Best Winter Drives in US - Beste Winter Tripjes in USA

Beste Winter Ritjes In Amerika
-
Best Winter Drives In De USA

Dat we mooie ritjes kunnen maken in Amerika dat weten er een heleboel al wel maar ook in de winter is het erg mooi met zijn sneeuw bedekte landschappen.

Travel & Leisure maakt een selectie van 16 waarvan ik er 8 heb uitgezocht die ik zelf gereden heb en zeker de moeite waard vind - zomer en winter. Hopelijk brengt het jullie op een idee voor een volgende reis.

-----

That you can make beautiful road trips ind the USA a lot of us already know but also in the winter its a great thing to do and discover the white coated landscapes.
Travel & Leisure made a selection of 16 roadtrips of which I selected 8 I know and drove myself, and absolutely worthwhile - summer and winter - hopefully it will bring some ideas for a next trip.

Arches National Park, Utahaa
Start: Moab, UT
Route: 36 miles on the park’s Scenic Drive
What to Expect: Beautiful any time of year, Arches National Park’s natural sandstone sculptures assume an ethereal quality when covered in a layer of snow and bathed in soft winter light—best for desert photography. The scenic drive is paved, and even after a storm, snow usually melts off quickly. Where to Stop: Moderate daytime temperatures (usually in the mid-40s; dress in layers) invite a walk along the Park Avenue Trail, a stroll right through The Windows, and a pause to marvel at Balanced Rock.

Badlands Loop Road, South Dakota

Starting Point: Wall, SD

The Route: 40 miles on South Dakota Highway 240

What to Expect: The temperatures may hover around zero, but the striking, stratified land formations that draw summer thousands remain steadfast—and look even more photo-worthy in a dusting of seasonally light snow. You won’t find many other travelers poking about, so it may just be you, the park rangers, and a whole bunch of bighorn sheep.

Where to Stop: Any of the 14 scenic overlooks to watch the sun and shadows play tag on the badlands, even if it is a wee bit nippy out there.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Start: Hyannis, MA

Route: 60 miles on Massachusetts Highway 6A

What to Expect: Few North American beaches compare to Cape Cod National Seashore in winter, where the snow filters through the dune grass and gathers on the beach like a monk’s mandala. Worth hopping out, but if you want to stick to your car, a brief one-mile stretch between Truro and Provincetown offers the most scenic views.

Where to Stop: At any beach access point, massive black-and-white eiders (sea ducks) floating aloft the breakers and gulls battling head down into the bracing wind inspire us to dig into the sand and forge forward. Boardwalk strolls through Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve and Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary offer additional protection for the birds—and you.

 

Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Start: Incline Village, NV

Route: 27 miles on Nevada Highway 28-E and US-50

What to Expect: Mountains reflect off one of North America’s deepest lakes, filling the glassy surface with otherworldly imagery during any season, but especially resplendent in winter. Bring your camera and your skis, be they Nordic or alpine. You’ll also find plenty of beaches from which to look upon some of the planet’s clearest water.

Where to Stop: Sand Harbor, part of the 14,300-acre Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, is an ideal place to dip your hands in the icy lake (it never freezes but does get as low as 37 degrees), before hitting the trails for a winter walk, snowshoe, or ski.

 

Seward Highway, Alaska

Start: Anchorage, AK

Route: 49 miles on the Seward Highway

What to Expect: Views abound between the 3,000-foot peaks of Chugach State Park and the pack ice floes of the vast Turnagain Arm marine sanctuary, especially after city traffic drops away and the heavily glaciated Kenai Mountains come into view. Turn back after reaching Portage Valley or steel your nerves—and make sure you have chains—for the entire 127-mile journey through mountain passes to Seward.

Where to Stop: The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center provides a close-up view of native wildlife that were injured and can no longer survive in the wild, such as reindeer, lynx, moose, and grizzlies.

 

Stowe to Rochester, Vermont

Start: Stowe, VT

Route: 50 miles on VT-100

What to Expect: Every route through Vermont is scenic, but the Route 100 Byway is the best of the lot, especially when taking the time to pause in the Green Mountain villages of Wilmington and Weston before touring the Mad River Valley. The Mad River’s Moss Glen Falls offers a frozen sculpture that changes daily.

Where to Stop: Almost every village offers a quaint country store, but Weston’s Vermont Country Store is the ultimate pit stop for practical souvenirs and unique regional treats.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Start: Mammoth Hot Springs, WY

Route: 52 miles on the Grand Loop Road

What to Expect: Yellowstone’s summer traffic jams thin out to lightly populated wolf-spotting groups and the occasional bachelor bison (older males that have left the herd) that may have you applying the brakes. You can drive into the Lamar Valley to look for wolves, but bisecting the park to Old Faithful requires booking space on a snowcoach (reserve early).

Where to Stop: The geysers look more impressive during winter than any other season so prioritize a stay in Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Ski, snowshoe, or walk upon miles of trails through the Upper Geyser Basin.

 

Yosemite National Park, California

Start: Groveland, CA

Route: 46 miles on CA-120

What to Expect: Driving through Yosemite Valley, sparsely visited in winter, unveils the season at every turn. Snows change its granite monoliths daily, covering the forest floor and revealing previously hidden wildlife. Ice deepens the bellowing cascades of Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls, punctuated by cackles of dislodged ice.

Where to Stop: Grab a chair close to the hearth in the Ahwahnee Hotel, and ponder the seasonal snowscape (preferably with a hot cocoa) through its floor-to-ceiling windows.