The 10 Scariest Roads in the World
Adventure

The 10 Scariest Roads in the World

Driving can be a nerve-wracking experience: traffic and poor weather can make even the most mundane of commutes stressful. Even in ideal conditions, fender-benders are often caused by just one wrong move away. On these 10 roads, however, one wrong move could spell certain doom for everyone in the vehicle: sheer plunges, dizzying heights, narrow tracks and tight switchbacks transform these routes from scenic to terrifying. Bad weather only intensifies the fear factor for these roadways and, unfortunately, bad weather is common on most of them, making them 10 of the scariest drives on the face of the earth.

10. Lippincott Mine Road, USA

This 7-mile track out of Death Valley National Park in California doesn’t get much traffic—and for good reason. The road reaches an altitude of 2,000 feet and has some fairly sheer drops. It’s not paved. It’s narrow. It’s got no guardrails. Drivers will need to navigate their 4-wheel drive vehicle around or over large boulders and also contend with the gravel track—which is often no wider than a couple of feet. Losing traction could mean plummeting over the side of the cliff. The road’s also in a place called Death Valley in the middle of a desert. You’d be wise to make sure your vehicle’s in good condition and to be prepared in case you break down. There’s no water and no cell reception out here. Nonetheless, the road is a faster way to the park and it takes you by the famed Racetrack Playa.

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9. Trollstigen Mountain Road, Norway

A nine percent incline and 11 hairpin turns combined with poor weather conditions make Trollstigen Mountain Road a fairly nerve-wracking drive. The road winds up one of Norway’s numerous slopes and it is closed in the winter beginning in October through to the month of May due to dangerous conditions. Rain often decreases traction for vehicles and fog can impair visibility. Really, the fog is less scary and more of a shame: the road overlooks the Geirangerfjord in western Norway. The fjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means that lots of tourists brave the twists and turns of the Trollstigen to catch a glimpse of fjords and lush valleys, as well as the Stigfossen waterfall. Between 2005 and 2012, the road underwent repairs and improvements that aimed to make it safer: rockfall guards were added and some sections were widened.

Trollstigen Mountain Road, Norway
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