Some ski trips start building the adrenaline before you even park in the ski area lot. Sometimes the road to get there can feel like a journey of its own, climbing over high passes, tracing narrow canyon walls, and then suddenly opening to big mountain views that make you want to stop and soak it all in. A handful of routes across North America turn the drive itself into part of the reward, serving up scenery that rivals the runs you came for.
We asked our readers: What are the most scenic drives to a ski area? These are the drives that rose to the top.
#7 Mammoth, CA
Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway (Highway 395)
The approach to Mammoth Mountain on Highway 395 runs through some of the most striking terrain in the Eastern Sierra. The highway moves between wide open basins and sharp mountain walls, with long views that seem to stretch forever. As you get closer to the mountain, the peaks stack higher and the scenery shifts from high desert to alpine, giving the drive a dramatic finish.
#6 Mt. Baker, WA
Mt. Baker Scenic Byway (SR 542)
The road to Mt. Baker feels like a slow reveal. Leaving Bellingham, SR 542 rolls past quiet farms and wooded hills before tightening into a route that threads through small towns and dense forest. As the peaks start to rise, the drive becomes a steady climb toward open vistas, deep valleys and the snowy upper reaches of the mountain. It’s one of those approaches where the scenery builds with every mile, setting the mood long before you reach the lifts.
#5 Alyeska, AK
Seward Highway
The drive from Anchorage to Alyeska follows the edge of Turnagain Arm, where the road hugs the water and the mountains rise straight from the shoreline. The views shift constantly as the tide moves, revealing mudflats, ice, and long stretches of open water framed by steep peaks. As you get closer to Girdwood, the valley narrows and the scenery tightens around you, giving the whole approach a dramatic, almost cinematic feel.
#4 Alta/Snowbird, UT
Little Cottonwood Canyon Rd. (Highway 210)
The drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon feels dramatic from the start, with sheer granite walls rising almost straight above the road. As the canyon narrows, the peaks stack higher and the views shift quickly from rugged cliffs to snow filled basins. By the time you reach Alta and Snowbird, it already feels like you’ve traveled deep into the heart of the Wasatch.
#3 Telluride, CO
Highway 145 / Million Dollar Highway
The approach to Telluride feels like entering a hidden corner of the Rockies. The road runs through wide open valleys before narrowing into a box canyon framed by towering cliffs and long waterfalls in the warmer months. By the time the town comes into view beneath its surrounding peaks, the landscape feels almost theatrical.
#2 Banff/Lake Louise, AB
Trans-Canada Highway / Icefields Parkway
The approach to Banff and Lake Louise is one of those drives where the scenery never lets up, whether you come in on the Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary or the Icefields Parkway on the Jasper side. The mountains rise quickly around you, with broad valleys, turquoise rivers and sudden views that feel almost unreal. As you get closer to the resorts, the peaks stack higher and the light shifts in a way that makes even a simple stretch of road feel like part of the experience.
#1 Whistler, BC
Sea to Sky Highway
The Sea to Sky Highway on the way to Whistler offers a mix of ocean views, cliffs, and tall mountains that feels dramatic from the moment you leave Vancouver. The water stretches out beside you while peaks rise straight from the shoreline, giving the drive a steady sense of scale. As you continue north, the landscape shifts into deep valleys and broad alpine views that build toward Whistler. Our readers consider it one of the most beautiful routes to any ski area because the scenery never really lets up…