking, OH – 63 miles. - Hawk’s Nest Highway – NY
SR-97: Port Jervis, NY to Hancock, NY following the Delaware River – 70 miles. - Skier’s Highway – VT
VT-12: Wilmington, VT to Waterbury, VT – 132 miles. - Kancamagus Scenic Byway – NH
SR-112: Lincoln, NH 23 miles to left on Bear Notch Road to Bartlett, NH – 32 miles. - Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park – ME
Park loop road plus Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, ME – 33 miles. - Overseas Highway – FL
US Route 1: Key Largo, FL to Key West, FL – 98 miles. - Great River Road – WI
SR-35: La Crosse, WI to Prairie du Chien, WI – 63 miles. - Your Favorite Road
Rider gets to pick one favorite road to share with others.