U.S. Route 395 in California

Infobox road
state=CA
type=US
route=395
section=610
maint=Caltrans


length_mi=556.909
length_round=3
length_ref=
established=1930s
direction_a=South
terminus_a=Jct|state=CA|I|15 near Hesperia
junction=Jct|state=CA|SR|14 near Ridgecrest
Jct|state=CA|US|6 in Bishop
jct|state=NV|US|395 at Nevada state line

---

jct|state=NV|US|395 at Nevada state line
jct|state=CA|SR|299 in Alturas
direction_b=North
terminus_b=Jct|state=OR|US|395 at Oregon state line
previous_type=I
previous_route=380
next_type=I
next_route=405In the U.S. state of California, U.S. Route 395 is a convert|557|mi|km|sing=on route which traverses from Interstate 15 near the southern city limits of Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake. The route clips into Nevada, serving the cities Carson City and Reno before returning to California.

Prior to truncation, US 395 served the metropolitan areas of San Diego and San Bernardino. The highway serves as a connection to the Los Angeles area for the communities of the Owens Valley, Mammoth Mountain and Mono Lake. The highway is used as an access for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Death Valley.

This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway Systemcite web
url = http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=shc&group=00001-01000&file=250-257
title = CA Codes (shc:250-257)
publisher = State of California] and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System cite web
url = http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=shc&group=00001-01000&file=260-284
title = CA Codes (shc:260-284)]
publisher = State of California] .

Route description

The route of US 395 in California is split into two segments, as the highway exits and reenters California. The southern segment crosses the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley and Sierra Nevada. The northern segment also follows the Sierra Nevada and crosses the Modoc Plateau.

Mojave Desert

U.S. Route 395 begins in Hesperia at a partial interchange with Interstate 15 as it heads north. The road enters into Adelanto, on the western edge of Victorville. 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,cite web
url = http://www.ci.victorville.ca.us/site/aboutvictorville.aspx
title = Victorville - City History
publisher = City of Victorville
accessdate = 2008-09-11] was the second fastest growing city in the United States for July 2006 to July 2007.cite web
url = http://www.victorvillecity.com/
title = A world of Opportunity
publisher = City of Victorville Economic Development Department
accessdate = 2008-09-11] Although US 395 was once rural road, passing to the side of these cities of the Mojave Desert, with the rapid growth these cities are fast encroaching on the highway and changing the character from rural to suburban.

After leaving the Victorville area the scenery changes, as suburban neighborhoods disappear and the highway traverses the Mojave Desert. While crossing the desert, the route clips the northeastern corner of Edwards Air Force Base. Just past the base the road intersects SR 58. This is currently an at-grade intersection; however, SR 58 is gradually being upgraded to a freeway.cite map
title = California Road and Recreation Atlas
publisher = Benchmark Maps
url = http://www.benchmark.com
edition = 3rd
year = 2002
scale = 1:300,000
page 103-105] US 395 exits the Mojave desert by crossing the Rand and El Paso Mountains, which is also where the highway crosses the San Bernardino–Kern county line, near Johannesburg. While traversing these mountains the route is joined by an active line of the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) that loosely follows the route of State Route 14 through the Mojave. Though the railroad is abandoned north of Inyokern, US 395 follows the old railroad grade from this point to Bishop.

On the other side of the mountains is Indian Wells Valley, where US 395 passes between the cities of Ridgecrest and Inyokern, and follows the western boundary of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The highway proceeds diagonally across the valley, until merging with State Route 14. SR 14 is an old routing of U.S. Route 6 that proceeds north from Los Angeles, following the edge of the forming Sierra Nevada mountains. Where US 395 and SR 14 meet, the mountains crest at an altitude of convert|8400|ft|m. US 395 resumes following the eastern edge of the Sierra as the mountains gradually increase in altitude until reaching their peak at over convert|14000|ft|m near Lone Pine. Formerly US 6 and US 395 ran concurrent from this junction north to Bishop.Just after crossing the Inyo County line, the highway enters the unincorporated community of Pearsonville, which namesake Lucy Person bills as the "Hubcap Capital of the World".cite web
url = http://www.hubcapqueen.com/
title = Hubcap Capital
publisher = Lucy Person
accessdate = 2008-09-11] After passing by three small lakes, Little Lake, North and South Haiwee Reservoirs, the highway enters the Owens Valley.

Owens Valley

US 395 traverses the entire length of the Owens Valley, entering the valley near the former site of the Owens Lake. The valley, named for one of explorer John C. Fremont's guides, was primarily home to Timbisha and Paiutes before european settlement. Formerly a fertile lake and valley, Owens Lake and the southern portion of the valley are now dry. Water from the valley is channeled for use by the City of Los Angeles, via the Los Angeles Aqueduct, in what is commonly called the California Water Wars.cite web
url = http://www.usc.edu/libraries/archives/la/scandals/owens.html
publisher = University of Southern California
title = The Owens Valley Land Grab
accessdate = 2008-09-11] Along the shores of Owens Lake, the highway passes by Cartago and Olancha. Just north of the lake is Lone Pine. Lone Pine is noted as an access for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Death Valley. Both Mount Whitney and the mountains surrounding Death Valley are visible from US 395. The US 395 corridor from Lone Pine north to the Nevada state line is noted for a high concentration of natural hot springs leading to area being known as the "hot springs jackpot".cite book
title = Touring California and Nevada Hot Springs
last = Bischoff
first = Matt C.
publisher = Globe Pequot
year = 2006
isbn = 0762736410
page =49]

Past Lone Pine, the highway passes by Manzanar National Historic Site, a concentration camp were Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. The next community is Independence, the county seat of Inyo County and the home to the Eastern California Museum. Just north is the small Fort Independence Indian Reservation and the Tinehama Reservoir. Nearby is where the Los Angeles Aqueduct is tapped from the Owens River; with more vegetation visible north of this point. In this portion of the valley is Big Pine and the Big Pine Indian Reservation. From here to Bishop the highway is overlapped with SR 168.cite web
title = Google Maps street maps and USGS topographic maps
accessdate = 2007-12-15
url = http://mapper.acme.com/
publisher = Acme Mapper] At the north end of the valley sits Bishop, the largest city in the Owens Valley. Bishop serves as a gateway for the recreation areas of the Sierra Nevada, including Mammoth Mountain. At the north end of Bishop is the former separation with, and current terminus of, U.S. Route 6, a convert|3205|mi|km|sing=on route which can take motorists ultimately to Provincetown, Massachusetts on the east coast. This point is also where the route of US 395 and the abandoned railroad grade separate, with the former SP grade following US 6 towards Hawthorne and Tonopah, Nevada.

The scenery changes dramatically past Bishop as the highway reaches the end of the valley and with a single ascent, gains over convert|3000|ft|m in elevation. From here to Gardnerville, the highway is routed across spur ranges of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

ierra Nevada

US 395 scales the Sierra Nevada on via a ridge between the canyons of the Owens River and Rock Creek. Sherwin Summit, at convert|7000|ft|m, is the lowest and the first of five mountain passes crossed by US 395 in the Sierra Nevada. The highway enters Mono County midway up the ascent, called the Sherwin Grade. After cresting this summit, the highway travels along the west shore of Crowley Lake. Crowley Lake is formed by the Owens River, However US 395 does not resume following the river, instead cutting across low hills to serve the ski resort area of Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain, including paralleling the runway of the Mammoth Yosemite Airport. Just past Mammoth Mountain, the highway crests the second summit, Deadman Summit, at convert|8036|ft|m. This summit separates the Owens River watershed from that of Mono Lake, a salt lake with approximately three times the concentration of salt as the Ocean.cite web
url = http://www.monolake.org/naturalhistory/stats.htm
title = Mono Basin Statistics
publisher = Mono Lake Committee
date = 2007-01-29
accessdate = 2008-09-18] Along the descent towards Mono Lake, the highway passes near several smaller lakes, which are served by the June Lake loop (SR 158). Just before arriving at Mono Lake, US 395 has a brief concurrency with SR 120, the two routes separate just south of Lee Vining. At this junction US 395 is convert|12|mi|km from Tioga Pass, along route 120, the highest paved route in California, and the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park.

Visible for miles, the highway finally passes Mono Lake, squeezed between the lake, a row of bed and breakfasts, and the sierra crest. The next geographic feature is Conway Summit. At convert|8138|ft|m in altitude, this is the highest point along US 395, and the highest point along a U.S. Highway in California. This Summit also separates the Mono Lake watershed from that of the Walker River.

The highway descends Conway Summit via the tributaries of the West Walker River, heading towards Bridgeport and Bridgeport Reservoir. 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.cite web
url = http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=509
title = Bodie State Historical Park
publisher = California State Parks
accessdate = 2008-09-18]

The fourth summit crossed by US 395 in California is Devil's Gate Pass, elevation convert|7519|ft|m, which separates the west and East Walker Rivers. The winding descent from Devil's Gate follows the Walker River, exiting near the town of Walker, just south of Topaz Lake.

Nevada

Topaz lake is where US 395 leaves California, to serve the Reno and Carson City metropolitan areas. The highway runs for convert|87|mi|km in Nevada.cite web|url=http://www.nevadadot.com/reports_pubs/State_Maintained/|title=State Maintained Highways, Descriptions, Index & Maps and NHS|accessdate=2008-01-28|publisher=Nevada Department of Transportation] While in Nevada, the highway crosses an one more pass, Simee Dimeh Summit, before exiting the mountains.cite map
url = http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Gardnerville,+NEvada&ie=UTF8&ll=38.811757,-119.617939&spn=0.048221,0.080767&t=p&z=14&iwloc=addr
title = Google Maps
publisher = Google
cartography = Teleatlas
accessdate = 2008-09-21
date = 2008] The highway returns to follow the receding escarpment of the sierra.

Honey Lake

US 395 returns to California as a freeway, but is soon downgraded to a divided highway, just past the state line. The road follows Long Valley Creek along the edge of the sierra towards Honey Lake. From this point north, the highway follows a rail line originally built by the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway, the line is now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. cite map
title =
publisher = Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
cartography = Pool Broths. Chicago
date = 1914-06-14]

The highway enters the state in a corner of Sierra County, entering Lassen County just convert|3|mi|km later. A short segment in Lassen County is a freeway with one exit, SR 70 at the Hallelujah Junction. This exit is numbered 8, even though it resides hundreds of miles from the origin of the highway, instead using the distance from the point of re-entry to California.. Though SR 70 does not directly serve any major cities, the highway is noted as an all-weather crossing of the Sierras. Just less then convert|5|mi|km from Hallelujah Junction is Beckwourth Pass, the lowest pass in the Sierra, used by both SR 70 and the Feather River Route.cite web
title = Office of Historic Preservation - California State Parks
publisher = State of California
url = http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/listed_resources/default.asp?num=336
accessdate = 2008-10-05] The highway proceeds towards and around the west side of convert|73|mi2|adj=on Honey Lake while in route to Susanville. Although Susanville is used as a control city, US 395 does not technically enter the city. In a T-intersection with State Route 36 just before Susanville, US 395 makes a sharp turn avoiding the city, making a near complete loop around the Susanville Municipal Airport.cite map
url = http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Susanville,+California&ie=UTF8&ll=40.38722,-120.600357&spn=0.094272,0.161533&z=13&iwloc=addr
title = Google Maps- Susanville, California
publisher = Google
cartography = Tele Atlas
year = 2008
accessdate = 2008-09-21]

Modoc Plateau

North of Susanville the highway heads bends around Shaffer Mountain and crosses the Modoc Plateau. While in route the highway serves the cities of Ravendale, Termo in Lassen County, as well as Likely in Modoc County. Here US 395 follows the South Fork Pit River until the confluence with the north fork in Alturas. Past the confluence the highway follows the north fork across Modoc County towards Goose Lake. The last junction in California is with SR 299, former U.S. Route 299, near Alturas. SR 299 can be used to travel west all the way to the western side of California at US 101 in Arcata, and east to the Nevada state line. The two highways are briefly concurrent across the XI Ranch Indian Reservation. US 395 travels in a north-northeast direction for some last convert|100|mi|km in California. US 395 parallels with Goose Lake just before crossing the Oregon state line near New Pine Creek, Oregon. In Oregon and Washington, US 395 continues all the way to the Canadian border near Laurier, Washington.cite map
accessdate = 2007-12-15
url = http://mapper.acme.com/
ACME Mapper - Google Maps and USGS Topographic maps]

History

Camino Sierra

The Camino Sierra was a trail from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe loosely paralleling modern State Route 14, US 395, and State Route 89. The trail was first believed to be used by Jedediah Smith in 1826. The trail was in common use by prospectors coming to the area because of the California gold rush and Comstock Lode. By 1860, the Camino Sierra was an established trail appearing in maps and guides. After these gold rushes died down, the Camino Sierra saw a revival because of the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct beginning in 1908, by which time the route also had earned the nickname Bullion Road. Paving started on portions of the route in the 1920's.cite web
url = http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/el_camino_sierra/page76a.html
author = Chambers, Lloyd L.
publisher =
title = El Camino Sierra
publisher = Owens Valley History (Ray Delea)] The route was promoted for its scenic value by the Southern Pacific Railroad, as a side trip from it's rail lines, as far back as 1912.cite journal
publisher = Southern Pacific Company
periodical = Sunset - The Pacific Monthly
title = Two Mules and a Motorist
publication-place = San Francisco, California
year = 1912
volume = 29
pages = 159-171
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=aCYLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA169] By 1918, the Camino Sierra had been included in the Blue Book, an early road atlas of the United States.cite book
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=lskNAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA427#PPA21,M1
volume = 8
title = The Automobile Blue Book - Standard Road Guide of America
year = 1918
publisher = The Automobile Blue Book Publishing Company
page = 21]

Rail lines

Both the northern and southern segments of the US 395 corridor were used by railroads built in the 1880's branching from the First Transcontinental Railroad in Nevada. Both lines where intended to connect the main Southern Pacific Railroad line in Nevada with other lines, but were never completed.

On May 20, 1880 the Carson and Colorado Railway was formed, with the intent of extending a rail line from the existing Virginia and Truckee Railroad at Hawthorne, Nevada through the Owens Valley towards the Colorado River. Though the rail line was never finished, it did bring economic development to the valley. The railroad was never completed past Keeler on the shores of Owens Lake.cite web
url = http://www.lawsmuseum.org/story_of_laws.htm
title = Laws Museum - The Story of Laws
publisher = Laws Museum
accessdate =2008-10-05] This line was acquired by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1900,cite book
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=G7NNMH9X4w8C&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=Nevada-California-Railway&source=web&ots=sXQZaL85u8&sig=WNTgzmBlbU2maxu1gKnXSuzertw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result#PPA167,M1
title = Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California
chapter = Carson and Colorado
pages = 166
isbn = 0874171938
last = Myrick
first = David F.
publisher = University of Nevada Press] and eventually connected with their main line at Mojave. Most of this line was abandoned in 1959, and has since been removed. However, the path of the railroad is still visible and many bridges and trestles remain.

The corridor for the northern segment was first used by the Nevada-California-Oregon Railway, a line also started in 1880, at Reno, to connect with the Great Northern Railway in Oregon. This line also was never completed, ending at Lakeview, Oregon. This line is still active, through a series of acquisitions, the Union Pacific Railroad owns this line. The portion from Reno to Hallelujah Junction is used as a connection between the Union Pacific's two main lines in northern California/Nevada, the Overland Route (First Transcontinental Railroad) and the Feather River Route.

US 395

As first commissioned in 1926, US 395 was a minor spur route of U.S. Route 195 connecting Spokane, Washington with Canada.cite map
publisher = U.S. Department of Agriculture
title =
year = 1926
accessdate = 2008-03-03
accessmonth= 03
accessyear = 2008]

US 395 once held its southern terminus in San Diego, where it ended at the street of Pacific Highway (what is now Old US 101). The route that traversed through SR 163, I-15, and I-215 until it reached Temecula was one of the few U.S. highways to survive the 1964 renumbering, only to be decommissioned just a few short years later in 1969. [http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/index.html US Highway 395] - Desert to Mountains] [http://www.cahighways.org/305-440.html#395 California Highways: Routes 305 through 440] ] However, it was still signed until around 1970, and realignments of the route took place north of the present day southern terminus in Hesperia. In the present day, the segment of US 395 in San Diego County was decommissioned and is now signed as "Old US 395". [http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/index.html US Highway 395] - Desert to Mountains] Therefore, US 395 was decommissioned in the San Diego and Riverside Counties, as well as a portion in San Bernardino County. [California @ WestCoastRoads - [http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/us-395_ca.html U.S. Highway 395] ]

In 1950, the highway in the San Diego area was realigned and widened from two lanes into four. [http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/395pics1.html US 395 Photo Gallery] San Diego County] Sections of US 395 have been upgraded to a freeways; for example the Los Peñasquitos Creek Arch Bridge (built in 1949 and carries I-15) was widened and upgraded to a more stable bridge. [http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/395pics1.html US 395 Photo Gallery] San Diego County] By 1966, US 395 was upgraded to full freeway status between the southern city limits of Escondido and the small region near the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. It was at the time when I-15 held its southern terminus at the interchange with I-10, and that the segment south of the interchange was only signed as US 395. By 1976, however, a further widening of the freeway into eight lanes took place and by then was signed as I-15. [http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/395pics1.html US 395 Photo Gallery] San Diego County]

From Hesperia to Bishop, US 395 was formerly signed as U.S. Route 6, in which US 6's southern terminus was at what is now the south end of Interstate 110 at Gaffey Street in San Pedro. [http://www.scvresources.com/highways/us_6/us6intro.htm Virtual Tour of old US 6] ] The extension from Greeley, Colorado in 1937 included the segment of US 395 from Hesperia to Bishop. It wasn't until the 1964 state highway renumbering when US 6 was relinquished from Bishop down southward to San Pedro; therefore, from Bishop south to I-15, the route was renamed as US 395 (old US 6).

U.S. Route 395 Business

In California, the route holds one business loop for US 395 - US 395 Bus. near Ridgecrest, the largest city near US 395 with a population of approximately 24,927 in the year 2000. [ [http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/ Floodgap Roadgap] - [http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/395/u2/ US 395, Part 2: Kern County and Ridgecrest/BR 395] ] The route was approved by the AASHTO on June 7, 1989.California @ WestCoastRoads - [http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/us-395_ca.html U.S. Highway 395 California] ] US 395 Bus. follows South China Lake Boulevard and serves downtown Ridgecrest and part of Inyokern.California @ WestCoastRoads - [http://www.westcoastroads.com/california/us-395_ca.html U.S. Highway 395 California] ]

Major intersections and exit list

:"Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column."

References

External links

* [http://gbcnet.com/ushighways/US395/index.html Finding Route 395]
* [http://www.floodgap.com/roadgap/395/ The Three Flags Highway: US 395 at Floodgap Roadgap]
* [http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-395drive22apr22 U.S. Highway 395: California's 'mother road'] from the Los Angeles Times