National Scenic Byway Foundation

06/01/2026

⭐️ Our June showcase feature is the Copper Country Trail National Scenic Byway ⭐️ Winding through the rugged beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Copper Country Trail National Scenic Byway runs approximately 47 miles along U.S. 41 from the Portage Lake Lift Bridge in Houghton and Hancock to the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula at Copper Harbor. This route tells the story of a region that helped power America’s industrial growth while showcasing some of the Midwest’s most dramatic landscapes. Photos via Visit Keweenaw and the Copper Country Trail

05/26/2026

The National Scenic Byway Association team is just back from IPW in sunny Fort Lauderdale. IPW is the leading inbound travel marketplace where global demand meets U.S. travel supply. The conversations we had will turn into future bookings for travel across America's scenic byways. Thanks to our group of delegates who represented the NSBA this year!
U.S. Travel Association

05/01/2026

⭐️ Our May showcase feature is the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway ⭐️
Stretching 205-miles through the heart of western Colorado, the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway unfolds between two dramatic anchors: the twin summits of Mount Sopris and the sheer, shadowed depths of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Winding through some of the most striking landscapes in western Colorado, the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway invites travelers into a story shaped by rivers, mountains, creativity, and wide-open night skies.
Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways
Colorado Department of Transportation

04/11/2026

Scenic drives, unforgettable stories, and incredible communities! Congrats to the 2026 National Scenic Byway Award winners. These routes across the country are setting the standard for immersive travel experiences:

🌲 Cascade Loop Scenic Highway (WA) – Communications Award
A 440-mile ultimate road trip through Washington, paired with a comprehensive travel guide to help visitors explore it all.

🍇 Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway (NY) – Interpretation Award
A creative family program that transforms the byway into an interactive scavenger hunt adventure.

🏔️ Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways (CO) – Viewshed Improvement Award
Recognized for developing statewide design guidelines to protect and enhance scenic corridors.

🦬 Indiana's Historic Pathways National Scenic Byway (IN) – Partnership Award
Celebrating collaboration through workshops and storytelling that connect communities to the historic Buffalo Trace.

🚤 Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway (NY) – Visitor Experience Award
Honored for Erie Canal Bicentennial festivities that brought history to life for thousands.

🌊 Schoodic National Scenic Byway (ME) – Leveraging Resources Award
A 25th anniversary festival that turned celebration into meaningful community impact.

🌄 Sequatchie Valley TN (TN) – Communications Award
A dynamic social media campaign highlighting local farms, businesses, and communities.

🌅 Upper Delaware Scenic Byway (NY) – Partnership Award
An innovative scavenger hunt that created a shared adventure for visitors and locals alike.

From coastlines to mountains, these byways invite you to slow down, explore deeper, and experience the journey as much as the destination. Where will your next road trip take you?

04/02/2026

⭐️Our April byway showcase feature is the Ohio National Road⭐️ This scenic byway is part of a six-state All-American Road stretching more than 700 miles, from Baltimore, Maryland, to East St. Louis, Illinois, passing through Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

In Ohio, the route largely follows U.S. Route 40. Along the way, travelers will encounter some of the road’s most iconic features. Look for the historic National Road mile markers, which once guided wagon trains and stagecoaches westward and still mark progress today. You’ll also cross distinctive S-bridges, elegant stone structures engineered to slow traffic and protect their masonry—functional, beautiful, and uniquely tied to the National Road’s early design.

Ohio National Road Association

03/04/2026

⭐️ Our March byway showcase feature is Idaho's Northwest Passage Scenic Byway! ⭐️ Stretching 202 miles across north-central Idaho, the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway is Idaho’s longest scenic byway and one of only a select number of roads in the country designated as an All-American Road. While it can be driven in about six hours, this remarkable route is best experienced over several days, allowing time to explore the landscapes, culture, and stories that unfold along the way. (Photos via Visit Idaho)

02/18/2026

It's time for the annual byway awards nominations! Applications are due Feb 28, 2026.

Bring recognition to your byway, your community, your state.

All NSBA members may nominate. NSBA Advocate, Champion and Guardian Members are eligible to win Awards. See the Awards Categories below:

1. Byway Enhancement Award – Community-based improvement on the byway such as innovative signage, wayshowing, improved access to byway resources or sites such as hiking, biking, picnic areas, parks, water, etc.
2. Communications Award – Raising the visibility of the byway to the public using technology: social media, website, apps, blogs, photography, video, newsletters, innovative news features.
3. Hospitality Award – Training program for volunteers and front-line personnel, provide training and byway orientation efforts to raise awareness of the byway story and the visitor experience.
4. Interpretation Award – Creative, innovative or educational projects, publications, panels or kiosks with emphasis on telling your byway story.
5. Leveraging Resources Award – Innovative fundraising, in-kind or other revenue or resource-generating activity.
6. Partnership Award – Projects that engaged multiple public-private partners and stakeholders.
7. Viewshed Improvement Award – Conservation and protection of scenic views, beautification efforts, select-cutting of foliage and trees to regain lost views. Provided plantings or walls to shield junkyards, utility substations, and/or distracting views.
8. Visitor Experience Award – Experiential or authentic activities or events, re-enactments, created new attractions or destinations for visitors to have a comprehensive experience about the byway and its story.

Archived Byways Awards info here:
https://nsbfoundation.com/byway-resource-library/case-studies-research/

02/12/2026

If you’re in small-town tourism or event planning, you know how easy it is to fall into advice that sounds great in a meeting… and falls flat when real visitors show up.

Join the February 19 webinar, “Busting a (Few) Event and Tourism Myths,” at 4pm ET, for a clear-eyed look at the common assumptions that quietly drain budgets, exhaust volunteers, and turn well-intended events into experiences that feel more “meh” than memorable. This session is designed for tourism leaders, chamber teams, destination marketers, and event organizers who are ready to move from “we tried” to “we nailed it.”

You’ll walk away with practical insight into what actually works — whether you’re refreshing a long-standing tradition, rethinking an underperforming event, or planning something new for milestones like America’s 250th — without overcomplicating the process.

Presenter Vicky Soderberg specializes in helping small towns sharpen their tourism and event experiences. She works alongside communities to fix what’s drifted, strengthen what’s working, and build what’s next in a way that’s strategic, sustainable, and visitor-focused.

🔹 NSBA Members: Register free (button under webinar description)
https://nsbfoundation.com/training-events-advocacy/webinars/

🔹 Non-members: $40 registration via Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/busting-a-few-event-and-tourism-myths-registration-1980583141492

If your events could use a sharper strategy and stronger results, this is a conversation worth joining.

Bust some of the most stubborn myths that keep small town tourism and events spinning their wheels; go from "we tried" to "we nailed it."

02/02/2026

⭐️ Our February byway showcase winner is the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Scenic Byway ⭐️ Stretching across northern Maine, the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Scenic Byway invites travelers to slow down to experience one of New England’s most scenic, remote, and adventure-rich landscapes. This 89-mile journey winds through forests, rivers, lakes, and welcoming rural communities, offering a true four-season Maine experience shaped by nature, heritage, and outdoor recreation.
Travel Byways