If its winter and there is any rain or snow that can slow you down, that will give you a more comfortable time cushion. Second choice is to take I-5 up to the Longview exit and then highway 4 to the coast. Sherwin Summit, at 7,000 feet (2,100m), is the first of five mountain passes crossed by US395 in the Sierra Nevada. Or you can just drive to the visitor center for it, which is in Lee Vining. U.S. Route 395 ( US 395) is a United States Numbered Highway, stretching from Hesperia, California to the Canadian border in Laurier, Washington. Check for deals and book here. 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. Subscribe to Lonely Planet newsletters and promotions. For sleeping, Mammoth Lakes has plenty of decent, alpine-style options including Tamarack Lodge. Also, we dont recommend the Death Valley side trip in the summer because the temps are positively volcanic. 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. If you are traveling in the summer or fall, consider the slower road over Sonora Pass (which goes through Twain Harte) or Tioga Pass (which cuts through Yosemite). Both will get you to Long Beach, 401 being a little bit shorter. Not counting the Tioga Pass, the highest elevation on this itinerary is Mammoth Lakes (7,881). Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. Elevation: 1415m / 4642feet Barometric Pressure: 85KPa Elevation Map: Satellite Map: Related Photos: A painted sky Wonder Walk Butte Creek Falls Sunrise in a Crater.. Oregon Cascades Pano Rowena Sunrise Evening on the Cape Oneonta Falls. 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 road connects Lone Pine to Whitney Portal (the Whitney Portal Store is at the Portal, and the store is open in the summer). If you ski or snowboard, you could do a winter road trip that includes skiing/boarding in Lake Tahoe and Mammoth along with some of the other 395 attractions. SFO is on the 101. If you drive over Tioga pass through Yosemite, the trails there are not dog-friendly. The highest point on 395 is Conway Summit, at 8,143 feet above sea level. Tioga Pass is named after Tioga Mine, whose name came from the Tioga River in New York: Tioga is an Iroquois and Mohawk term meaning "where it forks". It then continues east, eventually descending into the state of Nevada. Scott, that is still a million times better than the 99, or the soul-crushing I-5! The calculator provides a way to calculate how elevated the land is for a trip you are planning or for reference purposes. Mobile signals are very spotty on 395 and Google Maps wont always work there. But the valley (and corresponding road) that flows into the park from the east from Highway 395 is a worthy road trip unto itself. Share this Highway 395 road trip itinerary with your friends on Pinterest: Thanks for the great site. When most U.S. highways in California were eliminated, U.S. 299 was removed because it was less than 300 miles and wholly located within the state. After leaving the Victorville area, the scenery changes as suburban neighborhoods disappear and the highway traverses the Mojave Desert. [2] The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column. If you are driving your own car, dont forget to check your oil and tire pressure before you leave and you should also invest in roadside assistance. It assumes that you are starting in SF and ending in LA, although you could do it in the reverse order, or as an out-and-back. [36][37] By 1937, US6 had been extended to California, concurrent with US395 between Bishop and Inyokern.[36]. Hwy 18 to Lincoln City is around 750. so is US-20. Yes, as long as you are a safe driver. We asked our readers to nominate their favorite small businesses. This itinerary aims to help you find that moment of amazement as well. The road then enters Adelanto, on the western edge of Victorville. The highway runs for 87 miles (140km) in Nevada. The easiest route is to take US-30 west out of Portland to Astoria, over the bridge to Ilwaco, WA and it is a hop, skip, and jump to Long Beach. Is there a website like that? [34] This line also was never completed, ending at Lakeview, Oregon. To get to the parking lot at the south Tufa Towers you do have to drive a short bit on dirt, but it is smooth, not bumpy. For the entire route, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, California postmile Official postmile definitions, "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways", "New segment of State Route 58 opens near Kramer Junction", "Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station", Map of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad/ Western Pacific and Connections, "Google Maps street maps and USGS topographic maps", "State Maintained Highways, Descriptions, Index & Maps and NHS", "Office of Historic Preservation California State Parks", American Association of State Highway Officials, California State Department of Public Works, "Olancha/Cartago 4-Lane Mitigation Planting", "FW: Olancha Cartago Cottonwood Mitigation Area", "Olancha Cartago 4 Lane Project: Project Information", "Environmental Impact Statement; San Bernardino County, CA", "City Council, Community Redevelopment Agency, Fire Protection District, Water District Agenda Date: April 4, 2007", "Widening of Highway 395 continues in Victorville and Adelanto", "US-395 Widening Project Receives $24 Million: Don't Celebrate Too Soon", "Elevation and Location of Summits and Passes in California", Template:Attached KML/U.S. Alternatively, you may use, http://travelswithbillandnancy.com/eastern_sierras.htm, http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roadscell.cgi. When that photo opens great fishing, off the highway to the right past those trees . Then it gets monotonous. Some of the wildlife in the area include birds of prey, marmots, bobcats, and occasionally bighorn sheep can be seen. How to see the Yosemite firefall in 2021california's-10-best-hiking-trails-link" href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/california-best-hiking-trails">California's10 best hiking trailscalifornia's-top-experiences-link" href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/top-25-experiences-in-california">California'stop experiences. This lovely drive includes Grant, Silver, Gull and June Lakes. There are tons of hot springs along this route. Between Mojave and its junction with US395, SR14 follows the edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains. This lovely alpine lake is named after a bruhaha that ensued after a group of escaped prisoners hid out there. While many people visit Yosemite Valley, far fewer take the time to make this drive, which is one of the best in California. It follows some of the river, but it goes over the coast range. The section of California 299 east of U.S. 395 was never part of U.S. 299. 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? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-29830794', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Portland and Long Beach are both pretty much at sea level and there are no hills/mountains of any significance in between (Long Beach is on the ocean; the Columbia River connects Portland to the ocean.). It boomed from 1882 to 1932 and is a well-preserved relic of our gold rush. The southern segment crosses the Mojave Desert and Owens Valley and passes east of the Sierra Nevada. [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. The northern segment also follows the Sierra Nevada and crosses the Modoc Plateau. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) provided the option to retain Interstate status on U.S. 395 through San Bernardino until the Ontario-Devore segment of new I-15 could be completed. Victorville, founded by the Santa Fe Railroad to take advantage of water along the Mojave River, and for most of its history home to George Air Force Base,[10] was the second fastest growing city in the United States from July 2006 to July 2007. They cherished humanity. Read our Privacy Policy. After cresting Sherwin Summit, the highway travels along the west shore of Crowley Lake. This means that if you choose to purchase, Ill make a small commission.). We also have a detailed guide for Lone Pine, which elaborates upon some of what is listed below. Tucked away in the eastern central part of California, the road is 19.31km (12 miles) long, starting at Lone Pine. Among the more notable upgrades, the Los Peasquitos Creek Arch Bridge, along the portion of former US395 now used by I-15, was built in 1949, and replaced in 1964, with a second span built in 1977. Back on the 395, its only 100 miles to Lone Pine but theres plenty to see and do on the way. 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. In addition, the tree leaves on this lake really pop in the fall. The fourth summit crossed by US395 in California is Devil's Gate Pass, elevation 7,519 feet (2,292m), which separates the East and West Walker Rivers. Even without taking the side trips, I'd like this route just for a more scenic drive. Each day has 2-5 cool things do do and see as well as at least one scenic detour that gets you slightly off 395. Could I get you opinion on driving times? 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. Though the railroad is abandoned north of Searles Station, US395 parallels the old railroad grade from this point to Lone Pine.[3][14]. Heres the 5 day itinerary for your 395 travel. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you can't find itnot sure it is on the net. [3], US395 returns to California as a freeway, but is soon downgraded to a divided highway just past the state line. 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. If you do Mono lake, stay on the trails, as the rocks are really sharp. Your first stop should be Bodie State Park. This National Historic Park remembers that tragedy with guided tours and exhibits. The winding descent from Devil's Gate follows the West Walker River, exiting near the towns of Walker and Coleville in the Antelope Valley, a few miles south of Topaz Lake which is on the California-Nevada State Line. For more information, start with our mega guide for Death Valley that includes practical planning tips, routing suggestions, accommodations and top things to do. The Dow Villa Motel gets good marks for its central location in town. It takes about four days to get a good feel for the region so join us on a north-south, semi-secret, always spectacular road trip. The highest mountain or highest elevation point for each of the 50 states are listed in the table below. And if you can fit in an added day (e.g., do you have multiple days in Las Vegas you can cut from? Stay and eat:Time it right (its generally only open in the evenings) and Mono Inn, on the 395 just north of Lee Vining, will give you one of the most memorable meals-with-a-view youll have along the whole route. While there, we will be rewarded with alpine lakes, pine forest, rock formations, weird geology and cool attractions on Highway 395. I do not know where it gets even close to 2000 feet elev, US-26 crosses the Coast. Those yellow leaves slapped me in the face, waking me up to whats amazing about Californias Highway 395 corridor. [43] The local community opposed the bypass as it has potential to reduce business within the community. 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