This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Those latter two are a lightly shorter option (in terms of miles) compared to I-80, but beyond that? Heres a BLM map of the area. Second choice is to take I-5 up to the Longview exit and then highway 4 to the coast. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-84858223', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');California (and bits of Nevada, Arizona and Utah) for about a month. Sure, it doesnt have the showy seascapes of the Pacific Coast Highway, but hiding in the shadows of the Eastern Sierras are some amazing landscapes, vast acres of pine forest and some pretty funky geology. 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. 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. The Coast Range summit on 30 is almost 2x higher than the summit on Washington hwy 4 at Longview off I5. [25] Though SR70 does not directly serve any major cities, the highway is noted as an all-weather crossing of the Sierras. A portion of this line is still active and, through a series of acquisitions, the Union Pacific Railroad now owns this line. [3], US395 scales the Sierra Nevada on a ridge between the canyons of the Owens River and Rock Creek. This area is particularly nice in the late spring for wildflowers or for leaf peeping in the fall. Just 45 minutes south is Mono (pronounced moh-no) Lake. The route of US395 in California is split into two segments, as the highway exits and reenters California via Nevada. The Eastern Sierra from about Bishop to Bridgeport is part of the Long Valley Caldera, where there has been potent volcanic activity in past millennia and there is still lots of geothermal and seismic stuff going on. We would be driving here mid April. 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. Summer is a great time if you like hiking and water sports, but weekends and holidays can be crazy busy, so book ahead. For motels and Airbnbs: If your road trip occurs over a weekend or holiday in the summer, absolutely pre-book. The town of Bishop was established to trade goods with the mining town of Aurora. Beginning about a dozen miles west of Bakersfield, Highway 58 is a roller-coaster all the way to the coast. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. You can further detour down Dry Creek Road for a short hike to the Inyo Craters, or just carry on into Mammoth Lakes. Share this Highway 395 road trip itinerary with your friends on Pinterest: Thanks for the great site. [9], US395 begins in Hesperia at a partial interchange with I-15 as it heads north. Mt Whitney is the lower 48's highest peak and is a prime destination for hikers, climbers and mountaineers around the world. Top spots on both itineraries are Ryolite Ghost town, Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point and Mesquite Dunes. Heres what that means. To cool off, head up to Dantes View where the rewards are not just lower temperatures (youre at nearly 5000ft here) but also the chance to end your trip with a view of the contiguousUS highest point, Mt Whitney, in the distance, and North Americas lowest point, Badwater Basin, below you. [3][12], After leaving Kramer Junction, US395 passes the Kramer Junction Solar Electric Generating Station. Read our Privacy Policy. 14 and state hwy. That said, there are things that you need to be mindful of. The story told here, of how thousands of Japanese Americans were seen as a security threat and forcibly moved from the coast to live in the harsh desert environment, is an overlooked and controversial episode in the countrys history. You can visit Mono Lake easily. If you prefer a steady path without steep grades, use the flat route finder to get the least elevation change. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. So, I was able to perfectly time my visit for fall color. Past Lone Pine, the highway passes by Manzanar National Historic Site, a concentration camp where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. 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. Two hours south of Tahoe, on a side, not fully paved road off the 395, youll find Bodie, a mining ghost town with (allegedly) real ghosts. [26] SR70 was at one time numbered U.S. Route 40 Alternate, using US395 from this junction south to Reno to connect with the mainline US40 (now I-80). On the other side of the mountains is Indian Wells Valley. Ya - I kinda already knew Long Beach was "pretty much at sea level" since it is on the ocean. Once again, there is an assortment of basic motels in Lone Pine. This add-on is best done from October to April. Even without taking the side trips, I'd like this route just for a more scenic drive. it does go over some small hills. However, that trip was in September, when all roads were open. please revie. 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. Some questions I hope you can help with: 1) how likely is it that there are winter conditions on this road at that time of the year? Stay andeat:There are three main sleeping and eating areas in the park: Panamint Springs; Stovepipe Wells; and The Oasis at Death Valley. Would you agree its still a scenic drive? Wellit's a draw either way. Once in Bridgeport, head over to Travertine Hot Springs. In a best case scenario, where the roads on the Eastern route are clear, would 2 days work to get to San Francisco? And if you do the Death Valley side trip suggested below, you bottom out at -279. Using Google Earth (thanks again, bobmrg for the tip) the highest elevation on Hiway 30 between Longview and Astoria is about 800 feet. Its also the largest US national park outside Alaska. Dana Meadows contains several small lakes. 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. ;-). The Dow Villa Motel gets good marks for its central location in town. 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. You can also get information on which roads are open by calling CalTrans at (800) 427-7623, or by going to this web page and entering the road number: http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roadscell.cgi. Wait to go there until the road to it is fully open. Here are the best. The best place from which to see Mt. Travertine is nice because its fairly easy to find, has multiple pools, insane views and is clothing-optional. Have your camera ready. The short version is to go up the Shulman Grove visitors center and do the Methuselah Trail. 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. Passenger vehicles can use the unpaved road to Bodie ghost town, but it is famous for its bumps and potholes. I had some free time and an itch to fire up the van. 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. Here is my closest work around - Elevations of the metro area. Tioga Pass is the most direct route from Bishop or Mammoth Lakes, California to Fresno, Merced, and Stockton. Or go on a guided tour to gain access to otherwise closed-off buildings. Yosemite dazzles with its natural good looks, and its four seasons each offer something special. If you want some more crazy geology, your next stop should be the Hot Creek Geologic attraction off 395 east of the Mammoth airport. 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. Hwy 395 is one of the most beautiful routes in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Your first stop should be Bodie State Park. With the announced closure of noma, it seems an era of international fine dining is also ending. Get more info in our full guide to Convict lake, which include info on additional hikes, where to camp and how to rent a boat or kayak. If you are returning to SF from Death Valley, use our guide to help you find some cool stops along the way. (This article contains affiliate links. At the time of your trip there could be wildflowers in Death Valley, if enough rain falls this winter. It is cute the first ten minutes. I'm afraidvery afraid. Google Earth is a good way to evaluate routes, albeit without elevation numbers. You can compare the elevation of land between just about any type of location. [48] The northern portion, through Cartago, will become a county route. The drivegoespast the Alabama Hills, a popular film location for dozens of movies and TV shows thanks to its varied landscapes. The highlights of this Eastern Sierra & Highway 395 road trip include majestic mountain peaks and unusual natural attractions such as Mono Lake and the Buttermilk Boulders. State Elevation(ft.)1 Highest point Elevation(ft.)Lowest point Elevation(ft.)Alabama 500 Cheaha Mountain 2,405 Gulf of Mexico Sea levelAlaska 1,900 Mt. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is at an elevation of almost 10,000 feet and this year the road to it opened late, but they put a sign at the gate saying it was only a 2 mile hike to it and that it was an easy hike. [46][47] Construction on the bypass began in 2022. Hwy 18 to Lincoln City is around 750. so is US-20. Then head into the Alabama Hills to see the filming locations for yourself. US Highway 395 is California 's backbone. for sale: 16800 state highway 14, mojave, ca 93501 $7,900,000 mls# oc22259540 located on the corner of state hwy. State Route 120 runs through it, and serves as the eastern entry point for Yosemite National Park, at the Tioga Pass Entrance Station. Just north of the lake is Lone Pine. So check that out if you are going to be hanging around in the area. HomepageAboutBlog ArchiveWork with UsPrivacy PolicyContact Us. Grab a refreshing beer to toast the end of your trip along the highway of superlatives. You will be limited by road conditions. On the 95 freeway between Las Vegas and Reno, it's also known as the "free range art highway." As a card-carrying member of the Weird Art Lovers Association (JK but if that's a real thing let me know), the more I learned was available off this highway, the more I wanted to road trip it. For RV parks: If you are RVing in the summer, some of the private RV parks may have on-the-fly availability. We also have a detailed guide for Lone Pine, which elaborates upon some of what is listed below. Edited: 12 years ago Along the descent the highway passes by Bodie, a ghost town which the state park system has preserved, including items still on the shelves in the abandoned stores.[22]. I am regular there. [29], North of Susanville, the highway bends around Shaffer Mountain and crosses the Modoc Plateau. It follows some of the river, but it goes over the coast range. Prior to truncation, US395 served the metropolitan areas of San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino. In heavy snow years, the road has closed in early October, and has remained closed as late as early July. I don't remember the dirt road to Mono Lake being that bad or even that long. 58, one of the best locations available today. 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. 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. Fall is nice because the summer crowds have died down, but the Forest Service trails and campgrounds are still open. 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. There are also quite a few frontage roads that you can use. Heres the 5 day itinerary for your 395 travel. Starting on the west side of Highway 395, drivers . 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. [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. 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. 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. Climbing Mt. They cherished humanity. In the spring/fall, you shouldnt have a problem. Sherwin Summit, at 7,000 feet (2,100m), is the first of five mountain passes crossed by US395 in the Sierra Nevada. [30] By 1860, the Camino Sierra was an established trail appearing in maps and guides. This historic site is one of Californias best ghost towns. Check for deals and book here. 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. Here are the current highway closures in @Caltrans9: U.S. 395: From Gorge Rd. . This is another one of those feels-like-Utah landscapes with spires of eroding red sandstone. [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 guide also suggests two scenic off road detours as an alternative to the regular road. Water from the valley is channeled for use by the City of Los Angeles, via the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which was constructed during what is commonly called the California Water Wars. 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. I would go over to the coast, Highway 101 or 1. For a relaxed setting, the Toll Road Restaurant has filling fare, as does Panamint Springs Resort. US395 passes between the cities of Ridgecrest and Inyokern, where US395 Business is routed on South China Lake Boulevard. 4) regarding those all-year roads: any advice on taking I-80, US-50 or SR-88? This means that if you choose to purchase, Ill make a small commission.). Along with Badwater, its worth visiting Zabriskie Point to see the erosion-carvedrocks that appear toripple across the landscape. . Mono Lake is worth visiting for its crazy limestone tufa towers, which stagger upright out of the lake like crusty white zombies. 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