The Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byways are roads that have been designated by the Bureau of Land Management as scenic byways. Some are also National Scenic Byways or National Forest Scenic Byways. The program was initiated in 1989 and 54 byways have since been designated in the Western United States.[1] Each byway is classified Type I-IV based on the vehicles that can traverse it.
Type I—Roads are paved or have an all weather surface and have grades that are negotiable by a normal touring car. These roads are usually narrow, slow speed, secondary roads.
Type II—Roads require high-clearance vehicles such as trucks or 4-wheel drives. These roads are usually not paved, but may have some type of surfacing. Grades, curves, and road surface are such that they can be negotiated with a 2-wheel drive high clearance vehicle without undue difficulty.
Type III— Roads require 4-wheel drive vehicles or other specialized vehicles such as dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), etc. These roads are usually not surfaced, but are managed to provide for safety considerations and resource protection needs. They have grades, tread surfaces, and other characteristics that will require specialized vehicles to negotiate.
Type IV—Trails that are managed specifically to accommodate dirt bike, mountain bike, snowmobile, or ATV use. These are usually single track trails.[2]
This route winds its way to an elevation of 12,800 feet (3,900 m), crossing Engineer and Cinnamon passes. The rugged scenery includes river meadows, alpine tundra, ghost towns, and ore mills.
Loops through Washoe County and returns to Cedarville
This route in the Tricorner Region of California and Nevada travels through rugged terrain perfect for wildlife viewing. Following portions of the California Trail, historical buildings and evidence of emigrant life remain along the route, testifying of early settlers' trials on the frontier.
An isolated route through the canyons and valleys of the Tendoy Mountains of southwestern Montana. The road is mostly two-lane gravel, and provides many opportunities for viewing bighorns, elk, and trout.
Crossing a variety of different landscapes, including the Terry Badlands, the byway follows much of the Regina-Yellowstone Trail, once used as the principal route from Canada to Yellowstone National Park.
Primitive route through the Black Hills, offering opportunities for camping, hiking, mountain biking, off-roading, horseback riding, and rock collecting.
Route showcases unique flora, fauna, and geology of the southern Modoc Plateau, including Ponderosa Pine, migratory waterfowl, wild burros, and sand dunes.
Follows sections of the California National Historic Trail, an overland pioneer route used by western settlers and emigrants in the 19th century. Features include historic ruins, wagon wheel ruts, natural springs, and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Remote route through the sagebrush-pinyon desert of the Chimney Peak Wilderness. Riparian habitats provide for wildlife viewing and seasonal wildflowers. Former Type II byway; date of de-designation unknown.
Rustic and historic route following Cow Creek through the Oregon Coast Range, featuring farms and ranches, forests, and numerous sites detailing the history of gold mining in Oregon. Also an Oregon State Scenic Byway.
Scenic route through the deep river canyon of the Rogue River. Features opportunities for rafting and fishing in and around Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forest and the Rouge River National Recreation Trail.
Travels through mountainous wilderness to the Garnet and Coloma ghost towns. Recreation opportunities include, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding, hiking, snowmobiling, and camping.
Follows historic railroad and stagecoach routes leading to high mountain gold camps, fossil sites, and numerous historic sites. The Shelf and Phantom Canyon Roads cut along unpaved routes through winding canyons. Also a National Scenic Byway and a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway.
The byway runs adjacent to the Harquahala Mountains Wilderness and contains a wide variety of desert flora and fauna across varied elevations and ecosystems. Historic structures such as stone houses, mines, and the Harquahala Peak Observatory adorn the route.
This backway is between the Mimbres and Caballo mountains and the Cookes Range in southwestern New Mexico. Passes through ranching land and features the ghost town of Lake Valley. Also a State Scenic Byway.
Route travels through a playa of the former Lake Lahontan towards Lovelock Cave. Having yielded numerous 2,000-year-old artifacts, the cave is one of the Great Basin's most important archaeological sites.
Byway follows a former railway bed along the Deschutes River, through the multi-colored walls of a canyon made of Columbia River basalt. This wild and scenic river provides many recreational opportunities, such as rafting, fishing, and wildlife viewing.
The byways passes through volcanic basins and canyons as it ascends the Wilson Range. Historic mining buildings and cemeteries can be explored among the piñon-juniper forests of the desert, while the higher elevation ponderosa-aspen forests provide opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Byway travels through the wooded canyon of the Nestucca River, an Oregon State Scenic Waterway. The canyon walls are made up of ancient seafloor sandstone and basalt, where abundant rainfall in the Coastal Range'stemperate rain forest yields an area of incredibly rich biomass.
Ninemile Canyon is known as a major representative area of the prehistoric Fremont culture. The canyon houses a myriad of rock panels along the main road and in side canyons.
Nicknamed the "Thread of Life," this route follows a narrow canyon of the Colorado River between the Whipple and Buckskin mountains, providing recreational opportunities while also highlighting the flora, fauna, and cultural features of a desert oasis.
Byway follows the Central Overland Route, used briefly by the Pony Express, through the basins and desert of western Utah. Ruins of Pony Express stations still exist, with interpretive displays relaying the historical significance of the route. Also a Utah State Backway.
Route follows the wild and scenicQuartzville Creek through Willamette National Forest in the Oregon Cascades. Natural features include old growth forests, rocky outcroppings, and wildflower meadows, while the creek provides opportunities for fishing, kayakying, and gold panning.
Follows County Road A-129 to US 380 along the benchland above the Rio Grande Valley floodplain, passing through two wildlife refuges. Also a State Scenic Backway.
Route travels through the rugged canyons of the Bighorn Mountains, providing opportunities to hike through the geologically unique Chugwater Formation and to view dinosaur tracks. Also a Wyoming State Scenic Backway
Red Rock Canyon Back Country Byway runs across a paved loop through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, passing through varied, colorful rock formations, and providing opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, picknicking, and wildlife viewing.
The backway is in a remote area traversing the Seminoe Mountains, the Pedro Mountains, and Fremont Canyon. Deserts, prairies, and area reservoirs provide opportunities for recreation and wildlife viewing. Also a Wyoming State Scenic Backway.
Route travels through the geologically varied areas of northeastern Oregon, including canyonlands along the Snake River, timbered mountainsides, wildflower basins, and sagebrush plateaus. Remnants of 19th century settlement include pioneer homesteads, derelict mines, and historic wagon roads.
This byway parallels the South Fork Alsea River in the Oregon Coast Range, and provides numerous recreational opportunities, including mountain biking, camping, wildlife viewing, fishing, and hiking. Wildflowers and orchids underlie the expansive fir and maple forests.
This route follows the wild and scenicSouth Fork John Day River through basalt canyons and conifer forests. Two wilderness areas afford opportunity for hiking and wildlife viewing.
This byway loops around Steens Mountain, the highest peak in southeastern Oregon. The diverse geological landscape includes glaciated canyons, lush meadows, and arid desert; the expansive wilderness is home to wild horses, antelope, and eagles.