3. Trollstigen, Norway
Constructed: 1936
Risk Factor: Falling off the side of the steep incline, getting rear-ended
Norway’s King Haakon VII opened Trollstigen in 1938. This serpentine, twisting, one-lane road crosses through Norway’s Rauma Municipality as part of County Road 33. The road is a popular tourist attraction among thrill-seekers, as it has a 10% incline.
Trollstigen, Norway ©BlueGreen / Shutterstock.com
During the tourist season, 2,500 tourist vehicles brave this steep incline daily. In addition to the death-defying hill, there is also narrow driving space, poor traction, and eleven hairpin turns. Though dangerous, one benefit of Trollstigen is you get to see the beautiful Norwegian landscape, which makes you feel like you’ve suddenly dropped into a scene from Warner Bros’ Lord of the Rings. It’s fitting because, in English, Trollstigen means “The Troll Path.”