Choose a map that is large enough to give you a visual reference of your entire route. If you're driving across multiple states, a large map of the entire United States will be ideal for creating your route. For shorter distances, a road atlas will work fine.
Place a ruler onto the map. Place the end of the ruler at your starting point with the straight edge leading in a straight line to your destination. Use a ruler large enough to reach the distance between the two points.
Draw a line with a pencil from your starting point to your ending point, using the ruler as a straight edge. You can erase this line later for mapping different routes.
Observe the roads that follow or run in the closest proximity to your straight line. Use a highlighter to reference these roads and put together your initial route. Try to choose the closest Interstate highways to plan your route. These roads generally have higher speed limits, and are built on grades that are more traversable than older highways or county roads.
Observe the topical terrain features on your map. If you've selected roads that run through difficult terrain such as over high elevations and mountain passes, or unpaved stretches of road, then rerouting away from these areas may cut down on travel time.
Pick out key points of interest that you may want to stop and see along your route. These may be famous land features such as Pikes Peak, or Devil's Tower, ancient puebloan ruins, historic towns, and monuments. You can still stick as close to a straight line as possible while deviating slightly from the actual route to see these places. Look for roads that loop back toward your main route or destination, and take these roads to see points of interest.
