This 105-mile byway runs right through the middle of the park, cruising atop its high ridges to offer pretty panoramas across the lowlands. There are 75 scenic overlooks along the route, and the speed limit is a dawdling 35 mph—but efficiency isn’t the point. Start at Rockfish Gap, the southern terminus on I-64, and cruise north as far as Thornton Gap (a convenient place to exit and follow US 211 east to Washington DC). These 75 miles contain the most impressive views and hiking trailheads. Don’t miss the Big Run Overlook (milepost 81.2), which gazes west across a deep ravine to Rocky Mountain and its pale quartz cliffs, or Spitler Knoll Overlook (milepost 48.1) and its rows of rolling hills receding to the horizon.

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