The Sierra Highway, also known as El Camino Sierra, is a 424 mi (682 km) road in southern and eastern California. It connects northern Los Angeles with Lake Tahoe, beginning at the historic intersection of US Routes 99 and 6 in Los Angeles and ending at the intersection of California Route 89 and US Route 50 in South Lake Tahoe.

Understand

History

Looking south down Sierra Highway in Lancaster in 1918.

The first recorded journeys along parts of El Camino Sierra were made by the explorers Jedediah Smith in 1826 and Joseph R. Walker in 1834. The Spanish had never visited this extremely remote part of California, although it was nominally under Mexican control. A more detailed mapping of the region was first performed by John C. Frémont in 1845. However, when gold was discovered in California in 1848, the trails that would form El Camino Sierra were regularly used by prospectors traveling to the Gold Country. By 1910, the route had acquired a reputation as one of the most scenic in the state, and governor James Gillet announced that the trail was to be be upgraded into a modern road connecting El Camino Real with Yosemite National Park as "one of the most beautiful scenic routes in the world." The improvement process was finally completed in 1931, when paving of stretch between Mojave and the Owens Valley was finished.

Beginning in the 1970s, the southern parts of El Camino Sierra (between Los Angeles and Mojave) have been largely bypassed by freeway development, with California State Route 14 being separated from the route on this stretch. Today, only two portions of El Camino Sierra are officially signed as Sierra Highway: the bypassed section in Southern California and a section of US Route 395 in Bishop. Steven Spielberg's 1971 film Duel was filmed along a southern stretch of the highway near Acton. Other parts are signed as California State Route 14U, California State Route 14, US Route 395, and California State Route 89.

Climate

The climate of El Camino Sierra varies dramatically. The southern sections are for the most part in the Mojave Desert, with very hot and dry climates to be expected during the summer. As you travel north, the desert transforms into the Sierra Nevada. Summer climates in the foothills can remain very warm, but expect the weather to cool off as you ascend. Snow is common in the mountains during the winter, and this can make the highway impassable. Caltrans closes the Monitor Pass, the stretch of El Camino Sierra along California State Route 89 between Topaz and Markleeville, during the winter months, making this route impossible to complete during the winter.

Prepare

You will need a car, as no train lines follow this route beyond Lancaster. With that in mind, the remoteness of some parts of El Camino Sierra means that gasoline may be hard to come by; consider filling up beforehand. There are plenty of gas stations in between Santa Clarita and Lancaster if heading north, but south of Lake Tahoe is especially remote. If you need gas midway through, towns such as Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, and Inyokern can be found either along the main highway or a short drive off of it.

Get in

El Camino Sierra begins in Los Angeles, at the three-way intersection of San Fernando Road, The Old Road (which are both parts of Historic Route 99), and Sierra Highway (Historic Route 6), in the Newhall Pass separating the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. This intersection is directly beneath that of Interstate 5 and the freeway alignment of CA 14. Alternatively, the north end of the road begins at a roundabout three-way intersection of US Route 50 and CA 89 in South Lake Tahoe. See the South Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles pages for how to get to these places.

Drive

Los Angeles County

The rock formation at Vasquez Rocks commonly known as "Kirk's Rock."

El Camino Sierra begins in the Newhall Pass, on the northernmost border of Los Angeles proper. The North San Fernando Valley ends at this point. Canyon Country, a part of Santa Clarita, is where the journey truly begins. A portion of the road here is signed as CA 14U, a memento of the old pre-freeway alignment and a monument to bureaucracy. A worthwhile stop for hiking is Whitney Canyon Park, a quarter mile east of the Sierra Highway on Newhall Avenue. Another is the Oak of the Golden Dream, a mile east on Placerita Canyon Road, where the first official discovery of gold in the state was made in 1842, six years prior to the more famous strike at Sutter's Mill. Additionally, the two are connected to each other via the rather hilly and unpaved service roads of the Angeles National Forest, and provide scenic views of both valleys. Canyon Country slowly morphs into the high desert as you head north. First, however, is Agua Dulce's Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park (turn right on Agua Dulce Canyon Road, then left on Escondido Canyon Road), another hiking spot featuring exotic rock formations. Film buffs and Star Trek fans will recognize one of the largest formations as "Kirk's Rock." Slightly further along the road is Acton, and this is the stretch of road that Steven Spielberg used to film Duel.

After Acton, the road heads north into the Antelope Valley. Make sure to turn left to stay on Sierra Highway shortly after the intersection with the Angeles Forest Highway, as going straight will take you on the Pearblossom Highway towards California State Route 138 and Victorville, although being in Palmdale gives plenty of opportunities to backtrack. Palmdale and neighboring Lancaster have little to offer the tourist, but one quirk to experience is the Musical Road. Driving westbound on Avenue G's leftmost lane between 30th Street West and 40th Street West at 55 mph will cause tire vibrations to play the William Tell Overture (Lone Ranger theme). After Lancaster, El Camino Sierra passes out of Los Angeles County.

Kern County/Inyo County

In Rosamond, you could head east on Rosamond Boulevard through the desert a ways to Edwards Air Force Base, which features the Air Force Flight Test Museum. The museum is only open from Tuesday to Friday and only open to individuals who otherwise have credentials to enter the base. If not, head onwards to Mojave, which features the Mojave Air and Space Port, another aerospace installation that is open to the public. The site features futuristic flight vehicles as well as older aircraft in retirement or disrepair. Mojave is also the end of the separation between the freeway CA 14 and Sierra Highway, as the freeway ends here. The road remains somewhat improved for a while, but there is only one above-grade intersection after crossing CA 58. Red Rock Canyon State Park, another rocky desert filming location, is here. The road signage changes again shortly after Red Rock, near Inyokern, as CA 14 ends and the road is signed as US 395.

Memorial at Manzanar with Mount Whitney in the background.

Passing into Inyo County, El Camino Sierra drives directly parallel to the Sierra Nevada, past Owens Lake to Lone Pine. It's quite a drive, but if you wanted to get to Death Valley National Park, going via CA 190 East in Olancha or CA 136 East in Lone Pine would give you equal results. Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states, is accessible from here. Another stop along this part of El Camino Sierra is Manzanar National Historic Site, one of ten World War II-era Japanese internment camps in the United States. Independence is the site of the Eastern California Museum, where you can see numerous historical artifacts from the Eastern Sierra. Big Pine is the point of access for the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, 12 miles (19 km) east on CA 168. The oldest tree in the world, Methuselah, is somewhere in this forest, although the US Forest Service won't say exactly which tree it is. Bishop is the largest settlement in the region, and is known for being a rock climbing hot spot. The Laws Railroad Museum, memorializing the Carson and Colorado Railroad (which, prior to the development of El Camino Sierra, was the only connection Bishop had with the outside world) is also worth visiting.

Mono County/Alpine County/El Dorado County

Wilderness to the west of the Monitor Pass.

The elevation increases as you leave the Owens Valley and the landscape changes even further. You will pass many lakes as you ascend, and the best place to stop — along with the place most people driving El Camino Sierra are heading — is Mammoth Lakes, a resort town and popular skiing destination. Head east about a mile on CA 203 to get there. Mono Lake is another great stop, featuring an extremely unique ecosystem popular with migratory birds. Immediately adjacent to the lake is CA 120, the eastern entryway into Yosemite National Park. Be warned, however, that this road is closed during the winter months more often than not. Just north of the lake is the road to Bodie State Historic Park, the site of a Gold Rush-era ghost town. The road to Bodie is also difficult, if not impossible, to traverse during the winter. The town of Bridgeport's courthouse is an interesting sight as well. You will begin to descend after Devil's Gate, a granite formation at a mountain pass north of Bridgeport. Be sure to turn left in Topaz, as El Camino Sierra diverges from US 395, which heads into Nevada, onto CA 89.

The first part of El Camino Sierra in Alpine County, the Monitor Pass, is the only part of the road which is subject to regular seasonal closures. Natural wonders abound, viewable from the road itself, nearby hiking trails, and other byways. These sights continue into El Dorado County, where El Camino Sierra comes to a close in South Lake Tahoe.

Stay safe

For traveling in the summer, follow the tips for hot weather, especially on the southern parts of the route. Some sections in the northern half may close due to snow in addition to the Monitor Pass, which closes yearly. Check beforehand. If the road is closed, the best way to get from Los Angeles to Tahoe is via Interstate 5 through the Central Valley.

Go next

If you went from north to south, there are plenty of more worldly attractions than "California's back road" to be found in Los Angeles. If you went from south to north, Lake Tahoe is the next immediate destination on the other side of the city of South Lake Tahoe. From there, Interstate 80 in Reno will take you west to Sacramento, San Francisco, and the Pacific coast, or east deeper into Nevada and eventually Salt Lake City in Utah. Alternatively, you could continue on north US 395 from Reno towards Lassen Volcanic National Park and Oregon.