As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The route of US395 in California is split into two segments, as the highway exits and reenters California via Nevada. Whitney The Dow Villa Motel gets good marks for its central location in town. This means that if you choose to purchase, Ill make a small commission.). Past Lone Pine, the highway passes by Manzanar National Historic Site, a concentration camp where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Those latter two are a lightly shorter option (in terms of miles) compared to I-80, but beyond that? So check that out if you are going to be hanging around in the area. [16] The highway proceeds diagonally across the valley, until merging with SR14. Your next stop is the scenic June Lake Loop. [3], Visible for miles, the highway finally passes Mono Lake, squeezed between the lake and the Sierra crest. [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]. Stay andeat:There are three main sleeping and eating areas in the park: Panamint Springs; Stovepipe Wells; and The Oasis at Death Valley. This pile of basalt columns was created 100,000 years ago when a flow cooled and cracked into multi-sided columns. The northern segment also follows the Sierra Nevada and crosses the Modoc Plateau. For much of the route described here, 395 is a four lane divided highway. Lets get started with some logistics about how and when to plan your trip. [17] This book showcases 50 of the greatest road trips on Earth, from classic routes in America, Australia and Europe, to incredible adventures in Asia and Africa. 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. It was built in the late 1930s and is the highest highway pass in California. [2] The highway is used as an access route for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Death Valley. Here are the best. The route via the Eastern Sierra seems a lot more scenic. 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]. Alternatively, you can tack on some road trip time in Yosemite. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a369e598cae5d8f3daa23d60c9c5a6b7" );document.getElementById("bdd8f95227").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); We are a participant in the various affiliate programs including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. It boomed from 1882 to 1932 and is a well-preserved relic of our gold rush. 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. You can also get some inspiration and trivia with these fun facts about Death Valley. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-84867555', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');California, in fact the West. The road is open year round, unless there is a major snow storm. Yes, as long as you are a safe driver. Sherwin Summit, at 7,000 feet (2,100m), is the first of five mountain passes crossed by US395 in the Sierra Nevada. While many people visit Yosemite Valley, far fewer take the time to make this drive, which is one of the best in California. Running east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, its also a road of superlatives: highest, lowest, hottest, deepest, oldest the 395 passes close by a whole host of -ests. If you want something a bit funky, you can rent a night in a covered wagon at theVirginia Creek Settlement motel. [36][37] By 1937, US6 had been extended to California, concurrent with US395 between Bishop and Inyokern.[36]. It's totally paved. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Summer is a great time if you like hiking and water sports, but weekends and holidays can be crazy busy, so book ahead. Lee Vining is 6781 and by the time you get down to Lone Pine, the elevation is 3,700. Google Earth is a good way to evaluate routes, albeit without elevation numbers. Wellit's a draw either way. In a T-intersection with SR36 just before Susanville, US395 makes a sharp turn avoiding the city, making a near complete loop around the Susanville Municipal Airport. You can do as much or as little as you want of the 3.5 mile McGee Creek trail. Farmers and ranchers raised cattle and other goods to trade with the mining boom towns nearby. 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". Along the shores of Owens Lake, the highway passes by Cartago and Olancha. The main highway is suitable for any type of vehicle. If you can swing it, we recommend adding Death Valley onto your Highway 395 road trip. It comes with a AAA membership, most new car purchases or a credit card like the American Express Rewards Gold Card. Ive seen the obvious other options of I-5 and CA-99 described as very boring and that doesnt seem like a fitting end to what promises to be an amazing trip. This will take you an additional 13 miles up to the Mount Whitney trailhead, which is only for experienced mountain hikers, but the drive is lovely. 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. Rowena Plateau.. Multnomah Falls ~ Oregon Astoria Sunrise Wiesendanger Falls Oregon Dunes Pano Highway 395 actually runs from California's border with Oregon all the way down to Victorville. But this itinerary recommends the best scenic bits on a 227 mile stretch that starts just south of Carson City. LOL. If you like this kind of spare desert landscape in the southeastern Sierras, youll love Death Valley. Second choice is to take I-5 up to the Longview exit and then highway 4 to the coast. US395 follows the western boundary of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, not far from Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons, where the Coso People created prolific rock art and traded with distant tribes using tools crafted of stone. Dalton Highway, also known as the North Slope Haul Road, was named after Alaskan engineer James W Dalton. McKinley (Denali), AK: 20,237: Alaska Elevation Map: While the southern portion, through Olancha, will be become an extension of SR190. Take a self-guided tour with the map fromthe small museum, peering into homes eerily still filled with their last owners belongings. 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. There is a short <1 mile hike to get to the postpile and an additional 5 mile roundtrip hike to visit the Rainbow Falls. For motels and Airbnbs: If your road trip occurs over a weekend or holiday in the summer, absolutely pre-book. Using the calculator you can figure this out. A short segment in Lassen County is a freeway with one exit serving SR70 at the Hallelujah Junction. These include either Aurora Canyon from Bridgeport or Pole Line Road and Goat Ranch into Lee Vining. Take the 101 the route closer to the coast. 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 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. 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. 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. Once again, there is an assortment of basic motels in Lone Pine. If you do Mono lake, stay on the trails, as the rocks are really sharp. Stop into the Western Film Museum to check out the memorabilia on the westerns that were filmed in the area. Like driving through a big national park with small towns along the way. When that photo opens great fishing, off the highway to the right past those trees . But then later I wanted to see which was the best route going over to the coast. Here's when to go. 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. Then head into the Alabama Hills to see the filming locations for yourself. Formerly a fertile lake and valley, Owens Lake and the southern portion of the valley are now dry. Its very detailed and shows both paved and dirt roads as well as state parks and some campsites. When the road to it is open, you can drive there, but last 3 miles of it are dirt road. You could cover that mileage in 4 hours, but dont be in a hurry. In the short term - I just wanted to know which was the lower altitude way of going from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? [34] This line also was never completed, ending at Lakeview, Oregon. ;-). This lovely drive includes Grant, Silver, Gull and June Lakes. 4) regarding those all-year roads: any advice on taking I-80, US-50 or SR-88? Would you agree its still a scenic drive? Oregon Route 140 ( OR 140) is a state highway in southern Oregon, United States. Yosemite dazzles with its natural good looks, and its four seasons each offer something special. Formerly, US6 and US395 ran concurrently from this junction north to Bishop. Dont do Sonora Pass if you have an extra large RV, because you wont make the hairpin turns at the eastern end. Don't know if you are mixed up or not, phirl. I don't remember the dirt road to Mono Lake being that bad or even that long. 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. Bodie would be a different story - probably inaccessible in April. Eight miles (13km) past the junction leading to Mammoth, the highway crests the second summit, Deadman Summit, at 8,036 feet (2,449m). 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. Im in the early planning stages of our first trip to the US. [3], US395 scales the Sierra Nevada on a ridge between the canyons of the Owens River and Rock Creek. William Stevenson (1853-1883) and Lydia Frances Kemp (1863-1941) John Amasa Bennett (1875-1945) and Geneva . While en route, the highway serves the towns of Ravendale, Termo, and Madeline in Lassen County, as well as Likely in Modoc County. Then bunk down in Lee Vining or back in June Lake. Climbing Mt. 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. so will take your word for it. 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. 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