Come Drive the Mountains

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue:

If the quieter roads of September have you longing to show off your carefully-calibrated slice of automotive genius, be sure to register for Highlands Motoring Festival’s Mountain Driving Experience, set for September 10-12.

The organizers of Highlands Motoring Festival have constructed what they believe is the pinnacle of touring pleasure, taking advantage of the ideal season between the peak summer months and the October fall color season. It’s a time with better lodging availability, moderate temperatures, and less congested roads.

This is primarily a driving event with tour routes designed to take advantage of the area’s twisty back roads that are less traveled. The route’s designers are fellow enthusiasts who want to share hidden secret roads. The run groups are limited in size to allow each group to stay together and enhance fellowship among enthusiasts.

Sunday’s High Octane in the Mountains is intended to be a low-key gathering of interesting cars and their owners who will want to share their stories of a great weekend.

On Friday, September 10, participants will join in a shorter version of One Lap of the Mountains. Like the HMF’s original, extremely popular One Lap of the Mountains, this event is a mountain driving experience beginning at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on Pine Street. After a complimentary hot breakfast, there’ll be a backroads drive with a rest stop, returning by a different route to Highlands. The round-trip mileage of the tour is around 80 to 100 miles and the return to  Highlands in time for lunch ensures there’ll be plenty of time for shopping and enjoying the afternoon. Registration is required, and the cost is $180.

On Saturday, September 11, One Lap of the Mountains returns to its traditional format and will roll out of Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park on Pine Street in two groups on an approximate 175-mile driving adventure. The carefully-curated route will travel the area’s winding mountain roads, stopping for lunch, before returning to Highlands via a different route.

Registration is required,   and cost is $180. A Mountain Motoring Drive Bundle is $320.

On Sunday, September 12, it’s High Octane in the Mountains from 8:00 A.M. to noon.

High Octane is open to all cars and free to participants (no registration is required). The open format allows cars to come and go at their convenience. This will be a fun event with a focus on car owners and visitors sharing their mutual interest in cars. Coffee and donuts will be available. Meet at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park on Sunday morning.

Visit highlandsmotoringfestival.com for more information and to register.