First, there are the thousands of miles we have spent on the interstate highways, highly efficient routes, yet often a blur. Then, there are the handful of “off-the-road” miles we have crawled over. These are primarily memorable for their outcome: the van survived intact. And of course, there are the many miles that belong on a postcard: hugging the Pacific Coast Highway high above the ocean, or winding our way through canyons in Utah, or wheeling northward under the towering gaze of the Tetons. And many more. All unforgettable and we hope to be able to drive them again and again.  

But then, there’s this one 50-mile stretch of road that left us jaw-droppingly mesmerized from start to finish. Maybe it’s because we drove it 100 years since its groundbreaking in 1921. We’ll have to wait 11 more years for the centennial of its completion. Finished in 1932, progress averaged 4.5 miles per year. This speed may sound pedestrian, but considering the road’s location, the road’s very existence is a monument to foresight, engineering and perseverance.  

Maybe we were fascinated because the road’s name befits its unique status amongst our nation’s motorways. Its name, generally thought to have originated from Blackfeet Native American lore says it all: Going-to-the-Sun Road. Madison Avenue couldn’t have conjured up a better moniker given the pathway’s canvas – Glacier National Park.  

In reality, our wonderment comes from both the park and the road itself. As opposed to the tried-and-true switchbacks repeating upward in order to scale steep slopes, much of Going-to-the-Sun is a sliver of asphalt carved into the sides of sheer mountain walls, climbing to the Continental Divide. In some areas the road’s width is barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other. Driving Going-to-the-Sun is as if a curtain is gradually pulled back with each successive bend showcasing a new magnificent vista… or a rock ledge sticking out just enough into the windshield’s view to keep the driver focused. As for scenery, the architects surely knew everyone loves a waterfall.