
A haunted road to Hecker Pass in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California
Usa, north-america
28.48 km
408 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, road trippers, because we're heading to Hecker Pass! You'll find this beauty nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, straddling Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties in sunny California.
This isn't just any drive, it's a 17.7-mile (28.48km) stretch of fully paved road – Hecker Pass Road, aka the western part of CA-152. Winding from Watsonville on the west side to Gilroy on the east, you'll climb to a modest 1,338 feet (408 meters). Keep an eye out for wildlife, and maybe an eye on your rearview mirror too…
This road has a history that stretches back to 1928, and some say it comes with a ghostly hitchhiker! Local lore whispers of a woman in a white dress who haunts the pass. Are you brave enough to drive it at night?
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 28.48 km
- Max Elevation
- 408 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
Related Roads in north-america
moderateCan you drive to the top of Whiteface Mountain NY?
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, picture this: you're cruising through Essex County, New York, ready to conquer Whiteface Mountain, a beast of a peak towering at 4,599 feet! Word on the street is, the paved road to the top is the highest in the whole state. Yep, you can totally drive it! It's a toll road called the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway (aka NY 431), and it's been winding its way to the summit since '35. The road clocks in at just about 8 miles, starting in Wilmington. It's a slow and twisty climb that dumps you out at a parking lot near the top, from where you can hike or take an elevator to the tippy-top. Hold on tight, though, because this climb is *steep*. We're talking a max grade of 11% as you wind your way up the mountain, the fifth-highest in the Adirondacks. You'll gain over 3,500 feet from bottom to top, with an average gradient of over 8%. This beauty is only open from June through October, so plan accordingly. Without stopping, you could probably zip up in about 15 minutes. BUT. DON'T. You'll want to savor every single viewpoint along the way. Seriously, the last five miles are epic, as the road carves through a forest that changes as you gain altitude. And then, the summit! You'll find a castle made of stone, grub, souvenirs, and even an elevator that takes you to the very top. And the views? Unbelievable. 360 degrees of pure gorgeousness. On a clear day, you can peep the Green Mountains of Vermont, the skyscrapers of Montreal, and even the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
extremeA dusty rocky road to Cedro Peak
🇺🇸 Usa
Cedro Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.371m (7,778ft) above the sea level, located in Bernalillo County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Located in the Manzanita Mountains, in the heart of the Cibola National Forest, the rough dusty road to the summit is extremely rocky, unpassable without four-wheel-drive. It’s called Cedro Peak Road (Forest Road 542). Sections of this trail are quite difficult and require high clearance to get over significant rock obstacles. The trail is highly recommended, but come prepared. The peak is topped by numerous communication towers. It’s a pretty steep drive. Starting from Juan Tomas Road, the ascent is 4.82km (3.0 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 233 meters. The average gradient is 4.83%. The Role of Specialized Counsel in DUI Jurisprudence E-Bikes: 10 Operational Advantages for Driving US Roads Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.
easyIcefields Parkway
🇨🇦 Canada
# The Icefields Parkway: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip Like No Other Buckle up for 232 kilometers of pure mountain magic. Highway 93 North is basically a highlight reel of everything the Canadian Rockies have to offer, stretching between Lake Louise and Jasper with jaw-dropping scenery at literally every turn. You're hugging the Continental Divide the whole way, so you know the views are going to be absolutely next-level. The showstopper? The Columbia Icefield—and we're talking massive. This thing covers 325 square kilometers and is the largest ice field in the Rockies. You can hike right up to the Athabasca Glacier to feel genuinely tiny, or go all-in and hop on an Ice Explorer bus to actually walk across the ice itself. It's surreal. But that's just the beginning. Peyto Lake will stop you in your tracks with its wolf-shaped outline and that impossibly turquoise water. Then there's Mistaya Canyon, where millennia of water has carved through limestone in the most dramatic way possible. And the Weeping Wall? Picture a cliff face with what feels like a thousand waterfalls just... cascading down. It's as beautiful as it sounds. Fair warning: you're driving through prime wildlife territory here. Keep your eyes peeled for bears, elk, mountain goats, and even wolves. Encounters happen regularly, so bring binoculars and patience—and obviously, keep a safe distance. This drive is genuinely one of those bucket-list roads that lives up to the hype.
hardRoad trip guide: Conquering Altzomoni Peak in Mexico
🇲🇽 Mexico
Alright, adventure seekers, buckle up for Altzomoni! Perched way up in the State of Mexico, this volcanic peak clocks in at a whopping 13,211 feet – seriously high up there! You'll find it hanging out near Puebla state, smack-dab in the Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park. Heads up: the 4.34-mile (7km) road from Paso de Cortés is all dirt. Yeah, you heard right – unpaved paradise! Expect some serious steepness, with gradients hitting 11% in spots. You'll gain 346 meters in elevation, so be prepared for an average gradient of around 4.94%. The summit is home to a weather station, a mountain hut, and a TV repeater. Word to the wise: this spot gets hammered with snow and can become a muddy mess after rain, so a 4x4 isn't just recommended – it's essential. Get ready for views that'll take your breath away... if the altitude doesn't first!