Interstate 185
Interstate 185 is a State Scenic Byway in Georgia. Within Georgia it covers roughly 35 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Interstate 185 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Interstate 185 in Georgia carries an official scenic byway designation over its northern 49 miles, one of the few full freeways in the country given such status. The designation, granted by the Georgia Department of Transportation in 2007, covers the stretch from Williams Road in Columbus to the interstate's terminus at I-85 near LaGrange. It restricts new billboards along the corridor and requires the roadside to be kept in a natural, undeveloped state, an unusual protection for an interstate rather than a rural back road. The drive itself passes through gently rolling, mixed pine forest that closes in tightly on both sides, giving the freeway a parkway-like feel rare among interstates. Nearby attractions accessible from the corridor include Pine Mountain and Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, both a short detour from the highway. It's a quick, low-effort way to see protected forest scenery for travelers who would otherwise just be passing through on their way to Atlanta or the Alabama border.
- 49 miles, Columbus to LaGrange/I-85
- GDOT scenic byway designation, 2007
- billboard restrictions on an interstate
- mixed pine forest corridor
- near Pine Mountain & FDR State Park
Plan a drive on Interstate 185 →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Interstate 185
No campgrounds are listed close to Interstate 185 yet, but there are rooms near the route.
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