'The Most Scenic Road Trip In America' Is A Breathtaking Route Through 5 States And 7 National Parks

If you've ever wanted to experience the best of the American West, there's one epic road trip that you can't pass up — a drive along U.S. Route 89. Often referred to as the "Most Scenic Road Trip in America," this incredible route takes road trippers from Canada through Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and terminates in Flagstaff, Arizona, though you can extend the trip to hit the Mexican border, too. It goes through some of the most iconic U.S. national parks and through some less-visited hidden gems — Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon, and Saguaro. Along the way, you'll see a wide variety of American landscapes, including the mountains and wide flat expanses of the Basin and Range Province, the valleys and mesas of the Colorado Plateau, and the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

Route 89 is officially 1,342 miles long, which translates to a seriously long journey. If you rush through, you can probably make it from one end of the road to the other in two weeks, but in order to fully experience the parks, not just drive through them, you will probably need three or four weeks. To save money and enjoy the best the route has to offer, consider planning your trip around the national parks and reserving campgrounds at each one, rather than booking roadside motels as you go.

If you're starting at the Canadian border, your first national park will be the stunning Crown of the Continent, Glacier National Park. Drive in through the St. Mary Entrance so that you can drive directly onto the Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of the country's most scenic roads. There, you're close to the big, year-round St. Mary Campground, so as long as you make reservations in advance, you'll have the perfect place to spend the night.

Next, make your way to the mountains of Grand Teton National Park. Route 89 is one of the main roads in Grand Teton, so you can't go wrong driving along it and seeing the incredible landscapes through your windshield. Consider pulling over at Elk Ranch Flats Turnout to look for bison and horses. For views, try Snake River Overlook and Glacier View Turnout to admire the jagged snowy peaks. The Lizard Creek Campground is right along Route 89, so it's a perfect place to spend a night before exploring Grand Teton in the morning.

Driving Route 89 is also the perfect way to enjoy the iconic Yellowstone National Park. Drive in through the north entrance in Gardiner and keep your eyes open for wildlife. You don't need to find specific pullouts in order to spot wildlife here. There will be incredible animals, from bison herds to (possibly) bears, around the roads. Drive carefully so that you don't harm any of the creatures that make Yellowstone their home. Less than 20 minutes off of Route 89, you'll find Canyon Campground. It's close to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, so you can visit the canyon first thing in the morning (and compare it to the actual Grand Canyon later in your trip).

With a higher concentration of hoodoos than anywhere else on the planet, the next stop, Bryce Canyon, might just be America's most unique national park. While Highway 89 doesn't go through the park, it gets you about 20 minutes away. Both of the park's campgrounds, North Campground and Sunset Campground, are close to Route 89. Your next destination is Zion National Park, which is just over an hour away along a remarkably beautiful stretch of Route 89. The highway meets with State Route 9 (the Zion Scenic Byway), which goes deep into the park. Expect to see the rushing waters of the Virgin River along with some incredible cliff views through your windshield. If you're able to snag a campsite in advance, stay at Watchman Campground. From there, you're less than an hour from Route 89.

You're not going to see the Grand Canyon out your window as you drive along Route 89, but it's only about half an hour away. You will quickly find yourself at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which offers excellent views of the terrain. When it's open, the North Rim Campground is the perfect home base to explore the hiking trails in the area, so make sure to book early. Note that many parts of the Grand Canyon are closed for the remainder of the 2025 season due to wildfires.

Finish your road trip with a visit to Saguaro National Park, an underrated national park in Arizona with breathtaking desert scenery. Make sure to stay the night. Comparing the alpenglow of Glacier to the massive cacti silhouettes against the burning red desert sunset of Saguaro is the ideal way to appreciate just how far you've come on Route 89.