The scenery around the town has doubled as everywhere from India to Spain pick up a locations map from the museum to explore more. [50][51][52][53] The San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) is currently widening the existing alignment between Victorville and Adelanto to a 4-lane road as an interim mitigation solution to traffic congestion.[54][55][56]. The road connects Lone Pine to Whitney Portal (the Whitney Portal Store is at the Portal, and the store is open in the summer). Less than 7 miles to the southwest of the pass, inside Yosemite National Park, is Tuolumne Meadows. The next community is Independence, the county seat of Inyo County and the home to the Eastern California Museum. They cherished humanity. At first glance, the simplest explanation is that the elevation at that point along I-90 is 1,724 feet and it is the highest point until you travel all the way down the interstate to Oacoma, South Dakota, where it says that it's 1,729 . Meh, I've driven 395 more times than I (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Eastern Californias Highway 395 deserves much more attention as a top vacation destination. The calculator provides a way to calculate how elevated the land is for a trip you are planning or for reference purposes. At this junction US395 is 12 miles (19km) from Tioga Pass, along SR120, the highest paved through route in California, and the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park. Rather than going directly to Mammoth Lakes, take the Mammoth Scenic Loop, which is 8 miles before the main turnoff. Giant sweepers with giddying changes in elevation run through pastoral farmland for more than an hour. [3][12], After leaving Kramer Junction, US395 passes the Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station. Your next stop is the scenic June Lake Loop. The roads around Yosemite National Park are a driving utopia. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage. I havent finalized my itinerary yet, but Im pretty sure that Devils Postpile will be on it. And then there are the ghost towns, living towns, ski resorts, tufa formations, film locations and more. And the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve near Lancaster will be in bloom, though that is a long way from the 395 and would be too far out of your way unless you choose to take the southern route around the Sierra Nevada (Techachapi, Bakersfield and the Central Valley to San Francisco). Spring wildflower season starts in late May, but if its a late snow year, many of the hiking trails and campgrounds wont be open yet. [13] It then crosses the Rand and El Paso Mountains, where the highway crosses from San Bernardino County into Kern County, near Johannesburg. 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. Have fun and goest thou soon in thy shiny car. Its very detailed and shows both paved and dirt roads as well as state parks and some campsites. Lee Vining is 6781 and by the time you get down to Lone Pine, the elevation is 3,700. SFO is on the 101. A road trip along Californias Hwy 395 from Lake Tahoe to Death Valley will take your breath away Mark Read / Lonely Planet, Why you should drive California's scenic Highway 395. [29], North of Susanville, the highway bends around Shaffer Mountain and crosses the Modoc Plateau. McKinley (Denali), AK: 20,237: Alaska Elevation Map: 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. In the short term - I just wanted to know which was the lower altitude way of going from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? This itinerary aims to help you find that moment of amazement as well. 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? But hiking will be limited and you wont be able to transit over the Tioga or Sonora passes. It covers 227 miles of Highway 395, from just south of Carson City to where it ends in Southern California near Victorville. 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. Todays detour goes up the Whitney Portal Road, which is just west of Lone Pine. Whats next for the food scene? Tucked away in the eastern central part of California, the road is 19.31km (12 miles) long, starting at Lone Pine. For an evening of fine food and fun, nowhere in town beats Mammoth Rock n Bowl, a bowling alley/arcade downstairs with an excellent, French-influenced restaurant upstairs. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-84866043', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Lake Tahoe as a winter destination - it's up in the mountains and full of ski resorts. 2) given that its April, the road to the Bristlecone Pine Forest will still be closed. U.S. Route 395 starts in Southern California and stretches all the way up to the Canadian border. Highway 395 actually runs from Californias border with Oregon all the way down to Victorville. If the lake is too crowded, then we suggest going a little further south and heading up McGee Creek. Farmers and ranchers raised cattle and other goods to trade with the mining boom towns nearby. Route 395 in California, The Three Flags Highway: US395 at Floodgap Roadgap, U.S. Highway 395: California's 'mother road', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=U.S._Route_395_in_California&oldid=1131012455, Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; south end of US 395; former US 395 south; I-15 north exit 141, Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; former US 395, Interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance; former, Gill Station Coso Road, Sykes Road Coso Junction Rest Area, North end of SR 168 overlap; East Line Street serves, No left turn from southbound US 395; western terminus of US 6, Interchange; through traffic from Mammoth Lakes to Devils Postpile closed in winters, South end of SR 120 overlap; through traffic to Benton closed in winters, North end of SR 120 overlap; through traffic to Yosemite closed in winter, Agricultural Inspection Station (southbound only), Agricultural Inspection Station (northbound only), The only numbered exit on US 395 in California; former, This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 03:33. Topographic Map of California, USA. If you want to fly and drive, use our guide for finding the closest Eastern Sierra airport. Ive lived in California for decades and been to the Eastern Sierras a number of times, but it took while for it to work its magic on me. And if you do the Death Valley side trip suggested below, you bottom out at -279. The Pacific Crest Trail passes through, and it crosses the highway here. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-84862023', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Death Valley and see if we can get weather reports and road conditions. [1] [2] This was formerly an at-grade intersection; however, SR58 was rerouted onto a new freeway alignment on October 24, 2019. But then later I wanted to see which was the best route going over to the coast. http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/elevations.php. US395 traverses the entire length of the Owens Valley, entering the valley near the former site of the Owens Lake. Basically, Bodie SHP is open all year long, but in the winter it is only reachable by skis, snowshoes or snowmobiles. So check that out if you are going to be hanging around in the area. Ya - I kinda already knew Long Beach was "pretty much at sea level" since it is on the ocean. After these mining rushes died down, the Camino Sierra saw a revival because of the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct beginning in 1908. The US is home to some of the most diverse spots on the planet for a natural soak outside. It has sand dunes, salty lake beds, volcano craters, ghost towns and miles of views. I tried tripcheck.com but I could not find out what I was looking for. [16] The highway proceeds diagonally across the valley, until merging with SR14. Its very different from Hwy 1 along the coast and it would be difficult to say which one is more spectacular. Even without taking the side trips, I'd like this route just for a more scenic drive. In addition, the tree leaves on this lake really pop in the fall. Dont do Sonora Pass if you have an extra large RV, because you wont make the hairpin turns at the eastern end. Stop into the Western Film Museum to check out the memorabilia on the westerns that were filmed in the area. Or if you are short on time, but still want to see Death Valley, get a very early start and use this 1-day itinerary. US395 passes between the cities of Ridgecrest and Inyokern, where US395 Business is routed on South China Lake Boulevard. Whitney, the Lone Pine Movie Museum, Manzanar (optional for many international visitors but Id say a must for Americans), Bishop and the local lakes, Mammoth Lakes, June Lakes, Mono Lake, and any of the towns or view spots along the way. Climbing Mt. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-84863451', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');San Francisco :-), I think 395 is stunning and dramatic, a remarkable drive. Then it gets monotonous. Also, note that the highway is not well lit at night. Alabama Hills is very reminiscent of Utah with its red, rocky landscape. The fastest route from SFO to the start of this trip is via South Lake Tahoe and Carson City. The Tioga Pass is still closed. Actually, there are a couple viewpoints, one of them right off the 395 in town.. 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. Much of those surfaces is loose, sandy soil made of pumice ash. Whither goest thou, America, in thy shiny car in the night?. In heavy snow years, the road has closed in early October, and has remained closed as late as early July. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Both lines were intended to connect the main Southern Pacific Railroad line in Nevada with other lines, but were never completed. Visit our Bodie Ghost town guide for all of the details and plan to spend at least 1.5 hours there. (Were good with a few long driving days but well have to be in San Francisco on the third day to catch our flight so we dont have a lot of wriggle room. We love the Benchmark California Road Atlas. Though this area was not directly affected by the gold and silver rushes, the Owens Valley was more fertile than the areas around the strikes in Nevada. In fact in April they might still be skiingjust depends on what kind of winter they have. For good eats, check out the Castro taco truck or the Alabama Hills Cafe. Dalton Highway, also known as the North Slope Haul Road, was named after Alaskan engineer James W Dalton. Now we're highlighting some of our favorites. We also have a detailed guide for Lone Pine, which elaborates upon some of what is listed below. please revie. [17] If you take that route, you can even spend some extra time doing part of the scenic drive around Lake Tahoe. [33][34], The corridor for the northern segment was first used by the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway, a line also started in 1880, at Reno, to connect with the Great Northern Railway in Oregon. Yes, as long as you are a safe driver. If you do Mono lake, stay on the trails, as the rocks are really sharp. This pile of basalt columns was created 100,000 years ago when a flow cooled and cracked into multi-sided columns. 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). I do not know where it gets even close to 2000 feet elev, US-26 crosses the Coast. SR299 can be used to travel west all the way to the western side of California at US101 in Arcata, and east to Nevada State Route 8A at the Nevada state line. Also, we dont recommend the Death Valley side trip in the summer because the temps are positively volcanic. Look around the tabs and they also have coast passes, etc. Leaving the Sierra Nevada and the 395 behind, its time to hit Death Valley, notorious as the hottest place on earth: 134F (56.6C) was recorded here in 1913. It is the highest elevation highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of 9,945 ft (3,031 m) [1]. Be sure to stock your car with adrinks, snacks and lunch supplies. This image was generated by NOAA from digital data bases of land and . The spot where the sign is along the Massachusetts Turnpike on I-90 rest within the town limits of Becket, MA. You will be limited by road conditions. Alternatively you can build a trip from this 2-day Death Valley itinerary. The short version is to go up the Shulman Grove visitors center and do the Methuselah Trail. The best time for a 395 road trip is in the Fall. Here is my closest work around - Elevations of the metro area. The highway enters the state in a corner of Sierra County, entering Lassen County just 3 miles (4.8km) later. [8] This designation means that there are substantial sections of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community. Tioga Pass is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. The road is open year round, unless there is a major snow storm. The road follows Long Valley Creek along the edge of the Sierra towards Honey Lake. Or you can just drive to the visitor center for it, which is in Lee Vining. Start your day with a short detour west to Minaret Vista, a stunning panorama taking in a large swath of the Sierra Nevada imagine the very different reaction that early settlers would have had when faced withthis daunting natural barrier. Hwy 18 to Lincoln City is around 750. so is US-20. This area is particularly nice in the late spring for wildflowers or for leaf peeping in the fall. Dogs are allowed at Bodie Ghost town (but not in the buildings) and the same for Manzanar. If you can't find itnot sure it is on the net. Stay andeat:The Whitney Portal Hostel & Hotel (run by the same people who run the store at the trailhead) is the best place to stay in town, with both dorm beds and motel-style rooms available ask for one with a view of the mountain. If you want something a bit funky, you can rent a night in a covered wagon at theVirginia Creek Settlement motel. 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. This whole area is SOOOOOO dog friendly. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. The longer version is to go 13 miles further up the dirt road to the Patriarch grove. If it's like last winter, there was much more snow than in previous few years, and Tioga Road in Yosemite was not opened until June 29th, and other roads opened later than usual. Whitney from park roads. I have been to coast on both US 30 and Wash-4, but not a regular. The highest point on 395 is Conway Summit, at 8,143 feet above sea level. [44] In 2020, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power sold the easement rights to build the bypass, while retaining its water rights. This National Historic Park remembers that tragedy with guided tours and exhibits. Rebecca Stevenson Photo. There is an easy 2.5 mile loop trail around the lake. Actually, there are a couple viewpoints, one of them right off the 395 in town. The snow would not likely be as heavy or prolonged as winter snow, but it can happen and it can make short closures (395 is a maintenance priority) or chain controls necessary. Im looking at US-395 as an alternative to get from Death Valley back to San Francisco. 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