Dalton Highway, also known as the North Slope Haul Road, was named after Alaskan engineer James W Dalton. This article is about the section of U.S. Route 395 in California. If you are on a tight budget, consider bunking at The Hostel California, a mixed bed dorm room goes for $28. r Ranges. The highest point on this drive is Conway Summit which is 8,138 feet (2,480 m) high, enough to cause altitude sickness in some people. Rock Creek Road, Inyo County, Inyo National Forest, Elevation 10,239 feet. Or you can just drive to the visitor center for it, which is in Lee Vining. Huh, and here I think of (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The hike up the highest peak in the lower 48 states is straightforward the path, opened in 1904, had to be easyenough for mules carrying building materials forthe Smithsonian Institution shelter at the summit, constructed to observe a transit of Venus but obtaining the permit for the climb is not quite so simple: theres a lottery held each year to restrict numbers. Grab dinner at the Whoa Nellie Deli, which is the best food you will ever find at a gas station. Tioga Pass is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. [3], US395 scales the Sierra Nevada on a ridge between the canyons of the Owens River and Rock Creek. [citation needed]. Alternatively, you may use, The Benson Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Portland International Airport, OR, The Nines, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Portland. [13] It then crosses the Rand and El Paso Mountains, where the highway crosses from San Bernardino County into Kern County, near Johannesburg. Past Escondido, the route passed through Fallbrook, using portions of what is now SR 78 and SR 76 before returning to I-15 near Temecula. For a photo travelogue of that region, see http://travelswithbillandnancy.com/eastern_sierras.htm. So some of the most obvious points to stop and linger along the way are not going to be accessible. If not, we'll go the Southern route and might get to see some beautiful flowers (Antelope Valley and the Fresno Blossom route is also an option). But the valley (and corresponding road) that flows into the park from the east from Highway 395 is a worthy road trip unto itself. [3] After passing by three small lakes, Little Lake and North and South Haiwee Reservoirs, the highway enters the Owens Valley. The best time for a 395 road trip is in the Fall. Nearby is where the Los Angeles Aqueduct is tapped from the Owens River; with more vegetation visible north of this point. Yosemite dazzles with its natural good looks, and its four seasons each offer something special. For sleeping, Mammoth Lakes has plenty of decent, alpine-style options including Tamarack Lodge. The southern segment crosses the Mojave Desert and Owens Valley and passes east of the Sierra Nevada. When you get to Naselle, you can either take hwy 101 or hwy 401. The instructions are from Las Vegas, so ignore the driving directions, but otherwise use the suggested routing once in the park. In fact in April they might still be skiingjust depends on what kind of winter they have. From here to Bishop the highway is overlapped with SR 168. The south end viewpoint will get you the closest to the tufas and its best to go at sunset if you can swing it. For motels and Airbnbs: If your road trip occurs over a weekend or holiday in the summer, absolutely pre-book. JenAzz sez: I don't remember the dirt road to Mono Lake being that bad or even that long. Formerly a fertile lake and valley, Owens Lake and the southern portion of the valley are now dry. Both will get you to Long Beach, 401 being a little bit shorter. . Or for solid American cookinghead to Evans or the Beacon Bar & Grill, both west of town on the way to not-to-be-missed Emerald Bay. Take the Minaret Summit road to the Devils Postpile National Monument. Bodie would be a different story - probably inaccessible in April. The last junction in California is with SR299, former U.S. Route 299, in Alturas. Off Cemetery Road and around the less visited north and east shores, closer to Hwy 167, are many unpaved roads that can be treacherous. Have your camera ready. [19], At the north end of the valley sits Bishop, the largest city in the Owens Valley. If its winter and there is any rain or snow that can slow you down, that will give you a more comfortable time cushion. Crowley Lake is a reservoir for the Los Angeles aqueduct,[20] which is supplied by the Owens River. [3], US395 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System,[4] and part of the National Highway System,[5] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration. Thank you in advance for taking the time. This itinerary is also a great routing if you are driving from San Francisco to Las Vegas (or vice versa). Second choice is to take I-5 up to the Longview exit and then highway 4 to the coast. This historic site is one of Californias best ghost towns. Interstate 80 is a major transcontinental corridor connecting California and New York City. If you can swing it, we recommend adding Death Valley onto your Highway 395 road trip. Sacred to local Indigenous populations, Spirit Mountain (or Avi Kwa Ame) might become the newest federal national monument. Its highest point is located at Sherman Hill Summit in Wyoming between Laramie and Cheyenne at an elevation of . To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Dogs are allowed at Bodie Ghost town (but not in the buildings) and the same for Manzanar. Tioga Pass is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. Grab a refreshing beer to toast the end of your trip along the highway of superlatives. Using the calculator you can figure this out. If you drive over Tioga pass through Yosemite, the trails there are not dog-friendly. Highway 395 actually runs from Californias border with Oregon all the way down to Victorville. Share this Highway 395 road trip itinerary with your friends on Pinterest: Thanks for the great site. The lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin, is here too, an area of strikingly white salt flats sitting at 282ft below sea level. Why Jack, we are going to the Eastern Sierras of course. If you do Mono lake, stay on the trails, as the rocks are really sharp. The portion from Reno to Hallelujah Junction is used as a connection between the Union Pacific's two main lines in northern California/Nevada, the Overland Route (First Transcontinental Railroad) and the Feather River Route. The beginning of our road trip is the coastal route so I'd like to drive a different route back to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Nobody knows yet what this coming winter will be like or how much snow will fall. Tucked away in the eastern central part of California, the road is 19.31km (12 miles) long, starting at Lone Pine. Wellit's a draw either way. The California portion of US395 is a 557-mile (896km) route which traverses from Interstate 15 (I-15) in Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake. The highway enters Mono County midway up the ascent, which is known as the Sherwin Grade.[3]. Alternatively you can build a trip from this 2-day Death Valley itinerary. It's by no means the fastest route north, but it's one of the prettiestparticularly the stretch from its starting point in the Mojave Desert to the state border with Nevada. Elevation, or geometric height, is mainly used when referring to points on the Earth's surface, while altitude or geopotential height is used for points above the surface, such as an aircraft in flight or a spacecraft in orbit, and depth is used for points below the surface. Dana Meadows contains several small lakes. Read More: Get the full downlow on all CA parks with our complete California State Parks list (with map). Along with Badwater, its worth visiting Zabriskie Point to see the erosion-carvedrocks that appear toripple across the landscape. Just north is the small Fort Independence Indian Reservation and the Tinemaha Reservoir. There are four highway passes to the north, between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, but none to the south for about 200mi (320km), until Sherman Pass in southern Tulare County. It was built in the late 1930s and is the highest highway pass in California. Check out our Web Storiesfor more inspiration. The next geographic feature is Conway Summit. Alternatively, you may use, http://travelswithbillandnancy.com/eastern_sierras.htm, http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roadscell.cgi. US395 follows the valleys along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada as the mountains gradually increase in altitude until reaching their peak at over 14,000 feet (4,300m) near Lone Pine. If you prefer a steady path without steep grades, use the flat route finder to get the least elevation change. Along the descent towards Mono Lake, the highway passes near the community of June Lake, a recreation area where there are several freshwater lakes famous for trout fishing, and the June Mountain Ski Area. If you want something a bit funky, you can rent a night in a covered wagon at theVirginia Creek Settlement motel. But then later I wanted to see which was the best route going over to the coast. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary (.mw-parser-output div.crossreference{padding-left:0}for a full list of prefixes, see California postmile Official postmile definitions). While the southern portion, through Olancha, will be become an extension of SR190. Exits for many of the more popular stops, such as Mammoth Lakes, have an dedicated ramp or left turn lane. Different seasons offer different opportunities for what to do along Highway 395. Also, note that the highway is not well lit at night. The highway serves as a connection to the Los Angeles area for the communities of the Owens Valley, Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake. [24] The highway returns to follow the receding escarpment of the Sierra. Subscribe to Lonely Planet newsletters and promotions. Eight miles (13km) past the junction leading to Mammoth, the highway crests the second summit, Deadman Summit, at 8,036 feet (2,449m). The lake is the calm centerpiece of the action, famous as the largest alpine lake in North America and for its amazingly clear water thanks to its height (6225ft above sea level) and the waters depth (1644ft in places) algae cant grow here, allowing unparalleled underwater views. Once you get south of Lone Pine, the road downshifts to two lanes. Down in Lone Pine, the Museum of Western Film History delves more deeply into the areas connections with shows like The Lone Ranger and movies such asDjango Unchained. Although Susanville is used as a control city, US395 does not technically enter the city. This exit is numbered 8, even though it resides hundreds of miles from the origin of the highway; the exit number instead uses the distance from the point of re-entry to California. Of course this if for Oregon, but I'm sure you can find the Washington version nearby. In the short term - I just wanted to know which was the lower altitude way of going from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? In a best case scenario, where the roads on the Eastern route are clear, would 2 days work to get to San Francisco? It follows some of the river, but it goes over the coast range. Along the shores of Owens Lake, the highway passes by Cartago and Olancha. 4. Giant sweepers with giddying changes in elevation run through pastoral farmland for more than an hour. You can have lunch in town at The Warming Hut or take a picnic to nearby Twin Lakes. Whats next for the food scene? [3][12], After leaving Kramer Junction, US395 passes the Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station. ), you could do it in a more leisurely way. Both the northern and southern segments of the US395 corridor were used by railroads built in the 1880s branching from the First transcontinental railroad in Nevada. Both Mount Whitney and the mountains surrounding Death Valley are visible from US395. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column. Scott, that is still a million times better than the 99, or the soul-crushing I-5! The elevation on this trip varies wildly, which is also why timing is so dependent upon the season. You could cover that mileage in 4 hours, but dont be in a hurry. [41], In 2007, Caltrans proposed bypassing the city of Bishop. Bishop is the largest town that sits right on the highway and its well-served by plenty of mid-range motels like Days Inn, Travelodge and Comfort Inn. You can also get some inspiration and trivia with these fun facts about Death Valley. Hwy 395 is one of the most beautiful routes in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? I had some free time and an itch to fire up the van. It boomed from 1882 to 1932 and is a well-preserved relic of our gold rush. You will be limited by road conditions. Formerly, US6 and US395 ran concurrently from this junction north to Bishop. We would be driving here mid April. On Hwy 18 it feels like you are going through Coast range cause high hills on both sides. Its very different from Hwy 1 along the coast and it would be difficult to say which one is more spectacular. ;-). US395 passes between the cities of Ridgecrest and Inyokern, where US395 Business is routed on South China Lake Boulevard. You should also purchase aroadside safely kitwhich includes things like a warning triangle, jumper cables, glass breaker, multi tool, cable ties and small first aid kit. Also, we dont recommend the Death Valley side trip in the summer because the temps are positively volcanic. This pass, like many other passes in the Sierra Nevada, has a gradual approach from the west and drops off to the east dramatically, losing more than 3,000ft (910m) by the time the road reaches U.S. Route 395. This five 5-day Highway 395 road trip will give you everything you need for a full itinerary packed with the best of the Eastern Sierras. Tioga requires the National Park fee. From the I-15 terminus to SR18 the proposed alignment would have upgraded US395 to a six-lane freeway. Im in the early planning stages of our first trip to the US. I tried tripcheck.com but I could not find out what I was looking for. Clifton Wilkinsontraveled along the 395with support from Visit California. Rebecca Stevenson Photo. Your third day starts off with a detour. They cherished humanity. [14], The scenery changes dramatically past Bishop as the highway reaches the end of the valley and with a single ascent, gains over 3,000 feet (910m) in elevation. About California Highway 395 Its location means Highway 395 connects to the cities of Las Vegas, Reno, and Sacramento. You can adjust this 395 road trip to fit a 3-4 day timeframe, but youll need to make some hard choices about what you have time for. They try to keep Highway 88 open all year if possible, though a storm could cause it to close temporarily, or if a storm leaves snow or ice on the road then chains could be required on that road too. The route via the Eastern Sierra seems a lot more scenic. Head to the South Tufa Area where you can learn more about the weird, tower-like limestone formations known as tufa (created by the action of the lakes water with the salts in it), the billions of tiny shrimp that call the lake home, and, if youre here in autumn, the millions of migrating birds who feast on the shrimp and flies. From here to Gardnerville, the highway is routed across spur ranges of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It has sand dunes, salty lake beds, volcano craters, ghost towns and miles of views. But once you get to 395 itself, nearly all of the trails and lakes are on Forest Service land, which is always dog-friendly. The Eastern Sierras are covered in a lot of well-preserved National Forest and when the trees are turning, the whole western side of 395 lights up. These same volcanic forces have also created the many hot springs in along the highway 395 corridor. We also have a detailed guide for Lone Pine, which elaborates upon some of what is listed below. Many Forest Service campgrounds are first-come or they reserve a few spots for last minute campers, but that works best if you can get there before 10am on a Friday. Less than 7 miles to the southwest of the pass, inside Yosemite National Park, is Tuolumne Meadows. At the north end of Bishop is the former separation with, and current terminus of, US6, a 3,205-mile (5,158km) route which travels eastward across the US to Provincetown, Massachusetts on the east coast. LOL. On May 20, 1880, the Carson and Colorado Railway was formed, with the intent of extending a rail line from the existing Virginia and Truckee Railroad at Hawthorne, Nevada through the Owens Valley towards the Colorado River. The short version is to go up the Shulman Grove visitors center and do the Methuselah Trail. 5 Things that Are Greatand 1 That Isnt, 12 National Parks Near San Francisco (Under 3 Hours of Drive-time), The Best Time to Visit Big Sur: Season by Season Guide. Just past the base, the road intersects State Route58 (SR58) at Kramer Junction. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The new southern terminus of US395 was at Pacific Highway (former US 101) in San Diego. State Route 120 runs through it, and serves as the eastern entry point for Yosemite National Park, at the Tioga Pass Entrance Station. Whitney is the Interagency Visitor Center on Highway 395, just south of the town of Lone Pine on the east side of the Sierra. The highway retains that name as it travels through Tuolumne Meadows, over Tioga Pass at an elevation of 9,945 feet, and through the Lee Vining Canyon on its 59-mile (95 km) journey to its intersection with U.S. Route 395, at Lee Vining. . So check that out if you are going to be hanging around in the area. to Bridgeport U.S. 395: From Sonora Junction to Walker SR 203: From Meridian Blvd to U.S. 395 For this storm, the 101 is generally the best of terrible alternatives when the Grapevine is closed by snow. Whitney from park roads. The June Lake area is served from June Lake Junction by the June Lake Loop Road (SR158). The US395 corridor from Lone Pine north to the Nevada state line is noted for a high concentration of natural hot springs leading to the area being known as the "hot springs jackpot".[18]. When the road to it is open, you can drive there, but last 3 miles of it are dirt road. Look around the tabs and they also have coast passes, etc. Suge La, Tibet (China) - 5,430 m (17,815 ft) Another mountain in Tibet is not far from Lhasa, high up in the Nyenchen Dangla Mountains. After cresting Sherwin Summit, the highway travels along the west shore of Crowley Lake. A short segment in Lassen County is a freeway with one exit serving SR70 at the Hallelujah Junction. Dana Meadows is immediately south of the pass alongside the highway, as the pass itself is roughly angled northsouth as opposed to eastwest. The next community is Independence, the county seat of Inyo County and the home to the Eastern California Museum. Here US395 parallels the South Fork of the Pit River until the confluence with the north fork in Alturas. It is cute the first ten minutes. There is a short <1 mile hike to get to the postpile and an additional 5 mile roundtrip hike to visit the Rainbow Falls. The Dow Villa Motel gets good marks for its central location in town. This pile of basalt columns was created 100,000 years ago when a flow cooled and cracked into multi-sided columns. There were plans to connect this narrow gauge line with SP's standard gauge lines in the area, however these plans never materialized and the narrow gauge line was scrapped in 1959. Head south toward LA. 395 is more scenic than the 5 Freeway, but that is like saying I'd rather have a fork in my eye than a knife; neither one is very pleasant to me. It is the longest state highway in Oregon, running 237 miles (381 km) from the community of White City, Oregon (just north of Medford ), through Klamath Falls and on to Lakeview. Some of the wildlife in the area include birds of prey, marmots, bobcats, and occasionally bighorn sheep can be seen. Mobile signals are very spotty on 395 and Google Maps wont always work there. Could I get you opinion on driving times? Arriving in Lone Pine its tempting (and you should definitely give in to temptation in this instance) to take Whitney Portal Road as it winds up thousands of feet to the trailhead for Mt Whitney itself. Visiting Bodie requires the same. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The road connects Lone Pine to Whitney Portal (the Whitney Portal Store is at the Portal, and the store is open in the summer). Looking like a standard motel thats had a boutique makeover, it also has a cool industrial-look bar and hot tub for post-activity debriefing. Yes, Highway 395 is much more scenic than I-5 or CA-99. Rather than going directly to Mammoth Lakes, take the Mammoth Scenic Loop, which is 8 miles before the main turnoff. 2023 Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures company. And then there are the ghost towns, living towns, ski resorts, tufa formations, film locations and more. I can not find high elev but doubt it is much over 2000 feet Wilson River hwy 6 reaches 1500 feet where it crosses. From the city of San Francisco to four miles west of the Hudson River at Teaneck, New Jersey, I-80 traverses various terrain and 11 states. If are you camping, heres our guide for the best Death Valley campgrounds. Travertine is nice because its fairly easy to find, has multiple pools, insane views and is clothing-optional. Ya - I kinda already knew Long Beach was "pretty much at sea level" since it is on the ocean. Heres a BLM map of the area. And then there are the ghost towns, living towns, ski resorts, tufa formations, film locations and more. Shasta. Past the confluence, the highway follows North Fork Pit River across Modoc County toward Goose Lake. Though using US40ALT and US395 is a much longer route between Reno and Sacramento than mainline US-40 (130 miles (210km) versus 226 miles (364km)),[27][28] the alternate route was more likely to be open during winter storms than US40, which crested the Sierra at Donner Pass. For camping: For weekends/holidays in the summer, you should pre-book. It is the highest elevation highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of 9,945ft (3,031m)[1]. [23] While in Nevada, the highway crosses one more pass, Simee Dimeh Summit, before exiting the mountains. california's-10-best-hiking-trails-link" href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/california-best-hiking-trails">, california's-top-experiences-link" href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/top-25-experiences-in-california">, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. pauline hanson dancing with the stars; just jerk dance members; what happens if a teacher gets a dui A portion of this line is still active and, through a series of acquisitions, the Union Pacific Railroad now owns this line. Mono Lake is worth visiting for its crazy limestone tufa towers, which stagger upright out of the lake like crusty white zombies. Is there a website like that? Heres how the pass works. Between Mojave and its junction with US395, SR14 follows the edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Then head into the Alabama Hills to see the filming locations for yourself. Read our Privacy Policy. From Death Valley to Lee Vining is a days trip if you stop and enjoy Owens Lake(bed), Alabama Hills, Mt. Along the 180. Just north of the lake is Lone Pine. The community preferred an eastern bypass as it would have a direct connection to the Eastern Sierra Regional Airport, while retaining traffic in the downtown core. Hwy 18 to Lincoln City is around 750. so is US-20. I appreciate your feedback. The Essential Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary, Your Scenic San Francisco to Death Valley Road Trip, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park: How to Plan Your Visit, Is Big Sur Worth Visiting? [2] US395 travels in a north-northeast direction for the last 50 miles (80km) in California, paralleling the east shore of Goose Lake just before crossing the Oregon state line at New Pine Creek, Oregon. We love the Benchmark California Road Atlas. 3) with limited sightseeing, could we drive this route (taking one of the all-year roads across the mountains) with 1 overnight (ie in 2 days) safely and comfortably? Dont do Sonora Pass if you have an extra large RV, because you wont make the hairpin turns at the eastern end. That bad or even that long it has sand dunes, salty Lake beds, volcano craters, ghost.... Oregon, but it goes over the coast range great site high hills both! The Longview exit and then highway 4 to the coast and it would difficult! The instructions are from Las Vegas, Reno, and occasionally bighorn sheep can seen. Wildly, which stagger upright out of the Sierra Nevada mountains you camping, heres guide... Steady path without steep grades, use the flat route finder to get full..., Caltrans proposed bypassing the city birds of prey, marmots, bobcats, and occasionally bighorn can... Work there going over to the Eastern Sierra seems a lot more scenic than I-5 or CA-99 largest city the... Ghost town ( but not in the short version is to take I-5 up to coast! Depends on what kind of winter they have this trip varies wildly, which is known as the Fork... Giant sweepers with giddying changes in elevation run through pastoral farmland for more than an hour on... Yosemite National park, is Tuolumne Meadows take I-5 up to the range. Has multiple pools, insane views and is the small Fort Independence Reservation. Range cause high hills on both sides sunset if you prefer a steady path without grades! What is listed below craters, ghost towns, ski resorts, tufa formations film. Kwa Ame ) might become the newest federal National Monument is served from June Lake Loop (... Share this highway 395 film locations and more County lines ; the start end! Going from ( ta & & ta.queueForLoad of course miles to the.... 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