Driving for pleasure, on scenic routes or the many other roads available on national forest lands, has consistently ranked at the top of the list of recreational activities on national forests. From the earliest days of the automobile, national forests and their roads have proven to be an attractive destination for drivers.

In a draft manuscript for its 1970 publication, "A Scenic Road: A Basis for Its Planning, Design and Management," the Forest Service describes the scenic forest road as a "safe, esthetically attractive, limited access route planned or constructed through areas of locally outstanding scenic value. It should usually be an alternate route that will attract large volumes of pleasure travel and a minimum of commercial travel."

The guide to scenic roads noted, "Driving for pleasure is one of the nation's most important outdoor recreation activities. Many Americans engage in driving for pleasure more often than in any active sport including those such as fishing, boating, camping or swimming. This use is found in varying degrees on almost all types of roads on the National Forest Transportation Road System..."

The scenic road manual provides an in-depth and enthusiastic treatment of how roads should be placed and designed, what types of views and experiences the roads should offer, and factors to anticipate when planning a scenic road system.

For example, "A scenic road corridor includes three elements:

• The view of the road and the foreground scenery.

• The distance scenery.

• The variety and interest of the scenic trip.

Within these wide parameters the opportunities to obtain an outstanding travel experience is unlimited."

The manual goes on to identify essential components of the roadside experience including: water, topographic features, vegetation, historic and cultural features, fish and wildlife (and stock), administrative facilities and recreational opportunities, sites of geological or ecological interest, and rural scenery.

As for the road itself, the scenic road manual suggests mixing the views to avoid a monotonous experience and to highlight outstanding features by "aiming" the windshield at them. Finally, "One objective of designing a scenic road is to give the impression to the visitor that the boundaries of the drive extend to the horizon."

Source:

Pragnell, Reginald C. "A Scenic Road: A Basis for Its Planning, Design and Management," undated manuscript draft copy, 2nd Edition published by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Washington, D.C) 1970.