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73-614: Traversing the extremes of California, from the Mojave Desert to the Sierra Nevada , El Camino Sierra has been advertised to the world as a highway to showcase the natural beauty of California as far back as 1910. Though most of Sierra Highway was bypassed in the early 1970s with freeways , the road is still well known. The portion through the San Gabriel Mountains is noted as the primary filming location for

146-498: A rest area ), East Quincy , and the city of Quincy . SR 70 and SR 89 continue north through Keddie before SR 89 splits off to the north and passes through Indian Falls , Crescent Mills , Greenville , and Canyondam . The section of SR 89 from SR 70 north to Crescent Mills was built over the abandoned railway bed of the Indian Valley Railroad . SR 89 intersects with the south end of SR 147 before paralleling

219-436: A "boulevard the entire distance from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe." The article concluded by stating El Camino Sierra was "a highway with a hundred by-ways, each by-way with a hundred wonders". The article also implored the state legislature to extend El Camino Sierra to Truckee , Quincy and Susanville using a route similar to modern State Route 89 , SR 70 returning to US 395 . By 1918, El Camino Sierra had been included in

292-681: A brief distance before turning into El Dorado County . The section of SR 89 from SR 88 north to US 50 is co-signed as US 50 Alternate for use as a detour for when US 50 closes. The highway continues north to Meyers , where it runs concurrently with US 50 into the city of South Lake Tahoe . SR 89 continues along the western shore of Lake Tahoe , where it passes through Camp Richardson , Emerald Bay , Meeks Bay , Pomins, and Tahoma . After crossing into Placer County , SR 89 passes through Chambers Lodge , Homewood , Tahoe Pines, Skyland , Timberland , Pineland , and Tahoe Tavern before coming to an intersection with SR 28 , where SR 89 continues to

365-475: A diversity of flora and fauna. The 54,000 sq mi (140,000 km ) desert supports a number of human activities, including recreation, ranching, and military training. The Mojave Desert also contains various silver , tungsten , iron and gold deposits. The spelling Mojave originates from the Spanish language, while the spelling Mohave comes from modern English. Both are used today, although

438-533: A few switchbacks before crossing into Alpine County and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest . The route over Monitor Pass is typically closed during the winter due to snow accumulation. SR 89 continues by Heenan Lake before intersecting with the eastern end of SR 4 and turning northwest, passing through Markleeville . SR 89 continues northwest to the town of Woodfords , where it turns west, running concurrently with SR 88 for

511-595: A fuel bed. This has significantly altered many areas of the desert. At higher elevations, fire regimes are regular but infrequent. While the Mojave Desert is generally sparsely populated, it has increasingly become urbanized in recent years. The metropolitan areas include Las Vegas , the largest urban area in the Mojave and the largest urban area in Nevada with a population of about 2.3 million. St. George, Utah ,

584-512: A larger North American Desert . Of these, the Mojave is the smallest and driest. It displays typical basin and range topography , generally having a pattern of a series of parallel mountain ranges and valleys. It is also the site of Death Valley , which is the lowest elevation in North America. The Mojave Desert is often colloquially called the "high desert", as most of it lies between 2,000 and 4,000 feet (610 and 1,220 m). It supports

657-607: A major thoroughfare for many mountain communities in the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range . It starts from U.S. Route 395 near Topaz Lake , winding its way up to the 8,314-foot (2,534 m) Monitor Pass , down to the Carson River , and up again over the 7,740-foot (2,359 m) Luther Pass . From that point on, the route generally loses elevation on its way past Lake Tahoe , through Tahoe and Plumas National Forests until Lake Almanor . For roughly nine miles

730-406: A natural border to the Mojave Desert. There are also abundant alluvial fans , which are called bajadas , that form around the mountains within the Mojave Desert and extend down toward the low altitude basins, which contain dried lake beds called playas, where water generally collects and evaporates, leaving large volumes of salt. These playas include Rogers Dry Lake and China Lake . Dry lakes are

803-600: A new "wonderful circuit" route would be complete and El Camino Sierra would become "one of the most beautiful scenic routes in the world." In 1912, the Southern Pacific Railroad published an article called "Two Mules and a Motorist" in which the author's trip down El Camino Sierra was detailed, promoting the trail as a scenic side trip, via pack mules, from its rail lines. In 1915, the California Teachers Association distributed

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876-709: A noted feature of the Mojave landscape. The Mojave Desert is also home to the Devils Playground , about 40 miles (64 km) of dunes and salt flats going in a northwest-southeasterly direction. The Devil's Playground is a part of the Mojave National Preserve and is between the town of Baker, California and the Providence Mountains . The Cronese Mountains are within the Devil's Playground. There are very few surface rivers in

949-514: A promotional book to the annual convention of the National Education Association . This book contained an article that sung the praises of this "soon-to-be-world-famous highway" called El Camino Sierra. While noting that it was still mostly an unimproved trail, the article assured the readers that county and state officials were working frantically to upgrade the route and, with the aid of convict labor , this would soon be

1022-410: 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 ( for a full list of prefixes, see California postmile § Official postmile definitions ). Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The numbers reset at county lines;

1095-551: Is a desert in the rain shadow of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Transverse Ranges in the Southwestern United States . Named for the indigenous Mohave people , it is located primarily in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada , with small portions extending into Arizona and Utah . The Mojave Desert, together with the Sonoran , Chihuahuan , and Great Basin deserts, form

1168-588: Is a former ranch along the Mojave River. Several attractions and natural features are in the Calico Mountains . Calico Ghost Town , in Yermo, is administered by San Bernardino County. The ghost town has several shops and attractions and inspired Walter Knott to build Knott's Berry Farm . The Bureau of Land Management also administers Rainbow Basin and Owl Canyon. The Calico Early Man Site , in

1241-717: Is directly under the park's jurisdiction instead of Caltrans . When it is open, a park fee is charged. The segment through the park is typically closed during the winter due to very heavy snowfall and snowpack. Outside the other park entrance in the northwest corner in Shasta County , SR 89 forms a concurrency with SR 44 , heading northeast to Old Station . After splitting from SR 44 at Old Station, SR 89 continues north through Hat Creek and Doyles Corner before intersecting SR 299 . The highway passes through Four Corners and Cayton before intersecting CR A19 and crossing into Siskiyou County . SR 89 briefly passes through

1314-473: Is generally abundant in winter annuals. The plants of the Mojave Desert each generally correspond to an individual geographic feature. As such, there are distinctive flora communities within the desert. Notable species of the Mojave Desert include bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis ), mountain lions ( Puma concolor ), black-tailed jackrabbits ( Lepus californicus ), and desert tortoises ( Gopherus agassizii ). Various other species are particularly common in

1387-571: Is not complete. As a result, this portion is signed California State Route 14U, the U signifying "un-relinquished". Formal specifications for Route 14U are not published on Caltrans logs, but the route's existence is acknowledged in Caltrans' bridge inventory logs. According to the City of Santa Clarita, Caltrans maintains Sierra Highway (14U) from 500 feet north of Newhall Avenue to Whispering Leaves Drive. The remaining part of Sierra Highway through

1460-572: Is not endemic, but almost completely limited to the Mojave Desert. There are also aquatic species that are found nowhere else, such as the Devils Hole pupfish , limited to one hot spring near Death Valley. Before the European colonization of North America, tribes of Native Americans, such as the Mohave , were hunter-gatherers living in the Mojave Desert. European explorers started exploring

1533-718: Is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System , and north of the southern SR 44 junction is part of the National Highway System , a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration . SR 89 is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System ; however, it is only a scenic highway as designated by Caltrans from

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1606-643: Is the northeasternmost metropolitan area in the Mojave, with a population of around 180,000 in 2020, and is located at the convergence of the Mojave, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau. The Los Angeles exurban area of Lancaster - Palmdale has more than 400,000 residents, and the Victorville area to its east has more than 300,000 residents. Smaller cities or micropolitan areas in the Mojave Desert include Helendale , Lake Havasu City , Kingman , Laughlin , Bullhead City and Pahrump . All have experienced rapid population growth since 1990. The California portion of

1679-406: Is the principal saline basin of the Mojave Desert. Natural springs are typically rare throughout the Mojave Desert, but there are two notable springs, Ash Meadows and Oasis Valley . Ash Meadows is formed from several other springs, which all draw from deep underground. Oasis Valley draws from the nearby Amargosa River. Extremes in temperatures throughout the seasons characterize the climate of

1752-531: The Blue Book , an early road atlas of the United States. The Los Angeles Times declared El Camino Sierra complete on February 19, 1931, announcing that the portion from Mojave to Owens Valley was now paved, and would be dedicated the following Sunday. During the 1930s, two U.S. highways , both formed in 1926, were extended into California using El Camino Sierra. The southern terminus of U.S. 395

1825-804: The Klamath National Forest and Bartle and McCloud before coming to an interchange with I-5 . SR 89 then merges with Mount Shasta Boulevard and terminates just outside the Mount Shasta City city limits. One point of interest along California State Route 89 includes the Pony Express remount station in Woodfords , the Lake Tahoe Outlet Gates in Tahoe City (control of these gates was the source of

1898-664: The Mojave Tribal Nation officially uses the spelling Mojave . Mojave is a shortened form of Hamakhaave , an endonym in their native language, which means "beside the water". The Mojave Desert is a desert bordered to the west by the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the California montane chaparral and woodlands , and to the south and east by the Sonoran Desert. The boundaries to the east of

1971-549: The Mojave National Preserve . However, the southwest and central east portions of the Mojave Desert are particularly threatened as a result of off-road vehicles, increasing recreational use, human development, and agricultural grazing . The World Wildlife Fund lists the Mojave Desert as relatively "stable/intact". Various habitats and regions of the Mojave Desert have been protected by statute. Notably, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and

2044-507: The Nevada state line at Topaz Lake , following SR 89. This is the only portion of the route not used year-round, as Caltrans closes Route 89 over Monitor Pass during winter months. Motorists destined for Lake Tahoe during the winter closures can continue along US 395 into Nevada , and return to California via Nevada State Route 88 or Nevada State Route 207 . The first recorded journey along what would become El Camino Sierra

2117-555: The Oligocene . Large downpours during the Miocene likely significantly eroded the rock in the Mojave and accelerated deposition . The Mojave Desert is a source of various minerals and metallic materials. Due to the climate, there is an accumulation of weathered bedrock, fine sand and silt, both sand and silt sediments becoming converted into colluvium . The deposits of gold, tungsten, and silver have been mined frequently prior to

2190-646: The Owens Valley , the Sierra Highway passes Mount Whitney , the highest point in the contiguous United States , 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above the highway. As of 2009, the only other signed section of Sierra Highway is a portion of U.S. 395 past the separation with U.S. 6 in Bishop . U.S. 395 was rebuilt on a new alignment on the ascent to Sherwin Summit and around Crowley Lake . Unlike

2263-577: The Paleozoic era, the area that is now the Mojave was again likely submerged under a greater sea. During the Mesozoic era, major tectonic activities such as thrust faulting and folding resulted in distinctive shaping as well as intrusion . During the Cenozoic , more tectonic deformation occurred whilst the Mojave was partly submerged. Major volcanic activity is thought to have occurred during

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2336-478: The San Gabriel Mission . In recent years, human development in the Mojave Desert has become increasingly present. Human development at the major urban and suburban centers of Las Vegas and Los Angeles has had an increasingly damaging effect on the wildlife of the Mojave Desert. An added demand for landfill space as a result of the large metropolitan centers of Las Vegas and Los Angeles also has

2409-535: The Second World War . Additionally, there have been deposits of copper , tin , lead-zinc , manganese , iron , and various radioactive substances but they have not been mined for commercial use. The flora of the Mojave Desert consists of various endemic plant species, notably the Joshua Tree , which is a notable endemic and indicator species of the desert. There is more endemic flora in

2482-640: The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway , a National Scenic Byway . The segment of SR 89 from I-80 in Truckee to SR 49 through Sattley also forms part of the Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway , a National Forest Scenic Byway . 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. R reflects

2555-694: The Calico Hills east of Yermo , is believed by some archaeologists, including the late Louis Leakey , to show the earliest evidence with lithic stone tools found here of human activity in North America. The Mojave Desert has a relatively stable and intact conservation status. The Mojave Desert is one of the best protected distinct ecoregions in the United States, as a result of the California Desert Protection Act , which designated 69 wilderness areas and established Death Valley National Park , Joshua Tree National Park , and

2628-592: The City of Santa Clarita is maintained by the city and not part of the 14U designation. In 2018 Caltrans funded a new pedestrian overpass as one item on a list of requested improvements by the city before they accept relinquishment of the road from the state. Sierra Highway, modern Route 14, and a main line of the Union Pacific Railroad all cross the San Gabriel Mountains , cresting the mountains at Soledad Pass (elevation 3,179 feet (969 m)). The three transportation arteries use different paths up

2701-521: The El Dorado-Placer county line to a point 3.2 miles west of the US 395 junction, meaning that it is a substantial section of highway passing through a "memorable landscape" with no "visual intrusions", where the potential designation has gained popular favor with the community. From the junction with SR 147 , through the park and including the gap on SR 44, to its terminus at I-5, SR 89 is part of

2774-724: The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). Additionally, the Mojave Desert is also home to various species of cacti, such as silver cholla ( Cylindropuntia echinocarpa ), Mojave prickly pear ( O. erinacea ), beavertail cactus ( O. basilaris ), and many-headed barrel cactus ( Echinocactus polycephalus ). Less common but distinctive plants of the Mojave Desert include ironwood ( Olneya tesota ), blue Palo Verde ( Parkinsonia Florida ), chuparosa ( Justicia californica ), spiny menodora ( Menodora spinescens ), desert senna ( Cassia armata ), California dalea ( Psorothamnus arborescens ), and goldenhead ( Acamptopappus shockleyi ). The Mojave Desert

2847-807: The Mojave Desert are less distinctive than the other boundaries because there is no presence of an indicator species, such as the Joshua tree ( Yucca brevifolia ), which is endemic to the Mojave Desert. The Mojave Desert is distinguished from the Sonoran Desert and other deserts adjacent to it by its warm temperate climate, as well as flora and fauna such as ironwood ( Olneya tesota ), blue Palo Verde ( Parkinsonia florida ), chuparosa ( Justicia californica ), spiny menodora ( Menodora spinescens ), desert senna ( Cassia armata ), California dalea ( Psorothamnus arborescens ), California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) and goldenhead ( Acamptopappus shockleyi ). Along with these other factors, these plants differentiate

2920-585: The Mojave Desert in the San Gabriel mountains may receive more rain. Most of the precipitation in the Mojave comes from the Pacific Cyclonic storms that are generally present passing eastward in November to April. Such storms generally bring rain and snow only in the mountainous regions, as a result of the effect of the mountains, which creates a drying effect on its leeward slopes . During

2993-629: The Mojave Desert than almost anywhere in the world. Mojave Desert flora is not a vegetation type , although the plants in the area have evolved in isolation because of the physical barriers of the Sierra Nevadas and the Colorado Plateau. Predominant plants of the Mojave Desert include all-scale ( Atriplex polycarpa ), creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata ), brittlebush ( Encelia farinosa ), desert holly ( Atriplex hymenelytra ), white burrobush (Hymenoclea salsola), and most notably,

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3066-725: The Mojave Desert was further protected from development by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), in which the Bureau of Land Management designated 4.2 million acres of public land as protected wilderness as part of the National Conservation Lands of the California Desert. The Mojave Desert has served as a backdrop for a number of films . The 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas takes place in

3139-596: The Mojave Desert, but two major rivers generally flow underground. One is the intermittent Mojave River , which begins in the San Bernardino mountains and disappears underground in the Mojave Desert. The other is the Amargosa River , which flows partly underground through the Mojave Desert along a southward path. The Manix, Mojave, and the Little Mojave lakes are all large but shallow. Soda Lake

3212-511: The Mojave Desert, or "Mojave Wasteland" as it is known in its post-apocalyptic future. At least seven music videos were recorded in the Mojave Desert: Photographs related to U2 's 1987 album The Joshua Tree were taken in the Mojave Desert. California State Route 89 State Route 89 ( SR 89 ) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels in the north–south direction, serving as

3285-495: The Mojave Desert, such as the LeConte's thrasher ( Toxostoma lecontei ), banded gecko ( Coleonyx variegatus ), desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis), chuckwalla ( Sauromalus obesus ), and regal horned lizard ( Phrynosoma solare ). Species of snake include the rosy boa ( Lichanura trivirgata ), Western patch-nosed snake ( Salvadora hexalepis ), and Mojave rattlesnake ( Crotalus scutulatus ). These species can also occur in

3358-399: The Mojave Desert. Freezing temperatures as well as strong winds are not uncommon in the winter, as well as precipitation such as rain and snow in the mountains. In contrast, temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are not uncommon during the summer months. There is an annual average precipitation of 2 to 6 inches (51 to 152 mm), although regions at high altitudes such as the portion of

3431-793: The Mojave National Preserve by the California Desert Protection Act of 1994. ( Pub.L. 103–433). Various other federal and state land agencies have protected regions within the Mojave Desert. These include Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve , which protects the fields of California poppies, Mojave Trails National Monument , Desert Tortoise Natural Area , Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park , Desert National Wildlife Refuge , Lake Mead National Recreation Area , Providence Mountains State Recreation Area , Red Cliffs National Conservation Area , Red Rock Canyon State Park , Saddleback Butte State Park , Snow Canyon State Park and Valley of Fire State Park . In 2013,

3504-737: The Mojave a critical training location for the United States Department of Defense. The Mojave Desert has long been a valuable resource for people, and as its human population grows, its importance will only grow. Miners, ranchers, and farmers rely on the desert for a living. The Mojave is also used by the state of California to meet renewable energy objectives. Large tracts of the desert are owned by federal agencies and are leased at low cost by wind and solar energy companies, although these renewable developments can cause their own environmental impact and disturb cultural landscapes and visual resources. Desert Sunlight Solar Farm , one of

3577-600: The Mojave from the nearby Sonoran Desert. The Mojave Desert is bordered by the San Andreas Fault to the southwest and the Garlock fault to the north. The mountains elevated along the length of the San Andreas fault provide a clear border between the Mojave Desert and the coastal regions to the west. The Garlock fault separates the Mojave Desert from the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi mountains, which provide

3650-431: The alignments of State Routes 14 and 89 , and U.S. Route 395 have not significantly changed since first paved, and are called El Camino Sierra. Significant portions have been upgraded to a divided highway ; however, most of the upgrades used the same alignment as the old two lane road. The highway cuts across Red Rock Canyon State Park to follow a series of valleys along the crest of the Sierra Nevada . While traversing

3723-410: The desert also contains Edwards Air Force Base and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake , noted for experimental aviation and weapons projects. The Mojave Desert has several ghost towns . The most significant are the silver and copper-mining town of Calico, California , and the old railroad depot of Kelso, California . Some of the other ghost towns are more modern, created when U.S. Route 66 (and

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3796-630: The desert portions of Sierra Highway. With Duel' s status, both restorations of the truck used in the movie, as well as replicas exist. The owner of one such truck has driven it along Sierra Highway for nostalgia, enjoying the terrified looks received from passing motorists who recognize it. Other movies have since been filmed in the vicinity, including scenes in The Terminator . Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( / m oʊ ˈ h ɑː v i , m ə -/ ; Mohave : Hayikwiir Mat'aar ; Spanish : Desierto de Mojave )

3869-467: The deserts beginning in the 18th century. Francisco Garcés , a Franciscan friar, was the first explorer of the Mojave Desert in 1776. Garcés recorded information about the original inhabitants of the deserts. Later, as American interests expanded into California, American explorers started probing the California deserts. Jedediah Smith travelled through the Mojave Desert in 1826, finally reaching

3942-405: The film Duel . El Camino Sierra connects Los Angeles with Lake Tahoe along the eastern edge of California, serving the counties of Los Angeles , Kern , Inyo , Mono , Alpine and El Dorado . The highway exists as a roadway now called Sierra Highway from Los Angeles to Mojave . North of Mojave, El Camino Sierra is better known by the numbered designations in current use. While traversing

4015-545: The highway relocation in southern California, the old alignments have been renamed, now called Lower Rock Creek Road, Old Sherwin Grade, and Crowley Creek Road; not Sierra Highway. From here to Lake Tahoe , the highway crosses mountainous terrain inside the Sierra Nevada, giving the highway its name. While in the Sierra Nevada, the road passes by attractions such as Mammoth Mountain , Yosemite National Park and Mono Lake . El Camino Sierra separates from U.S. 395, just prior to

4088-793: The international destination of Las Vegas. The Mojave is also known for its scenery, playing host to Death Valley National Park , Joshua Tree National Park , and the Mojave National Preserve . Lakes Mead , Mohave , and Havasu provide water sports recreation, and vast off-road areas entice off-road enthusiasts. The Mojave Desert also includes three California State Parks , the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve , in Lancaster , Saddleback Butte State Park , in Hi Vista and Red Rock Canyon State Park . Mojave Narrows Park , operated by San Bernardino County,

4161-470: The largest solar farms in the world, was built approximately five miles from Joshua Tree National Park . An endangered Yuma clapper rail was found dead at the site in 2014, spurring efforts from conservation groups to protect birds from the so-called lake effect, a phenomenon in which birds can mistake the reflective glare of solar panels for a body of water. The Mojave Desert is one of the most popular spots for tourism in North America, primarily because of

4234-442: The late summer months, there is also the possibility of strong thunderstorms, which bring heavy showers or cloudbursts. These storms can result in flash flooding . The Mojave Desert has not historically supported a fire regime because of low fuel loads and connectivity. However, in the last few decades, invasive annual plants such as some within the genera Bromus , Schismus and Brassica have facilitated fires by serving as

4307-509: The lesser-known U.S. Route 91 ) were abandoned in favor of the construction of Interstates . CA SR 14 , Interstate 15 , Interstate 40 , CA SR 58 , CA SR 138 , US Route 95 , and US Route 395 are the main highways that traverse the Mojave Desert. The rock that forms the Mojave Desert was likely created under shallow water in the Precambrian . Sedimentary processes left large deposits of limestones, silicates, and dolomites. During

4380-423: The main streets of Palmdale , Lancaster , and Rosamond . The highway runs parallel to the modern Route 14 and the railroad, becoming a frontage road . Just shy of Mojave the freeway portion of Route 14 ends, while the frontage road becomes a dirt path and eventually terminates. From this point, the canonical route of Sierra Highway joins State Route 14, passing through downtown Mojave. North of Mojave

4453-549: The mountains, separating at Santa Clarita and converging near Acton . Sierra Highway uses Mint Canyon, the railroad uses Soledad Canyon and the modern Route 14 is a hybrid route using the ridges and side canyons between the two older routes. These canyons are formed by the Santa Clara River and its tributaries. Upon exiting the mountains, Sierra Highway enters the Antelope Valley and serves as one of

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4526-537: The neighboring Sonoran and Great Basin deserts. The animal species of the Mojave Desert have generally fewer endemics than its flora. However, endemic fauna of the Mojave Desert include Kelso Dunes jerusalem cricket ( Ammopelmatus kelsoensis), the Kelso Dunes shieldback katydid ( Eremopedes kelsoensis ), the Mohave ground squirrel ( Spermophilus Mohavensis ) and Amargosa vole ( Microtus californicus scirpensis ). The Mojave fringe-toed lizard ( Uma Scopari a)

4599-712: The north and continuing through Truckee and passing near Prosser Creek Reservoir outside of the town limits. SR 89 continues through Hobart Mills before crossing into Sierra County and continuing northwest to Randolph and Sierraville , where it shares a wrong-way concurrency with SR 49 through the town of Sattley ; they then intersect CR A23 before SR 89 splits off to the northwest. SR 89 continues through Calpine before crossing into Plumas County . SR 89 continues through Clio and Graeagle before running concurrently with SR 70 through Plumas National Forest , passing through Blairsden , Feather River Inn , Cromberg , Spring Garden , Massack (where SR 70 and 89 have

4672-416: The real potential to drastically affect flora and fauna of the Mojave Desert. Agricultural development along the Colorado river , close to the Eastern boundary of the Mojave Desert, also causes habitat loss and degradation. Areas that are particularly affected by human development include Ward Valley and Riverside county. The United States military also maintains installations in the Mojave Desert, making

4745-536: The route is then a part of State Route 36 . The route then ascends to the 5,753-foot (1,754 m) Morgan Summit . After it enters Lassen Volcanic National Park it continues to gain elevation until it reaches its highest point in an unnamed pass in the middle of Lassen Peak and Bumpass Mountain . The road then descends and heads northwest, finally terminating at Interstate 5 at the foot of Mount Shasta at around 3,600 feet (1,100 m). SR 89 begins at an intersection with US 395 . The highway goes west through

4818-403: The southern shore of Lake Almanor and running concurrently with SR 36 westbound, crossing into Tehama County and Lassen National Forest . SR 36 and SR 89 intersect the northern terminus of SR 32 and SR 172 before SR 36 splits off to the west and SR 89 enters Lassen Volcanic National Park . The SR 89 state designation officially does not run through the national park, and this segment

4891-442: The state, the highway crosses several mountain passes . The highway crests the San Gabriel Mountains via Soledad Pass . While in the Sierra Nevada the highway crosses Sherwin Summit , Deadman Summit , Conway Summit , Devil's Gate Pass , Monitor Pass and Luther Pass . Sierra Highway begins at Tunnel Station within the northernmost limits of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with San Fernando Road . This junction

4964-515: The two-decade "Tahoe Water War" between lakeshore owners and downstream Truckee River water users), Plumas-Eureka State Park (containing Johnsville , a well-preserved '49er town, and Pioneer Ski Area, the first sport skiing area in the Western hemisphere), Lake Almanor and Lassen Volcanic National Park. Many other points of interest, including Brokeoff Mountain , Sulphur Works , Emerald Lake , Lake Helen , Bumpass Hell , Lassen Peak and Summit Lake are also located on this highway. SR 89

5037-423: The west, away from the lake. The road curves to the north through Tahoe National Forest before crossing into Nevada County and the town of Truckee . This portion of the highway has been designated the "10th Mountain Division Memorial Highway", honoring the US Army division that lost 992 soldiers during the Italian Campaign in World War II . SR 89 runs concurrently with I-80 eastbound briefly before exiting to

5110-448: Was by Jedediah Smith in 1826. The trail was in common use by prospectors passing through the area because of the California Gold Rush and Comstock Lode . While still mostly a dirt road, several people began promoting El Camino Sierra as a scenic route. In 1910, the Los Angeles Times announced that Governor Gillet had announced funding to construct a new road to connect El Camino Real with Yosemite National Park . When finished,

5183-422: Was extended from Spokane, Washington to San Diego , using El Camino Sierra from near what is now Topaz Lake to Inyokern , by 1935. By 1937, U.S. Route 6 was extended from Colorado , mostly along the Midland Trail , to Long Beach using El Camino Sierra south of Bishop. As part of the 1964 state highway renumbering US 6 was truncated at Bishop, and the route from the separation with US 395 to I-5

5256-492: Was historically the intersection of U.S. Route 99 and U.S. Route 6 . It is located adjacent to the intersection of the replacement freeways, the Newhall Pass interchange of Interstate 5 and State Route 14 . The highway serves as one of the main thoroughfares of Santa Clarita . Through the city, Route 14 was moved to a freeway alignment in 1971; however, the process to decommission the old alignment of Route 14

5329-420: Was renumbered SR 14. Though during the 1970s most of Sierra Highway was bypassed by freeways and expressways, the old two-lane road remained a famous roadway. In 1971, Steven Spielberg made his first feature-length film, Duel , along Sierra Highway, near Acton . The film is about an unseen truck driver who stalks and attempts to kill an innocent motorist trapped in the truck's game. It prominently shows

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