America’s highways tell stories of boom and bust, connecting our nation’s past to its present. While Route 66 often steals the spotlight as the most famous abandoned highway, it’s actually U.S. Route 20 that holds the title of America’s longest highway. Stretching 3,365 miles from Oregon to Massachusetts, this massive transcontinental route has transformed from a bustling thoroughfare to a forgotten pathway in many sections.
The Forgotten Giant: U.S. Route 20’s Journey from Glory to Ghost Road
Cross-country travelers in the early 20th century knew U.S. Route 20 as America’s mighty east-west connector. Established in 1926 during the nation’s first highway numbering system, this mammoth route stretched an impressive 3,365 miles from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. The highway predated our modern interstate system, serving as a crucial lifeline through 12 states during America’s early automobile era.
Unlike the famous Route 66, which ran from Chicago to Los Angeles, Route 20 traversed the northern corridor of America. Towns along its path flourished as motorists stopped for gas, meals, and overnight stays. Roadside attractions, motor courts, and diners popped up to serve travelers making the cross-country journey. For decades, it represented American mobility and freedom, carrying families on vacations and truckers delivering goods across the nation.
The construction of the Interstate Highway System beginning in the 1950s spelled trouble for Route 20. As faster, wider interstates like I-90 and I-80 opened, traffic diverted away from the older highway. Many sections became bypassed, turning once-vibrant roadside communities into quiet shadows of their former selves.
Today, while Route 20 officially remains active (unlike the decommissioned Route 66), large portions have essentially become ghost routes. The stretch through the Great Black Swamp in Ohio, once notoriously difficult and nicknamed “Mud Pike,” now sits quietly as modern travelers zoom past on parallel interstates. In Wyoming and Montana, remote segments see only a fraction of their former traffic.
Particularly unusual is the Yellowstone National Park section, where Route 20 technically continues but without any road signs marking it. The National Park Service doesn’t designate route numbers within park boundaries, creating an official discontinuity in the highway’s path. This quirky gap adds to the mysterious nature of this fading American icon.
For road trip enthusiasts seeking authentic Americana, Route 20 offers something special that busy interstates cannot—a slower journey through the heart of small-town America. Old motels with neon signs, family-run diners, and quirky attractions still dot the landscape, waiting for travelers willing to take the road less traveled.
