Travel America's Byways® and discover the story of America's past. Find evidence of indigenous civilizations and follow the trails forged by the early settlers. Cross the land where revolutions were fought in the name of freedom, and where industrialization and political movements shaped the way our country looks today. America has emerged with a past as colorful as its present, and there's no better place to see that past preserved and relived than on America's Byways.
America's Native Heritage
Visit the Native American Scenic Byway in North and South Dakota, and experience firsthand the legacy of the Sioux people. The Byway runs through the heart of the Sioux nation where you may find yourself moving among one of the many buffalo herds found on the Byway. You won't be able to get quite as close as the natives did on the back of a horse, but you can imagine what it must have been like to be out on the big hunt. You will gain a great appreciation for the past and an understanding of the present culture of the tribe when you visit the Akta Lakota Museum near Chamberlain or the Cultural Heritage Center near Pierre.
The Cause of Freedom
If you are a history buff intrigued by America's wars, the Washington Heritage Trail in West Virginia is a fascinating experience! The area surrounding the Byway has seen troops through three American wars: the Revolutionary War, the French and Indian War, and the Civil War. But most of what you will see on this Byway is associated with the life of George Washington and his family, from the many family estates that line the Byway to a rock-lined hot spring pit jokingly referred to as "George Washington's Bathtub."
Westward Ho!
A Ranch on the Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway (CO) [4]
Experience the intriguing story of westward expansion on the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway in Colorado. You will truly get a feel for the "Old West" as you wind through old homesteads, past picturesque barns, and near stage stops dating as far back as the 1840s that were used by pioneers escaping religious persecution and settlers looking for a new way of life. See the land, once rich in gold and silver, that enticed many of the early settlers when you travel The Gold Belt Tour. The mines are abandoned now, but you'll find great treasures in the abundant scenery and historical attractions that abound on the Byway.
History Lives on in Utah
Step back in time and relive the history of the West on The Logan Canyon Scenic Byway in Utah. The Byway is home to the American West Heritage Center and its renowned Festival of the American West. Be a part of the past in a living history experience featuring pioneer settlements, military encampments, Native American villages, and mountain man rendezvous. You can experience another legacy on Highway 12 - A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway. Follow the route of the Mormon pioneers who trekked their way across the west in search of freedom from religious discrimination. Venture off the beaten path to Hole-in-the-Rock Road and the Burr Trail, backcountry roads that will lead you on trails that were literally carved through insanely difficult terrain to reach the mesas and valleys of southeastern Utah.
Transformations in Time
Brown Chapel, the Starting Point for the March (AL) [6]
Make your way down the Selma to Montgomery March Byway and learn about what is arguably the most pivotal movement in contemporary American history. See buildings and structures significant to the African American's struggle for freedom and the voting rights endeavor. The Byway follows the famous march led by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1965, which led to some of the most important legislation regarding Civil Rights, including the Voting Rights Act.
Historical adventures await you America's Byways, so venture out and let the roads tell the stories of America's past.
