Gribblenation

The alignment history of US Route 50 in Dayton, Nevada

2026-10-07T04:00:00.068-04:00

Dayton is located in Lyon County and is the second oldest community in Nevada having been founded near mining claims in Gold Canyon circa 1850. The community of Dayton historically has been part of the California Trail, Pony Express and Pioneer Route of the Lincoln Highway. Since November 1926 the community has been served by US Route 50.

Originally US Route 50 passed through Dayton along what is now Old US Route 50, Pike Street, Main Street, River Street and Daney Canyon. Modernization of US Route 50 would begin during the early 1930s when Daney Canyon was bypassed and would continue into the 1940s Federal Aid Program era when the downtown bypass was developed. This blog will serve as history of US Route 50 in Dayton and exploration of the original alignment in the community.

US Route 50 can be seen below bypassing downtown Dayton on the 1956 United States Geological Survey map.

Part 1; the history of US Route 50 in Dayton

Dayton is the second oldest settlement in Nevada after Genoa. In 1849 Abner Blackburn would locate a gold nugget near the California Trail along what is now Gold Creek. In 1850 the community of Gold Cañon (alternatively Gold Cañon Flat) was established by placer miners. By 1857 a large number of Chinese miners would relocate to Gold Cañon to avoid taxation they faced at the mines of California.

Gold Cañon would become a transportation hub following the discovery of the Comstock Lode in Virginia Mountains circa 1859. A franchise toll road was constructed from Gold Cañon northwest through Devil's Gate via Silver City and Gold Hill to Virginia City. In 1861 Gold Cañon would be renamed as "Dayton" in honor surveyor John Day.

Dayton would become the original Lyon County seat in November 1861. By 1864 the Lyon County Courthouse was completed and was one of the first in Nevada. The community grew from a population of 78 in 1860 to over 2,500 by 1865. Nevada obtained Statehood during October of 1864 largely off the prospects of the mining booms associated with the Comstock Lode.

Dayton can be seen as both "Golden" and "Tayton" on the 1863 DeGroot's map of Nevada Territory. Dayton can be seen along the California Trail which linked it with Carson City and the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road to the west. The Dayton Toll Road and Six Mile Canyon Road can be seen linking Dayton to Virginia City in Storey County.

Dayton would be bypassed by the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in 1869 which reduced the profile of the community to a degree. Additionally large fires in 1866 and 1870 would reduce the size of the community further. Prosperity as a transportation hub would resume in 1881 when the narrow-gauge Carson & Colorado Railway constructed a depot in Dayon. The Carson & Colorado Railway terminus was located a short distance west of Dayton at Mound House.

Dayton can be seen along the Carson & Colorado Railway on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California and Nevada.

Main Street in Dayton can be seen below in undated photo from the Pony Express Nevada Facebook page.

In 1909 the Lyon County Courthouse in Dayton would burn. The county seat would relocate to Yerington by 1911.

During 1912 Indiana Businessman Carl G. Fisher conceptualized the Lincoln Highway as a major transcontinental Auto Trail. The Lincoln Highway was formally dedicated on October 31, 1913 and would cross the Sierra Nevada range via North/South branches. The southern branch was named the "Pioneer Branch" and split from the northern branch near Fallon. The Pioneer Branch passed through Dayton using the following routing:

- What is now Old US Route 50

- Pike Street

- Main Street

- Daney Street

- An unnamed road west of Dayton through Daney Canyon

Dayton and the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway would eventually be assigned to the corridor of Nevada State Route 2A. Nevada State Route 2A originated at Leetville near Fallon and extended westward to Carson City. The definition of Nevada State Route 2A can be seen in the 1921-1922 Third Biennial Report by the Nevada Department of Highways.

The initial draft of the US Route System was approved by the Secretary of Agriculture during November of 1925. Originally US Route 50 was not slated to replace the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway but rather terminate at US Route 40 at Wadsworth, Nevada.

US Route 50 is shown to have a planned terminus at US Route 40 near Wadsworth, Nevada on the 1925 Rand McNally Junior Map of California.

US Route 50 can be seen terminating US Route 40 in Wadsworth, Nevada on an October 1925 report to by the Bureau of Public Roads which lists the recommended US Routes.

The US Route System was finalized by November 1926 and included US Route 50 being extended to a new terminus at US Route 99 in Sacramento via the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway over Johnson's Pass. This decision to extend US Route 50 into California brought it through Dayton over the existing alignment of the Pioneer Branch. Early US Route 50 over the Sierra Nevada and in Dayton can be seen on the 1927 National Map Company Highway Map of California.

The December 1930-June 1932 Eight Nevada Department of Highways biennial reported US Route 50 had been realigned approximately 2 miles east of Mound House towards Dayton. This realignment bypassed the former alignment through Daney Canyon.

The 1938-1940 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial listed US Route 50 east of Carson City to Leetville via Dayton as Federal Aid Route 4 for the state. This designation would see US Route 50 moved onto a bypass of downtown Dayton over the following years. The Biennial reports to not clearly specify when Federal Aid Route 4 was completed during the 1940s.

The 1951-1952 Eighteenth Biennial of the Nevada Department of Highways reported on the destruction of the Carson River Bridge in Dayton following large floods during November 1950. The Biennial reported that bridges over Carson River in Dayton had previously been washed away in 1907 and 1937. A high-level replacement span over the Carson River had been dedicated on July 7, 1951. The 1951-era span was constructed with Nevada Department of Highways assistance but was owned by Lyon County.

In 1954 much of the property which was the site of the Rock Point Stamp Mill was deeded to the state of Nevada. The property was initially turned over to the Nevada Department of Highways as it was near the junction of the old alignment of US Route 50 and the Dayton Toll Road. The Rock Point Stamp Mill was originally constructed in 1861 and had been relocated to Silver City during the 1920s.

The 1955-1956 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported flooding on the Carson River during December 1955 had destroyed the 1951-era span in Dayton. The span was replaced again by the Nevada Department of Highways at a cost of $250,000. The flooding at caused damage to a culvert approximately 5 miles to the east of Dayton on US Route 50.

The 1956 United States Geological Survey map of Dayton displays the modern alignment of US Route 50 and the Carson River Bridge.

The Carson & Colorado Railway would come under Southern Pacific Railroad ownership in 1900. The Southern Pacific ended common-carrier service along the narrow-gauge line in Dayton by April 1960. Much of the overall railroad line had been removed by early 1961.

During July 1976 the Nevada State Highway System was renumbered. In addition to the renumbering many new highway corridors were added to the State Highway System. The 1956-era Carson River Bridge was added to the State Highway System as Nevada State Route 822. Nevada State Route 822 was designated as originating at US Route 50 in Dayton and following Dayton Valley Road over the Carson River 0.146 miles east to Ricci Road.

When Nevada State Route 822 was designated in 1976 it was the fourth shortest Nevada State Highway behind Routes 781, 646 and 686. Nevada State Route 686 was deleted from the State Highway System during 2006 which was followed by Nevada State Route 646 in 2010. Presently Nevada State Route 822 is the second shortest State Highway only behind Nevada State Route 781 (the Palisade Bridge near Carlin).

In 1977 the former Rock Point Stamp Mill along the old alignment of US Route 50 was designated as part of Dayton State Park. The park officially opened during 1979 and now comprises 151.8 acres and includes recreational access to the Carson River.

In modern times US Route 50 has been expanded to four-lanes in Dayton. Despite being unincorporated Dayton had a population of approximately 15,153 on the 2020 census. Much of the modern growth of Dayton has come from sprawl out of Carson City.

Part 2; a drive on the original alignment of US Route 50 in Dayton

Much of the former alignment of US Route 50 along the northern outskirts of Dayton was never removed. The abandoned alignment is easily observed from the end of Pike Street looking over a fence into the grounds of Dayton State Park.

This view faces back towards downtown Dayton along what was westbound US Route 50 along Pike Street.

Westbound US Route 50 followed Pike Street into downtown Dayton and made a right-hand turn at Main Street. The buildings at the junction of Pike Street and Main Street lend evidence to how old the community of Dayton actually is.

A monument regarding the history of Dayton and the Pony Express can be found at the intersection of Pike Street and Main Street.

Westbound US Route 50 would have followed Main Street and River Street past Gold Canyon. The older alignment merges into the modern highway near Our Park.

Sutter Creek-Volcano Road

2026-10-05T04:00:00.183-04:00

Sutter Creek-Volcano Road is an approximately 12-mile rural highway corridor located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Amador County. As the name suggests, this corridor connects the city of Sutter Creek east via creek of the same name eastward to the town of Volcano. This roadway is known for being very winding and prone to flooding during winter months.

Sutter Creek-Volcano Road was surveyed in 1863 as a franchise toll corridor. This roadway corridor was constructed by the Sutter Creek-Volcano Turnpike Company who extended Eureka Street in Sutter Creek to Volcano. Sutter Creek-Volcano Road would later become an Amador County public highway and would be realigned to Church Street in Sutter Creek.

Part 1; the history of Sutter Creek Road

The city of Sutter Creek along with the nearby body of water takes their names from renown Gold Rush figure John Sutter. John Sutter was born during 1803 in Switzerland and would eventually arrive in the Mexican state of Alta California during the summer of 1839. Sutter would become a Mexican citizen and would receive a grant to land to construct a fortification (Sutter's Fort) at what is now the city of Sacramento.

Sutter would later fund construction of a mill at the South Fork American River during the waning days of the Mexican-American War. On January 24, 1848, a worker at Sutter's Mill by the name of James Marshall would discover gold flakes in the South Fork American River. The Mexican-American War would end on February 2, 1848, via the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo before news of the discovery at Sutter's Mill was announced.

Wider news of the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill became public knowledge later in 1848 which spurred the 1849 California Gold Rush. The influx of settlers seeking opportunity in California led to it becoming an American state on September 9, 1850.

Following the discovery of gold at his mill John Sutter would move to Mormon Island near what is now Folsom. Sutter's operations at Mormon Island were short lived as the mines would flood after two weeks. Sutter would relocate southward to what is now Sutter Creek and would open another placer mining operation there. The mining operations at Sutter Creek were successful and a small community would soon develop. The Sutter Creek Post Office would open in 1852 and the townsite was formally plotted in 1854.

The town of town of Sutter Creek was downstream on Sutter Creek (the body of water) from the town of Volcano. Mining operations at Soldiers Gulch began in 1849 which were overseen by Colonel Stevenson. The early miners thought the valley floor at Soldiers Gulch had a volcanic origin and named their town "Volcano."

The Volcano Post Office would open in 1851 and by 1852 the town had over 300 homes. Volcano was the site of one of the first hydraulic mines in California which began to be worked in 1855. At the height of mining in Volcano the community had several thousand residents and seventeen hotels.

During the 1850s several water powered sawmills were constructed east of the Sutter Creek. The early mills were connected by Eureka Street which is located on the northern creek bed and extended eastward approximately to what is now Blackwell Road. In 1863 twelve business partners would incorporate Sutter Creek-Volcano Turnpike Company and surveyed a roadway to connect Sutter Creek with Volcano.

Shortly after being surveyed the Sutter Creek-Volcano Road was constructed. The original eastbound beginning followed Eureka Street from Sutter Creek to avoid a crossing of the creek bed. Sutter Creek-Volcano Road was initially a franchise toll road and can be seen below on an 1860s map of Amador County. Sutter Creek-Volcano Road was the quickest corridor heading east from Sutter Creek to the wider Carson Pass Highway.

Typically, franchise toll road rights in California were granted by the legislature for a period of twenty-five years. More often than not the franchise toll road rights were abandoned in California due to poor profitability. It isn't clear when Sutter Creek-Volcano Road became a public highway, but it does appear on the 1889 United States Geological Survey map of Jackson. The western end of the roadway corridor is shown to have been realigned via a bridge towards Church Street in Sutter Creek.

Sutter Creek would incorporate as a city on February 11, 1913. The current bridge carrying Sutter Creek-Volcano Road over Sutter Creek was constructed in 1925. The structure was rebuilt to modern standards in 1955.

Sutter Creek-Volcano Road appears as a minor local highway on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Amador County.

Part 2; a drive on Sutter Creek-Volcano Road

Westbound Sutter Creek-Volcano Road begins at a fork at the end of Main Street in Volcano. The right fork transitions traffic onto Sutter Creek-Volcano Road whereas the left fork transitions traffic onto Pine Grove-Volcano Road.

Westbound Sutter Creek-Volcano Road initially follows the northern bank of Sutter Creek. The roadway is narrow and winding as it is located close to the creek bed. There are no significant intersections on the roadway corridor, and it only begins to widen approaching Sutter Creek Lions Park.

Sutter Creek-Volcano Road crosses the 1925-era steel stringer bridge over Sutter Creek.

Sutter Creek-Volcano Road terminates at the Sutter Creek city limit and becomes Church Street.

Church Street terminates at Main Street in downtown Sutter Creek. Main Street is the original alignment of California State Route 49 in the Sutter Creek area.

Rams Horn Grade Road

2026-10-01T21:45:44.690-04:00

Rams Horn Grade Road is an approximately 3-mile mountain corridor near the Amador County town of Volcano. The Rams Horn Grade was developed shortly after the founding of Volcano as one of many Amador County roads connecting eastward towards Carson Pass. The northern end of the Rams Horn Grade atop Shake Ridge would be where the Amador-Carson Valley Wagon Road tollhouse was once located.

Rams Horn Grade Road begins at the end of Consolation Road in Volcano. From Volcano the grade ascends rapidly with inclines as high as 8% to Shake Ridge Road.

Part 1; the history of Rams Grade Road

Rams Grade Road is located near the town of Volcano and begins at the eastern end of Consolation Street. Mining operations at Soldiers Gulch began in 1849 which were overseen by Colonel Stevenson. The early miners thought the valley floor at Soldiers Gulch had a volcanic origin and named their town "Volcano."

Rams Horn Grade Road is a continuation of Consolation Street which followed the course of Sutter Creek to the top Shake Ridge. The grade was used as the primary highway departing volcano east for Carson Pass and west to Fiddletown. The Rams Horn Grade can be seen east of Volcano climbing to Shake Ridge on the 1857 Britton & Reys map of California.

When the Carson Pass Highway was established in the late 1840s the original western terminus was in the Placerville area. By the 1860s much of the traffic using Carson Pass was diverting from the traditional alignment (Mormon Emigrant Trail) towards the towns of Amador County. In 1862 the Amador-Carson Valley Wagon Road was organized to facilitate easier travel between Amador County and Carson Valley via Carson Pass. The Amador-Carson Valley Wagon Road originated at the eastern end of what is now Shake Ridge Road at Antelope Spring.

The Rams Horn Grade can be seen in detail on the 1889 United States Geological Survey map of Jackson. The Amador-Carson Valley Wagon Road tollhouse is shown to be located at the intersection of Rams Horn Grade Road and Shake Ridge Road.

Rams Horn Grade Road is shown as a minor local highway on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Amador County.

Part 2; a drive on Rams Horn Grade Road

Southbound Rams Horn Grade Road begins at Shake Ridge Road.

Rams Horn Grade Road begins at an elevation of approximately 3,000 feet above sea level. The grade rapidly descends southward following a winding course along Sutter Creek which has gradients as steep as 8%. The grade softens at Barone Road and turns west towards Volcano.

Rams Horn Grade Road enters the town of Volcano and becomes Consolation Street.

Consolation Street terminates at Main Street in the center of Volcano. Numerous historic plaques regarding the history of the town can be found at the intersection.

This view is from the end of Consolation Street facing north on Charleston Road.

This view is from the end of Consolation Street facing south on Main Street.

Old Abe Cannon can be found on display in a building at the northeast corner of Consolation Street and Charleston Road. In 1862 amid the American Civil War the town was divided among sympathizers of both the Union and Confederate causes. The Volcano Blues was a Union militia based in Volcano. Said Union militia felt outmatched and requested reinforcements from the Presidio of San Francisco. The Presidio was unable to send a garrison but instead sent a six-pound cannon barrel hidden inside a hearse. The cannon was named "Old Abe" and was affixed onto a carriage which was used to patrol Consolation Street. Old Abe was loaded and used to threaten the local Confederate militia known as the Knights. The Confederate influence in Volcano would wane and the community would remain peaceful through the Civil War.

Nevada State Route 117

2026-09-30T04:00:00.143-04:00

Nevada State Route 117 is 6.91-mile highway located in the Fallon area of Churchill County. Nevada State Route 117 originates at US Route 95 near downtown Fallon where it follows Sheckler Road and Sheckler Cutoff Road to US Route 50. Functionally Nevada State Route 117 acts as a bypass of downtown Fallon for traffic on US Routes 50 and 95.

What became Nevada State Route 117 was commissioned as Nevada State Route 61 in 1940. Originally Nevada State Route 61 connected Fallon to the ghost town site of Saint Clair. Saint Clair was a town which developed during the 1870s near a bridge at the Old Carson River. Even after being renumbered to Nevada State Route 117 in 1976 the highway continued to serve Saint Clair. The modern bypass alignment of Nevada State Route 117 was developed in the early 1990s.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 117

The predecessor designation to Nevada State Route 117 was Nevada State Route 61. Nevada State Route 61 first appears on the 1941 Nevada Department of Highways map and was commissioned in 1940. As originally configured Nevada State Route 61 branched west of US Route 95 (Schurz Highway) via Sheckler Road near Lahontan Field. Nevada State Route 61 branched south for approximately 1 mile on Allen Road and approximately 2 miles west on Saint Clair Road to the former town site of Saint Clair on the South Branch of the Carson River.

Saint Clair Station was opened at the Old Carson River in 1862 by James Saint Clair and J.J. McCellan. The pair obtained a franchise from the state to construct a toll bridge in 1864. The Saint Clair Station Post Office would operate from April 13, 1865, to November 30, 1869, at Saint Clair Station. The station and toll bridge were sold Henry Theelan in 1873.

The town of Saint Clair would begin to develop near the bridge at Saint Clair Station. The Saint Clair Post Office would on February 16, 1877, and would operate until February 15, 1903. Saint Clair was located south of the Old Carson River whereas Saint Clair Station was located on the opposite bank. Saint Clair can be seen on the 1882 Bancroft's map of Nevada. The road east of Saint Clair followed a course similar to modern US Route 50 towards West Gate.

This photo is of the Big Adobe at Saint Clair in 1871 (Churchill County Museum & Archives photo). This house was constructed at unknown point during the 1860s.

Following the plotting of Fallon in 1896 the community of Saint Clair would decline in importance. The Saint Clair Post Office would operate for a second time between April 3, 1905, and November 30, 1907. The community can be seen on the 1910 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink. A new schoolhouse at Saint Clair opened in 1911 and would operate until 1956 when the district was consolidated with Fallon.

The original alignment of Nevada State Route 61 can be seen in detail on the 1957 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County. The Sheckler Community Center can be seen at the western highway terminus where the St. Clair town site once stood on the South Branch Carson River.

Nevada State Route 61 remained unaltered until the July 1976 State Highway Renumbering. The corridor was redesignated at Nevada State Route 117 but had no alignment changes.

Nevada State Route 117 was realigned and lengthened by the early 1990s. The highway is shown on the 1993-1994 Nevada Department of Transportation map following Sheckler Road west of US Route 50 for approximately 6 miles and Sheckler Cutoff Road approximately 1 mile to US Route 50. The current alignment of Nevada State Route 117 serves as a bypass of downtown Fallon for traffic traveling between US Routes 50 and 95.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 117

Westbound Nevada State Route 117 branches from US Route 95 at the southern outskirts of downtown Fallon.

Westbound Nevada State Route 117 passes by 3C Events Complex which was built over the site of Lahontan Field.

Nevada State Route 117 intersects Nevada State Route 715 at McLean Road.

Westbound Nevada State Route 117 follows Sheckler Road approximately six miles and makes a hard right turn onto Sheckler Cutoff Road.

Nevada State Route 117 follows Sheckler Cutoff Road to a terminus at US Route 50.

Nevada State Route 116

2026-09-29T04:00:00.199-04:00

Nevada State Route 116 is a rural 10.48-mile highway located in Churchill County east of Fallon. Nevada State Route 116 as presently configured begins at US Route 50 and follows Stillwater Road to the former Churchill County seat of Stillwater.

Stillwater was established as a stage station on the California Trail in 1862. Stillwater served as the Churchill County seat between 1868-1903 prior to it transferring to Fallon. Stillwater Road originally began at Harrigan Road (then US Route 50) in Fallon and was brought into the State Highway System in 1940 as Nevada State Route 42. Much of Nevada State Route 42 and Stillwater Road were consumed in 1959 when US Route 50 was realigned around Naval Air Station Fallon. In 1976 Nevada State Route 42 was renumbered as Nevada State Route 116.

The blog cover is a view along Nevada State Route 42 which was then known as the Fallon-Stillwater Road (now just Stillwater Road). This photo was featured in the 1947-1948 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 116

Nevada State Route 116 begins at US Route 50 east of Fallon and follows Stillwater Road 10.48 miles to the town site of Stillwater. Stillwater was established by Central Overland California & Pikes Peak Company as a stage stop on the California Trail during July 1862. Stillwater Station was named for nearby Stillwater Slough was which was a well-known reliable source of water used by travelers crossing the Forty Mile Desert.

Stillwater Station would quickly grow to become the largest town in Churchill County. The Churchill County Post Office would move to Stillwater on May 7, 1868. Stillwater would replace La Plata as the Churchill County seat following a vote on November 7, 1868. By the end of the 1860s Stillwater reportedly had a population of 150 residents.

Stillwater can be seen prominently on the California Trail on the 1868 Bancroft's map of Nevada. The roadway connecting Stillwater west to Ragtown would form much of the basis for modern Stillwater Road.

The Churchill County Courthouse can be seen below in 1881 (Churchill County Museum & Archives). This building was dismantled in 1925.

On July 24, 1896, the Fallon town site and post office were founded at the ranch of Michael and Eliza Fallon. Jim Richards would open a store close to the Fallon Post Office during 1896. Fallon began to thrive as the commercial center of Churchill County as it was far more accessible than Stillwater.

On New Year's Day 1904 the Churchill County seat would relocate from Stillwater to Fallon following an act by Nevada state legislature. The Southern Pacific Railroad would begin construction of a spur line to Fallon beginning during May 1906. The spur line to Fallon was complete by December 1906 and the first train would arrive on January 10, 1907. Fallon would later incorporate as the only city in Churchill County during 1908.

Following the emergence of the city of Fallon the profile of Stillwater would decline significantly. Stillwater can be seen as it was in 1907 in a photo from the book titled Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps.

Early Stillwater Road can be seen connecting Fallon and Stillwater on the 1908 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink.

Nevada State Route 42 first appears serving Fallon-Stillwater on the 1940 Nevada Department of Highways map. Nevada State Route 42 originated at US Route 50 (Harrigan Road) in Fallon and followed Stillwater Road east to Fallon. When Nevada State Route 42 was designated the community of Stillwater still had approximately 400 residents.

The local hotels in Stillwater were dismantled in Stillwater in 1946. Nevada State Route 42 in the vicinity of Stillwater appears in the 1947-1948 Nevada Department of Highways biennial as an example of farm-to-market road and mine-to-market road building.

This photo is of a concrete bridge on Nevada State Route 42 at an unknown date in Stillwater (Churchill County Museum & Archives). This bridge was damaged during an earthquake in 1954 and replaced with a culvert span.

Nevada State Route 42 appears in detail on the 1957 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County. This map displays the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge which had been designated in 1948.

The 1957-1958 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported as having conducted a study and contracted to realign US Route 50 north of Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon. The purpose of the realignment was to permit runway expansion over Berney Road. The project was requested and fully funded by the Navy.

The new then new alignment of US Route 50 bypassing Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon was completed in 1959. The new realignment followed Williams Avenue east from Maine Street in downtown Fallon and bypassed the air station to the north. US Route 50 consolidated back in with the existing Austin Highway near Grimes Point east of the air station.

The Greenwood Store can be seen in a 1960 era photo in Stillwater along Nevada State Route 42 (Churchill County Museum & Archives). This was the original community store in Stillwater, and it would burn in a fire in 1963.

The 1969 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County displayed the truncated Nevada State Route 42. Portions of Stillwater Road in the vicinity of eastern Fallon were bisected or razed. They now appear on modern maps east of Harrigan Road as Stillwater Avenue and Browns Lane.

This photo from 1970 is of the Cirac-LeBeau Pool and Health Spa (Churchill County Museum & Archives). This pool house opened around a geothermal spring in the 1920s and ultimately closed in 1970. The structure was razed circa 2001-2002.

On July 1, 1976, the Nevada State Highway Renumbering took place. Nevada State Route 42 was renumbered as 116 which lumped it in with a cluster of State Highways assigned to Churchill County. Nevada State Route 116 has never been altered since 1976.

Part 2; exploring Nevada State Route 116 and the relics of Nevada State Route 42

This view is along northbound Harrigan Road which once carried US Route 50 into Fallon (now Nevada State Route 115). The right-hand turn transitions onto Stillwater Avenue which was once the eastbound beginning of Nevada State Route 42. Stillwater Avenue no longer connects to Browns Lane nor the larger Stillwater Road corridor.

Modern eastbound Nevada State Route 116 and Stillwater Road branch from US Route 50 near Harmon Road.

Traffic on Nevada State Route 116 is advised the Stillwater Wildlife Refuge is 12 miles ahead.

Nevada State Route 116 terminates at Postmile 10.48 at the Stillwater town site. Stillwater has a couple remaining residences left and a general town plot is identifiable.

Shake Ridge Road

2026-09-28T04:00:00.113-04:00

Shake Ridge Road is an approximately 20.5-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada range of Amador County. Shake Ridge Road begins at California State Route 88 near Antelope Creek and extends westward via the Shake Ridge formation to Gopher Flat Road at the Sutter Creek city limit. The segment of Shake Ridge Road east of Fiddletown Road was part of several spur roads which connected the mining towns of Amador County with Carson Pass.

By the 1880s the Shake Ridge Road corridor was extended west of Fiddletown Road to Amador City via Amador Creek. Shake Ridge Road would be realigned in the late 1930s to Sutter Creek via Gopher Flat. The Shake Ridge formation was once thought to have a volcanic origin during the early days of Amador County.

Part 1; the history of Shake Ridge Road

Modern Shake Ridge Road connects the city of Sutter Creek eastward to California State Route 88 (Carson Pass Highway) via Shake Ridge. Shake Ridge was once thought to have a volcanic origin and was described as such in the 1881 Thompson & West book titled History of Amador County.

What is now Shake Ridge Road east of the Fiddletown Road/Rams (atop Shake Ridge) can be seen branching towards Carson Pass on the 1857 Britton & Reys map of California.

By the 1880s the corridor of Shake Ridge Road west extended west of the Fiddletown Road to Amador City. This extension diverged from modern Shake Ridge Road and followed what is now Amador Creek Road into Amador City. This extension can be seen on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.

Shake Ridge Road can be seen in detail between Amador City and the Rams Horn Grade tollhouse on the 1889 United States Geological Survey map of Jackson. The divergence of this original western end of Shake Ridge Road follows Old McDonald Road and Amador Creek Road.

By the late 1930s the western terminus of Shake Ridge Road was realigned to Sutter Creek via Gopher Flat. This shift first appears on the 1941 United States Geological Survey map of Sutter Creek but was not present on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Amador County.

Part 2; a drive on Shake Ridge Road

Westbound Shake Ridge Road begins at California State Route 88 a short distance from Antelope Creek.

Shake Ridge Road heading westbound is initially aligned above the South Fork Cosumnes River along a winding canyon grade.

Shake Ridge Road enters the Lockwood area and intersects Fiddletown Road. Traffic wishing to access Volcano is directed to follow Shake Ridge Road towards the Rams Horn Grade.

Shake Ridge Road intersects Rams Horn Grade Road. Traffic wishing to access the Rams Horn Grade continues straight whereas westbound Shake Ridge Road traffic makes a right hand turn at the intersection.

The case to move Interstate 73 in Southern Ohio onto US 33

2026-09-26T22:28:27.948-04:00

Every decade or so, Ohio pushes to revisit the proposed Interstate 73 that would connect Michigan to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It's been happening since Congress legislated the route in 1991. Within Ohio, Interstate 73 generally follows the US 23 corridor from Portsmouth through Columbus to Toledo, and into Michigan.

Since High Priority Corridor Five was created, Ohio has really done nothing to move forward with Interstate 73. Sure, there have been feasibility studies here and there. But actual dollars and construction just haven't occurred.

The US 33 Nelsonville Bypass appears to have been built to Interstate standards.

However, Ohio has been slowly upgrading US 33 to a full freeway through Southeastern Ohio. Bypasses of Lancaster and Nelsonville opened in 2004 and 2013, respectively. Other sections of two-lane road are being twinned, some to freeway or, at a minimum, to expressway standards. Currently, a $274 million widening project in Athens and Meigs County will eliminate the remaining two-lane segments of US 33 between Columbus and the Ohio River. Additionally, a new interchange at Pickerington Road and US 33 in Fairfield County is under construction. That project cost is roughly $51 million.

US 33 is being widened to four-lanes in Athens and Meigs Counties, Ohio.

The Pickerington Road interchange is part of the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Southeast Corridor Study/Project. ODOT is developing plans to convert 12 miles of US 33 southeast of Columbus and I-270 into a limited-access highway. Further, the Pickerington Road Interchange will leave only one traffic light along US 33 between I-270 and the Ohio River. That light is located south of Lancaster at Allen Road.

Soon, this traffic light on US 33 at Allen Road south of Lancaster will be the only traffic light on US 33 between I-270 and West Virginia.

In Hocking County, ODOT recently completed a study to upgrade a four-mile section of divided highway to a full limited-access highway. The project eliminates nine at-grade crossings and will make US 33 a fully controlled-access highway within Hocking County.

Meanwhile, except for Portsmouth, there has been minimal movement in upgrading US 23 from the Ohio River to Columbus. Bypasses or significant access control upgrades are necessary in Waverly, Massieville, Circleville, and South Bloomfield. After the currently scheduled improvements to US 33 are finished, the highway will meet or be closer to Interstate standards than much of US 23. Ohio, if they really want Interstate 73, has a highway ready to go with fewer upgrades needed.

So why not move the routing of Interstate 73 to US 33?

A look at the current planned route of I-73 through Ohio and US 33 through Southeastern Ohio. (Google Maps/Adam Prince)

First, the Interstate 73 corridor through Ohio is legislatively routed. Changing the highway's routing would require legislation to change HPC 5 to allow I-73 to move onto US 33. (This is why Interstate 74 can't be routed to Wilmington, North Carolina, despite the insistence of others.)

But let's say an Ohio Congressperson reads this post and goes, "Hey, that's a great idea, Adam. I'm going to push to get 73 moved." What about I-74? What about West Virginia?

Let's start with I-74 in Ohio. Its extension would run east from Cincinnati along Ohio 32 to US 23 near Jasper, then joining US 23 and I-73 south, utilizing the Portsmouth Bypass, and then US 52 before entering West Virginia near Huntington. Nothing would change. Nor would Interstate 74's routing through West Virginia, which we'll get to in a moment.

Interstate 74 would continue to follow the legislated corridor and proposed route through Southern Ohio. It would just be on its own.

West Virginia:

Currently, Interstate 73 will enter the Mountain State from Virginia along the US 460 corridor east of Princeton. It will then join up with Interstate 74 and follow the current and proposed King Coal and Tolsia Highways from Bluefield to Huntington.

Interstate 74 will enter West Virginia via Interstate 77 and then follow the King Coal Highway and Tolsia Highway to Huntington.

This now long-removed I-73 Corridor sign was located at the current interchange with US 52/WV 108/King Coal Highway and US 460 near Bluefield. (Adam Prince, April 14, 2001)

With Interstate 73 now following US 33, I-73 would enter from Virginia the same way. Meet and join Interstate 77 near Princeton (Exit 9) and then follow Interstate 77 north for over 100 miles to Exit 146, where US 33 West currently leaves I-77. West Virginia and Ohio would need to build a second or a new crossing over the Ohio River at Ravenswood. West Virginia could utilize some or all of the current four-lane US 33/WV 2 section between I-77 and the Ohio River.

With an Interstate-quality grade Ohio River crossing, I-73 could be signed from Columbus to Princeton, WV. (Completing I-73 to Blacksburg, VA is another topic on its own.)

As for Interstate 74, it would follow its same course through southwestern West Virginia with no changes.

Yes, this is a silly, half-serious idea. But if Ohio ever gets serious about building Interstate 73, they have a good highway ready to go, so why not utilize it?

All photos taken by post author, September 4, 2026 - unless otherwise noted.

Sources & Links:

Personal Flickr Album of US 33 Construction in Southern Ohio
Interstate 73 in Ohio @ Roadfan.com ---Sandor Gulyas
Interstate 73 @ Interstate-Guide.com ---Alex Nitzman
I-73/74/75 Corridor Association

Old Pony Express Road (former California State Routes 88, 4 and 89 at Woodfords Junction)

2026-09-25T04:00:00.083-04:00

Old Pony Express Road in Woodfords is a small, bypassed portion California State Route 88 which included the original Woodfords Junction. Woodfords Junction was the crossroads at which California State Route 88 would pick up multiplexes of California State Route 4 and 89. Woodfords was bypassed in 1963 amid wider improvements to California State Route 88 and the Carson Pass Highway. The original highway alignment in Woodfords was renamed to commemorate an 1860 Pony Express remount station which was located at Cary's Barn.

Old Pony Express Road can be seen as part of Woodfords Junction which served California State Routes 88, 4 and 89 on the 1956 United States Geological Survey map of Freel Peak.

Part 1; the history of Pony Express Way in Woodfords

Old Pony Express Road is the original alignment of California State Route 88 in the community of Woodfords. The corridor of Old Pony Express Road also carried multiplexes of California State Routes 89 and 4 which used the so-called Woodfords Junction. Woodfords Junction served the community of Markleeville and much of the interior of Alpine County.

California State Route 88 and Carson Pass Highway crest the Sierra Nevada range at the namesake Carson Pass located at 8,574 feet above sea level. The Carson Pass Highway is an all-year pass and occasionally gets pressed into service as US Route 50 Alternate.

What is now Carson Pass was an established crossing of the Sierra Nevada known by the Washoe tribe. During an 1844 expedition led by United States Army Officer John C. Fremont he learned of the pass from the Washoe. Fremont's expedition was encamped at Carson Valley on January 31, 1844, and looking for a way to cross the mountains to return to Sutter's Fort. The Washoe warned Fremont not to attempt to cross the snow-filled pass, but the expedition proceeded regardless. Frontiersman Kit Carson served as the expedition guide on the journey into the Sierra Nevada.

Fremont's expedition westward to Carson Pass soon ran low on supplies and soldiers soon resorted to consuming their pack animals. On February 14, 1844, Fremont and cartographer Charles Preuss climbed Red Lake Peak where they became the first people of European descent to observe Lake Tahoe. The expedition cleared the snow west of the pass on February 21, 1844, and arrived at Sutter's Fort on March 6th. Despite the harsh wintery conditions, the expedition suffered no fatalities.

John C. Fremont wrote of his experiences crossing the Sierra Nevada which brought attention to what became known as Carson Pass. As the name implies, the pass was named after Kit Carson. Carson Pass became part of the southern branch of the California Trail. Following ill-fated Donner Party expedition of the winter of 1846/1847 the southern leg of the California Trail would see increased usage.

Woodfords is the oldest settlement of European origin in what is now Alpine County. The origin of the community came during Spring 1847 when it was used to stage supplies by Sam Brannan. A small community originally known as Brannan Springs and later Carey's Mills would soon develop around providing services to travelers along the road Carson Pass. The first Post Office in the community would open at the hotel of Daniel Woodford in 1849. The Postal Service would formally change the name of the community to Woodfords in 1869. Woodfords is famous for being a remount station along the Pony Express Trail during the early 1860s.

During 1848 former members of the Mormon Battalion who had served in the Mexican-American War opted to return to Salt Lake City. The group of 46 sought to plot a new wagon trail over the Sierra Nevada which incorporated Carson Pass. The expedition departed from the outskirts of Placerville during June up what is now the Mormon Emigrant Trail and would ultimately reach Carson Pass by July 28, 1848. The expedition would successfully cross the Sierra Nevada and reach Salt Lake City by September 1848.

Following the start of the California Gold Rush the Carson Pass Highway would become the favored crossing the Sierra Nevada. Approximately 40,000 gold seekers would cross Carson Pass to the gold mines of the western Sierra Nevada foothills. Carson Pass Highway would remain the favored crossing of the Sierra Nevada until a new routing over Johnson's Pass was established to the north near Lake Bigler (now Lake Tahoe).

In 1853 Congress ordered survey to locate a possible route for a railroad line over the Sierra Nevada range. The conclusion of the 1853 Congressional survey suggested any route over the Sierra Nevada was unfeasibly due to deep snows which occurred every winter. The State of California ordered its own survey by April 1855 to investigate the feasibility of constructing a wagon road from Sacramento Valley east to Carson Valley.

By June 1855 enough money had been raised so that Sherman Day could scout potential wagon roads over the Sierra Nevada. The Day Survey concluded that the only viable options for a wagon road over the Sierra Nevada would be at Johnson's Pass or Carson Pass. Johnson's Pass was considerable favorable to Carson Pass due to the lower elevation potentially permitting all-year travel. The Day Survey was featured extensively in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works.

The Goddard Survey later corroborated the findings of the Day Survey in that Johnson's Pass would be the desirable route of a Trans-Sierra Wagon Road.

The surveyed routes of Sherman Day over Johnson's Pass and Carson Pass.

During 1857 the counties of; Yolo, Sacramento and El Dorado contributed $50,000 dollars towards construction of a wagon road over Johnson's Pass. County officials hired noted stagecoach driver J.B. Crandall of the Crandall & Sunderland Company to drive surveyors over Day's route east through the Sierra Nevada range to Carson Valley via Johnson's Pass. The Crandall & Sunderland Company at the time operated as a stage line from the terminus of the Sacramento Valley Railroad in Folsom eastward to Placerville. The stage trip from Folsom originated on June 11, 1857, and proved that a wagon road over Johnson's Pass was indeed feasible.

The Lake Tahoe Wagon Road would be constructed on the Johnson's Pass route between 1858-1865. Following the completion of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road the Carson Pass Highway would see a decline in usage. The Carson Pass Highway was still close enough to established towns on both ends of the Sierra Nevada that never became fully defunct.

The Carson Pass Highway can be seen originating east of Placerville, California and extending eastward towards Genoa, Nevada on the 1873 Bancroft's map.

By the early 1880s the main line of the Carson Pass Highway was rerouted towards Jackson with a branch to Sutter Creek. The previous mainline west of Carson Pass towards Placerville remained in use as public highway and would come to be eventually known as Mormon Emigrant Trail. The branches of the Carson Pass Highway can be seen in detail on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California and Nevada.

In 1911 the California Legislature would commission the Carson Pass Highway east from Jackson to Hope Valley as part of what would become Legislative Route Number 34. The specific wording legislation essentially formed a loop of the Sierra Nevada which included Luther Pass, the conceptual highway over Monitor Pass and the Big Trees Road over Ebbetts Pass:

"The certain road connecting at the Calaveras big tree grove located in Calaveras County thence running to Dorrington in said county, thence E-ly following what is known as the Big Tree and Carson Valley Turnpike to Mt. Bullion in Alpine Cty, thence along the county road to Markleeville in Alpine Cty, thence along that certain road via Kirkwood, Silver Lake, Pine Grove and Irishtown to Jackson in Amador Cty, including therewith the road from Picketts in Hope Valley connecting with the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, a state highway, at Osgood's Place in El Dorado Cty, and the road from Mt Bullion via Loupe in Alpine Cty to Junction in Mono County connecting with the Sonora and Mono State Highway is hereby declared and established a state highway and shall be designated and known as "Alpine State Highway""

In 1933 the California Legislature extended their portion of the Carson Pass Highway from Hope Valley to the Nevada state line as part of Legislative Route Number 24. The Carson Pass Highway within California would be designated as California State Route 8 when the original run of Sign Routes was announced in the August 1934 California Highways & Public Works. At the time Nevada owned portion of Carson Pass Highway from the state line to Minden was maintained by the Forest Service as the Woodfords Road. Woodfords Road would be improved to state standards during 1934 and assigned as Nevada State Route 37.

By 1940 Carson Pass Highway east of Jackson to the Nevada state line was renumbered as California State Route 88. This can be seen on the 1940 California Division of Highways map.

By 1947 California State Route 4 was extended from California State Route 89 near Markleeville to the Nevada state line multiplexed with California State Route 88 from Woodfords. This can be seen for the first time on the 1948 California Division of Highways. By 1956 Nevada State Route 37 would be renumbered as "88" to provide for continuity with California State Route 88.

In August 1934 California State Route 89 was designated as ending at Coleville along what is now US Route 395. It isn't clear where the signage actually extended during the late 1930s given Monitor Pass was not yet constructed. State Highway maps through the 1940s and early 1950s indicate California State Route 89 as ending at Hope Valley until the opening of Monitor Pass on September 12, 1954 (September/October 1954 California Highways & Public Works). Following the opening of Monitor Pass the signage of California State Route 89 was seemingly extended through Woodfords via California State Route 88 and through Markleeville along California State Route 4.

Old Pony Express Way can be seen as part of Woodfords Junction which served California State Routes 88, 4 and 89 on the 1956 United States Geological Survey map of Freel Peak.

As part of the wider 1964 State Highway renumbering the eastern terminus of California State Route 4 was withdrawn to California State Route 89 near Markleeville. The withdrawn eastern terminus of California State Route 4 can be seen on the 1964 Division of Highways map.

The September/October 1964 California Highways & Public Works featured an overview of realignment projects along California State Route 88 and the Carson Pass Highway corridor. What is now Old Pony Express Road and the original Woodfords Junction between California State Routes 88, 4 and 89 was shown to be bypassed in 1963. The segment of older highway east of Woodfords along the West Fork Carson River is shown to be earmarked for later construction.

Part 2; a drive on Old Pony Express Road in Woodfords

Old Pony Express Road begins at California State Route 88 Postmile ALP 19.357 in Woodfords.

A monument about the Pony Express remount station at Cary's Barn can be found on Old Pony Express Road across from Mad Dog Cafe.

The original Woodfords Junction can be seen below at the dirt grade on the left-hand side of the photo. From this position westbound California State Route 88 would have lost westbound California State Route 4 and picked up northbound California State Route 89.

Old Pony Express Road consolidates with modern California State Route 88 at Postmile ALP 19.025.

North South Road in Eldorado National Forest

2026-09-23T04:00:00.218-04:00

North South Road is a 25.4-mile highway corridor located in Eldorado National Forest in the Sierra Nevada range. North South Road begins at Omo Ranch Road and extends northward to Morman Emigrant Trail via the ghost town of Caldor. North South Road is designated as Forest Road 10N83 and despite being a single lane wide is fully paved.

Construction of North South Road began in the early 1930s. The purpose of the corridor was to create additional access to the California Door Company town of Caldor and act as the main north/south highway in Eldorado National Forest. By 1932 two notable Warren Pratt Truss spans were installed by the Forest Service at the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Cosumnes River. During the 1980s the northern end of North South Road would be realigned away from Cosumnes Mine Road towards Morman Emigrant Trail.

Much of the corridor of North South Road would burn during the Caldor Fire in 2021. The deck of the historic truss span at the North Fork Consumnes River (known as the Capps Crossing Bridge) was burned along with over 1,000 structures.

Part 1; the history of North South Road

North South Road is the main highway through Eldorado National Forest. North South Road originates at Omo Ranch Road and extends approximately 25.4 miles northward via the ghost town of Caldor to Morman Emigrant Trail. North South Road is assigned as Forest Road 10N83 and is fully paved in asphalt.

The history of North South Road originates with the ghost town of Caldor. Caldor was originally established as a mining camp called Dog Town along what is now Dogtown Creek (originally the North Fork of the Middle Fork Consumnes River) in the early California Gold Rush. Dogtown was not a significant settlement and came mostly known as being the location of a sawmill.

Dogtown can be seen on the 1889 United States Geological Survey map. The community was connected to Grizzly Flats via what is now Leoni Road. A road branching south to the town of Morgan at the Middle Fork Consumnes River in Pi Pi Valley can be seen following a corridor similar to modern North South Road. Morgan was connected to the Carson Pass Highway via a road that terminated at Hams Station.

In 1900 the California Door Company would purchase 30,000 acres of land in the Sierra Nevada range of El Dorado County which included the site of Dogtown. Dogtown was rebuilt as the company town to house sawmill workers. The California Door Company board of directors thought the name "Dogtown" was unsavory and elected to rename the community as "Caldor." The name Caldor is shorthand for the California Door Company.

In 1904 the California Door Company would complete construction of the Diamond & Caldor Railway. The line originated as Diamond Springs and extended eastward via Coles to Caldor. Reports indicate that by 1906 Caldor had a population of 120 residents.

On July 28, 1910, much of the lands surrounding Caldor were designated as part of Eldorado National Forest. The creation of a National Forest around the Caldor community did little impact logging operations and road access. In 1923 the sawmill at Caldor would burn and was not replaced as it was relatively easy to ship felled logs via rail to Diamond Springs.

Caldor can be seen below during the height of logging operations in 1923 (News MoLo photo).

Eldorado National Forest would begin construction of modern North South Road in the early 1930s. North South Road was intended to be the main north/south highway through the National Forest which used Caldor roughly as a halfway point. Warren Pratt Truss spans were installed at the North Fork and the Middle Fork of the Consumnes River in 1932. The North Fork span was known as Capps Crossing Bridge and whereas the Middle Fork span was not assigned an honorific name.

Modern North South Road appears on 1951 United States Geological Survey maps. The corridor is shown to originate at Omo Ranch Road and extend northward through Caldor to the vicinity of the Capps Crossing Bridge near the Robert Lee Mine. The original terminus of North South Road north of Capps Crossing Bridge followed what is now Bonetti Road (Forest Road 10N55) to Consumes Mine Road.

In 1953 the Diamond & Caldor Railway shuttered and was removed. By the mid-1950s the California Door Company had exhausted the lumber supply around Caldor and the town went defunct. The Caldor town site and land holdings would be annexed into Eldorado National Forest.

In 1981 the Capps Crossing Bridge would be replaced. The bridge replacement at the North Fork Consumnes River included realigning North South Road to Morman Emigrant Trail. The Capps Crossing Bridge would be preserved for pedestrian use.

In 1998 the Middle Fork Cosumnes River Bridge on North South Road would be replaced by the Glenn Oviatt Bridge. The Glenn Oviatt Bridge is named after a former sawmill owner from the Omo Ranch area who processed lumber from the North South Road corridor. Glenn Oviatt likely contributed donations for the span which bears his name. The Middle Fork Cosumnes River Bridge like the Capps Crossing Bridge was preserved for pedestrian use.

Much of the North South Road corridor was heavily impacted by the Caldor Fire. Said fire was first reported on August 14, 2021, and would burn 221,835 acres of Eldorado National Forest. Full containment of the fire was reached on October 21, 2021. The Caldor Fire destroyed most of Grizzly Flats and over 1,000 structures. The deck of the Capps Crossing Bridge was one of the structures which were destroyed.

Part 2; a drive on North South Road

Northbound North South Road originates at Omo Ranch Road near the Eldorado National Forest boundary. As North South Road begins signage indicates Caldor is 12 miles away.

North South Road rapidly descends to Sopiago Creek.

North South Road climbs above Gold Note Bridge and makes another descent to the Glenn Oviatt Bridge in Pi Pi Valley at the Middle Fork Cosumnes River.

The 1932 Middle Fork Cosumnes River Bridge can be found next to the Glenn Oviatt Bridge. The structure is open to pedestrians and can be crossed on foot. The 1932-era bridge carries a unique truss design which has a wooden road deck topped with asphalt.

North South Road enters the Caldor Fire burn scar near the Caldor town site. At the Caldor town site, the corridor of North South Road intersects Leoni Road. North of Caldor the roadway crosses the North Fork Cosumnes River near the ruins of the Capps Crossing Bridge.

As noted in Part 1 the deck of the Capps Crossing Bridge was destroyed in the Caldor Fire.

These photos of the Capps Crossing Bridge were taken prior to the Caldor Fire (bridgehunter.com).

Carson River Road (former California State Routes 88 and 4)

2026-09-21T04:00:00.095-04:00

Carson River Road is an approximately 3.5-mile-long former alignment of California State Route 88 near the community of Woodfords in Alpine County. Carson River Road as the name suggests runs alongside the West Fork Carson River and generally is located in flood prone terrain beneath modern state highway grade. Carson River Road was bypassed in 1969 as one of the final projects which brought California State Route 88 and Carson Pass Highway to modern standards.

Part 1; the history of Carson River Road

Carson River Road is an older segment of California State Route 88 and the Carson Pass Highway near the community of Woodfords. As the name suggests this roadway runs alongside the West Fork Carson River below grade to the modern state highway alignment.

The Goddard Survey later corroborated the findings of the Day Survey in that Johnson's Pass would be the desirable route of a Trans-Sierra Wagon Road.

The surveyed routes of Sherman Day over Johnson's Pass and Carson Pass.

The Carson Pass Highway can be seen originating east of Placerville, California and extending eastward towards Genoa, Nevada on the 1873 Bancroft's map.

By 1940 Carson Pass Highway east of Jackson to the Nevada state line was renumbered as California State Route 88. This can be seen on the 1940 California Division of Highways map.

The September/October 1964 California Highways & Public Works featured an overview of realignment projects along California State Route 88 and the Carson Pass Highway corridor. Pony Express Way and the original Woodfords Junction between California State Routes 88, 4 and 89 was shown to be bypassed in 1963. The segment of older highway east of Woodfords along the West Fork Carson River is shown to be earmarked for later construction.

The California Highways & Public Works publication ended in 1967 prior to California State Route 88 being realigned east of Woodfords. The corridor was shown to be under construction on Division of Highways maps until the 1970 edition. The 1970 map is the first display Carson River Road as being bypassed which indicates the modern alignment of California State Route 88 was complete east of Woodfords in 1969.

Part 2; a drive on Carson River Road

Westbound Carson River Road is accessible at California State Route 88 Postmile ALP 22.667. Westbound traffic wishing to access the older highway must turn off at Diamond Valley Road in the Paynesville area and make a right-hand turn onto Carson River Road.

Westbound Carson River Road runs along the West Fork Carson River below the grade of modern California State Route 88. The western end of the older alignment consolidates in with the modern highway at Postmile ALP 19.573 near Woodfords.

Nostalgia fast food with style - Returning to Rax

2026-09-19T18:12:23.500-04:00

Nostalgia. It sells. It evokes, and more accurately, warps memories of days gone by. Things were better, simpler, and we eat it up. Nostalgia can make you drive three hours and over a hundred miles out of your way just to reconnect with a dying fast-food restaurant you last enjoyed in the early to mid-90s. That person was me - that restaurant was Rax.

I could go on about Rax's history, but in short, Rax was briefly a very popular roast beef fast-food chain. Growing up in the 80s and early 90s in Western PA, Rax was the good fast-food spot. The milkshakes. (Personally, the chocolate chip milkshake was heaven.) Uncle Alligator Kids Meal with the chocolate chip cookie. Take that McDonald's Happy Meal! The fancy salad and hot foods bar. Going to Rax was special. Like so many similar restaurants, various investments, management decisions, etc., led Rax to almost disappear overnight. By the time I graduated college in late 1999, about 60 Rax remained - down from over 500 just ten years earlier.

Over the last 25 years, typical internet curiosity and rabbit holes had me watch Rax dwindle from 14 to 8, and now 6 (or possibly four). In 2017, I passed a Rax in Harlan, Kentucky, but made the mistake of not stopping. I vowed not to do that again.

Finally, nearly a decade later, I did it. On a recent trip from Charlotte to Pittsburgh, I took the detour to the Lancaster, Ohio Rax. A bucket list item, a pilgrimage, but honestly, I was chasing nostalgia. What I found was a mix of memories and a hard dose of reality.

Unfortunately, the lobby at the Lancaster, Ohio Rax was closed.

When I arrived at Rax, it looked just like the restaurants I remembered. The logo inside the trapezoidal sign, the solarium (it wasn't just at Wendy's), the burgundy and white, were all there. It was like 1989 again at Rostraver. But it was different: an empty parking lot and, at the entrance, a sign that read, "Lobby closed due to staffing." Yes, a sign of the times, but the first smack of reality.

I wanted to go inside, sit down, revisit the glass-walled sunroom. I couldn't; instead, an employee on break sat in that familiar glass enclosure enjoying a roast beef sandwich.

So, it was to the drive-thru. Pulling up to the ancient order board with updated pricing taped to the display, I began to worry about how disappointing this experience would be. But quickly, an energetic voice came through the speaker: "Welcome to Rax. May I take your order?" I ordered a beef & cheddar, curly fries, and a chocolate chip milkshake. (Mike Lange would always say, "That hasn't happened since the eighth-grade picnic." It may have been the eighth grade when I last had a Rax Chocolate Chip Milkshake.)

The drive-thru menu board hangs on.

Two cars were in front of me, but they moved quickly. I pulled up to the window and started a conversation with the cheerful woman working the drive-thru. I asked if they get a lot of people from Pittsburgh making the three-hour drive just to eat at Rax. She said there are plenty. She then asked if I was the guy from Pittsburgh who called today to see if they sold their "Rax: Fast Food With Style" t-shirts. (I wasn't, and they should.)

She explained they only have five locations remaining and then said maybe four. She heard that another location in Ohio is currently closed. "The guy who owns us now lives in Ohio," she explained. "He wants to bring Rax back. I hope they don't shut them all down."

The Rax had four people working when I came through. Recently, they have reopened on Saturdays due to adding staff. In addition to the lobby being closed, the restaurant is closed on Sunday.

My order - Rax Beef & Cheddar sandwich, curly fries, and a chocolate chip milkshake.

I paid for my meal, took the best peek I could of the inside; the decor is definitely dated, got my meal, and left. I decided to eat in the parking lot and take as much as I could in. The beef and cheddar was nothing special, rather bland. The curly fries were well seasoned and freshly fried. But the chocolate chip milkshake was exactly what I remembered, even the clumps of chocolate chips and shavings at the bottom. Maybe even better. It was delicious.

With that first taste of my milkshake, a fond smile came across my face as I recalled my parents taking us to Rax. I found myself remembering as much detail as I could: the inside decor, the Uncle Alligator cardboard cutout, and ohhhh that chocolate chip milkshake.

Then it was time to go. Time to move on. Thanks for the memories, Rax. Tell Uncle Alligator his kids' meals were the best.

All photos taken by post author, September 4, 2026.

How To Get There:

Nevada State Route 120

2026-09-18T04:00:00.073-04:00

Nevada State Route 120 is rural state highway located near Fallon in Churchill County. Nevada State Route 120 begins at US Route 95 (Schurz Highway) and extends 6.26 miles along Pasture Road to the original alignment of US Route 50 at Berney Road (now Nevada State Route 119). Nevada State Route 120 was commissioned during July 1976 and serves to funnel traffic from US Route 95 to the original gate to Naval Air Station Fallon.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 120

Modern Nevada State Route 120 is aligned on Pasture Road eastward from US Route 95 in the vicinity of the shore of Carson Lake. Nevada State Route 120 terminates at Nevada State Route 119 (formerly US Route 50 on Berney Road) near the entrance gates to Naval Air Station Fallon.

Naval Air Station Fallon was commissioned and constructed in 1942 following the United States entering World War II. Originally Naval Air Station Fallon was part of a defensive network of bases east of the Sierra Nevada range which was commissioned to repel a potential Japanese invasion. After World War II the air station would be turned over to the Bureau of Indian Affairs between 1946-1951. The facility would be reactivated as a Naval Auxiliary Air Station in 1951.

Originally the main entrance to the Naval Air Station Fallon was located off of what was then US Route 50 along Berney Road. This original entrance gate can be seen on the 1951 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink. The same map displays Pasture Road extending south on Berney Road to US Route 95 via a series of 90 degree turns near the Greenhead Duck Club.

Pasture Road between US Route 95 and then US Route 50 at Berney Road can be seen straightened on the 1957 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County. The map displays the recently straightened segment of Pasture Road as Federal Aid Secondary Route 51.

On January 1, 1972, the Navy would upgrade the auxiliary status at Fallon to a full air station. The recommissioned Naval Air Station Fallon would go through an expansion which would see construction of a housing annex and new main entrance near the intersection of Union Lane and Pasture Road.

On July 1, 1976, the state would commission Nevada State Route 120 to serve the original entrance of Naval Air Station Fallon. Nevada State Route 120 originated at US Route 95 and followed Pasture Road along Carson Lake to Nevada State Route 119 at Berney Road. Nevada State Route 120 has never been altered since being commissioned and is 6.26 miles in length.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 120

Nevada State Route 120 begins along Pasture Road south of Nevada State Route 119 (Berney Road).

Nevada State Route 120 curves softly to the west near the shore of Carson Lake.

Nevada State Route 120 terminates at US Route 95.

Nevada State Route 118

2026-09-16T04:00:00.099-04:00

Nevada State Route 118 is an approximately 3.48-mile rural highway located in Churchill County. Nevada State Route 118 begins at Harrigan Road (former US Route 50 and current Nevada State Route 115) and extends eastward along Wildes Road to New River Canal at the northern boundary of Naval Air Station Fallon. This corridor was originally designated in 1939 in Nevada State Route 62 which served the air station radio range. The current highway number of 118 was designated as part of the 1976 Nevada State Highway renumbering.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 118

Nevada State Route 118 follows Wildes Road east from Schurz Highway (US Route 95) from the outskirts of Fallon. Wildes Road was constructed alongside the L Line Canal which connects to Stillwater Slough.

Wildes Road can be seen alongside L Line Canal east from Fallon to Stillwater Slough on the 1908 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink. Wildes Road is shown to cross the Old Carson River channel near Harmon Road.

The predecessor designation to Nevada State Route 118 was Nevada State Route 62. Nevada State Route 62 first appears on the 1940 Nevada Department of Highways map and was commissioned in 1939. Nevada State Route 62 began at US Route 50 (Harrigan Road) and followed Wildes Road approximately 3.5 miles to the east.

The 1951 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink displays the terminus of Nevada State Route 62 at New River Canal. Wildes Road is shown to continue a short distance east to the Naval Auxiliary Air Station Fallon radio range.

The 1969 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County displays Wildes Road as having been extended from the terminus of Nevada State Route 62 to US Route 50. The non-State Highway portion of Wildes Road is shown to be a gravel surface.

On July 1, 1976, the Nevada State Highway Renumbering took place. Nevada State Route 62 was renumbered as Nevada State Route 118. The modern State Highway corridor has never been extended eastward to US Route 50.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 118

Nevada State Route 118 begins on Wildes Road east of Harrigan Road (Nevada State Route 115).

Nevada State Route 118 departs the Fallon area heading eastward and intersects Pasture Road. Pasture Road is signed as being the primary access route to Naval Air Station Fallon.

Nevada State Route 118 terminates along Wildes Road at New River Canal. Wildes Road continues for approximately 2 miles east to US Route 50.

The alignment history of US Routes 50 and 95 in Fallon

2026-09-14T04:00:00.378-04:00

Fallon has been the seat of Churchill County since 1904 and during the automotive era has been part of numerous historic highways. Fallon was first designated as part of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and was part of three distinct alignment generations of the trans-continental corridor. By November 1926 the last generation of the Lincoln Highway in Fallon was repurposed as part of US Route 50. By 1939 US Route 95 was aligned through Fallon when the corridor was extended through Nevada to Blythe, California.

The current alignments of US Routes 50 and 95 began to evolve during the 1950s and would be in place by 1959. Numerous older segments of US Route 50 since 1976 have been repurposed as Nevada State Routes 115 and 119. This blog serves as an examination of the alignment history of the US Routes and the Lincoln Highway within the Fallon area.

Early US Route 50 and Nevada State Route 1A (later US Route 95) can be seen passing through Fallon the 1937 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County.

Part 1; the history of US Routes 50 and 95 in Fallon

The Fallon city plot can be seen on the 1908 United States Geological Survey map. The Fallon city plot was based around the north/south oriented Maine Street.

Maine Street in downtown Fallon can be seen below in January 1913 (University of Nevada, Reno photo).

During 1912 Indiana Businessman Carl G. Fisher conceptualized the Lincoln Highway as a major transcontinental Auto Trail. The Lincoln Highway was formally dedicated on October 31, 1913, and would pass through Fallon. The Lincoln Highway initially used the following alignment heading westbound in Fallon:

- Berney Road

- Perimeter Road

- A no longer existing east/west road through Naval Air Station Fallon

- Union Lane

- Testolin Road

- Drumm Lane

- Harrigan Road

- Stillwater Avenue

- East Street

- Center Street

- Maine Street

- Williams Avenue

- Auction Road towards a no longer existing bridge at the Carson River

The initial alignment of the Lincoln Highway through Fallon can be seen as a blue line on the official Lincoln Highway Association map.

The Nevada Department of Highways was commissioned on March 23, 1917. The department would adopt numerous major highway corridors to be improved as modern automotive roadways. Much of the existing Lincoln Highway corridor including Fallon would become part of Nevada State Route 2.

Planned Nevada State Route 2 can be seen on the 1917-1918 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial. The planned state highway corridor through Fallon was shown to be proposed to follow much of the original routing of the Lincoln Highway.

The Lincoln Highway would be shifted onto an alignment through Stillwater via used to the Stillwater Mountains to avoid the flood prone Fallon Sink. West of Stillwater the second-generation Lincoln Highway followed Stillwater Road and entered downtown Fallon on Stillwater Avenue. The Stillwater alignment of the Lincoln Highway was intended to be temporary, and was addressed in the 1917-1918 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial.

A new concrete bridge carrying the Lincoln Highway over the Carson River west of downtown Fallon was featured in the 1919-1920 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial. This then new crossing shifted the highway to the south as an extension of Williams Avenue. The previous span had been located along Auction Road and was in danger of collapse.

The second generation of the Lincoln Highway in the Fallon area was short lived and would be replaced during the early 1920s. The Lincoln Highway Association contributed funding to the Nevada Department of Highways to construct 17.3 miles of new roadway over the Fallon Sink between Sand Springs and Grimes Ranch (1919-1920 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial).

Construction of the new grade of Nevada State Route 2 at Fallon Sink can be seen in the 1919-1920 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial.

The 1919-1920 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial referenced the Fallon Sink as being infamously known as the most haggard segment of the Lincoln Highway.

The 1921-1922 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial announced that the new alignment of Nevada State Route 2 and the Lincoln Highway was completed during early 1922. The roadway was found to be insufficiently graded which required correction via numerous additional contracts.

The 1923-1924 Nevade Department of Highways Biennial reported approximately 6.22 miles of the Lincoln Highway was surfaced during recent contracts. The paving included 1.22 miles of Portland Cement in downtown Fallon.

The third generation of the Lincoln Highway heading westbound was shifted onto an alignment which used Berney Road and Harrigan Road towards Stillwater Avenue in Fallon. When the US Route System was finalized by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on November 11, 1926, the corridor US Route 50 would follow the third generation Lincoln Highway through Fallon.

Early US Route 50 in the Fallon area can be seen on the 1927 National Map Company Highway Map of California.

The first over reference to Nevada State Route 1A first appears in the 1927-1928 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial. The corridor was referenced as part of a survey ordered between Schurz and a point 7.5 miles north of Fallon. Nevada State Route 2A originated as Nevada State Route 3 in Schurz and spanned north via Fallon to US Route 40 at Fanning siding.

Nevada State Route 1A can be seen in detail on the 1929 Nevada Department of Highways map.

The 1929-1930 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported that much of Nevada State Route 1A between Schurz and Fallon had been constructed biennium period. The project was part of a general program intended to improve highway access north of Hawthorne along Walker Lake.

The same biennial featured a photo of US Route 50 at the Fallon Sink near Four Mile and Eight Mile Flats.

The 1930-1932 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial announced that Nevada State Route 1A had been constructed to state standards south of Fallon to the Mineral County line. The improvements were funded by 1931 legislative allocations. Nevada State Route 1A south of US Route 50 in downtown Fallon initially used Maine Street and Schurz Highway.

Early US Route 50 and Nevada State Route 1A can be seen passing through Fallon the 1937 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County. Westbound US Route 50 can be seen using Harrigan Road, Stillwater Avenue, East Street, Center Street, Maine Street and Williams Avenue to pass through Fallon. Nevada State Route 1A can be seen using Maine Street and Schurz Highway through Fallon.

The AASHO Executive Secretary advised the Highway Engineers of; California, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho in a letter dated July 7, 1939, that Executive Committee approved the extension of US Route 95 to Blythe, California. The extension of US Route 95 into California was contingent upon the completion of the Idaho-Oregon-Nevada Highway #456 in Oregon. The extension of US Route 95 to California brought it through Fernley via multiplex of US Route 40 where the former split east towards Fallon via Main Street.

US Route 95 was intended to branch from US Route 40 via Nevada State Route 1A towards Fallon. A June 10, 1939, letter by the Nevada Highway Engineer notes the condition of Nevada State Route 1A north of Fallon was poor. A temporary alignment of US Route 95 via multiplex of US Route 40 to Fernley is cited as being recommended until Nevada State Route 1A was brought to higher standards. The Nevada Highway Engineer expressed desire to have US Route 95 aligned through Yerington temporarily instead of backtracking eastward to Fallon.

US Routes 50 and 95 can be seen multiplexing from Fernley to Fallon on the 1940 Official Road Map of Nevada. Within Fallon US Route 95 branched south to Schurz via Nevada State Route 1A.

The AASHO Executive Committee notified the State of Nevada of an approved request to create an alternative alignment of US Route 95 originating in Fernley on July 1, 1940. US Route 95A was requested to branch from US Route 95 via US Route 40/Main Street in Fernley, south on Nevada State Route 2B to Yerington and east via Nevada State Route 3 to mainline US Route 95 in Schurz.

US Route 95A can be seen for the first time originating at Fernley on the 1941 Nevada Department of Highways Map.

In 1955 the Nevada Department of Highways rerouted the mainline of US Route 50 in Fallon. The mainline highway followed US Route 95 through downtown along Maine Street and Schurz Highway to Berney Road. The department created a US Route 50A which followed the original alignment east of Maine Street via Center Street, East Street, Stillwater Avenue and Harrigan Road. The realignment of US Route 50 and creation of US Route 50A were both made without a formal request to the AASHO Executive Committee. The changes in Fallon appear first appear on the 1956 Nevada Department of Highways map and Shell Highway of Nevada.

The alignments of US Routes 50, 50A and 95 in Fallon can be seen in detail on the 1957 Nevada Department of Highways map of Churchill County.

On June 11, 1959, mainline US Route 95 was approved by the AASHO Executive Committee to be relocated onto Nevada State Route 1A directly to Fallon after it had been modernized. The AASHO also approved a request by the State of Nevada to maintain alternative alignment of US Route 95A via multiplex of US Route 40 to Fernley onwards towards Yerington.

The then new alignment of US Route 50 east of Fallon bypassing Naval Auxiliary Air Station can be seen on the 1960 Nevada Department of Highways map. A portion of Nevada State Route 42 east of downtown Fallon was repurposed as part of the realignment US Route 50 east of downtown Fallon. US Routes 50 and 95 were both realigned off Maine Street and onto Taylor Street which provided more streamlined continuity with Schurz Highway. US Route 50A was eliminated as Berney Road no longer was continuous through military property. US Route 95 can be seen aligned directly north of downtown Fallon to US Route 40 near Fanning siding via a newly surfaced Nevada State Route 1A.

Harrigan Road and Berney Road were both initially retained as unnumbered State Highways. As part of the wider 1976 Nevada State Highway Renumbering Berney Road was assigned as Nevada State Route 119 whereas Harrigan Road was assigned as Nevada State Route 115. Nevada State Route 119 begins at US Route 95 and follows Berney Road 4.137 miles east to the Beach Road gate to Naval Air Station Fallon. Nevada State Route 115 originates at Berney Road and follows Harrigan Road 4.822 miles north to Stillwater Avenue in Fallon.

Part 2; a drive on modern US Route 50 in Fallon

Eastbound US Route 50 meets US Route 50A near the site of Leetville siding. US Route 50A connects to Fernley and was requested by the Nevada Department of Highways during July 1940. AASHO originally denied the request for the designation for US Route 50A, but the Nevada Department of Highways signed it anyway. The Nevada Department of Transportation would request for the designation to be formalized by AASHTO during April 1997 which was ultimately approved.

US Route 50 east of US Route 50A is a four-lane corridor known as the Reno Highway. US Route 50 intersects Nevada State Route 117 at Sheckler Cutoff Road and Nevada State Route 715 at McLean Road.

US Route 50 enters Fallon on Williams Avenue and intersects US Route 95 at Taylor Street.

US Route 50 eastbound and US Route 95 northbound multiplex on Williams Avenue in downtown Fallon to Maine Street. US Route 95 branches north on Maine Street towards Interstate 80 whereas US Route 50 continues east towards Grimes Point and Austin. The Churchill County Courthouse is located at the northwest intersection of Williams Avenue and Maine Street. The current courthouse was constructed in 1903 during the transition of the Churchill County seat from Stillwater to Fallon.

Part 3; a drive on Berney Road (former US Route 50 and current Nevada State Route 119)

Westbound Nevada State Route 119 begins at the Beach Road gate for Naval Air Station Fallon. As noted in Part 1 Berney Road was part of US Route 50 until 1959 when the runway facility at the air station expanded.

Westbound Nevada State Route 119 intersects southbound Nevada State Route 120 at Pasture Road.

Westbound Nevada State Route 119 intersects northbound Nevada State Route 115 at Harrigan Road. Harrigan Road between 1926-1955 carried mainline US Route 50 and US Route 50A from 1956-1959. The 1956-1959 alignment of mainline US Route 50 continued west on Berney Road to US Route 95.

Westbound Nevada State Route 119 terminates at US Route 95.

Part 4; a drive on Harrigan Road (former US Route 50 and current Nevada State Route 115)

Nevada State Route 115 begins via a northward jog from Berney Road onto Harrigan Road.

Nevada State Route 115 intersects Nevada State Route 720 at Union Lane.

Northbound Nevada State Route 115 intersects Nevada State Route 118 at Wildes Road.

Northbound Nevada State Route 115 follows Harrigan Road and enters the city of Fallon. Nevada State Route 115 terminates at the intersection of Harrigan Road and Stillwater Avenue. Prior to 1959 eastbound Nevada State Route 42 branched right on Stillwater Avenue towards Stillwater. The 1926-1955 alignment of westbound US Route 50 and 1956-1959 alignment of US Route 50A turned left on Stillwater Avenue towards downtown Fallon.

The original alignment of US Route 50 followed Stillwater Avenue westward and made a right-hand turn on East Street.

The original alignment of westbound US Route 50 turned from East Street via a left-hand turn onto Center Street.

The original alignment of westbound US Route 50 turned right from Center Street onto Maine Street.

The original alignment of US Route 50 followed Maine Street to Williams Avenue where it consolidates with the modern highway. Most of the buildings along Maine Street in downtown Fallon were reconstructed following an earthquake in 1954. The repairs often included slipcovers atop the original facade and awnings over the entrances. Maine Street was added to the National Register of Historical Places on June 27, 2019.

Part 5; the original alignment of US Route 95 on Maine Street

Between 1939 and 1955 US Route 95 was aligned on Maine Street between Schurz Highway and Williams Avenue. The Maine Street corridor begins south of downtown Fallon via a soft transition from Schurz Highway near Wildes Road.

Northbound US Route 95 originally intersected US Route 50 along Maine Street at Center Street. US Routes 95 and 50 both originally followed Maine Street through downtown Fallon and turned left at Williams Avenue. Prior to 1959 Maine Street north of Williams Avenue was a standalone sub-standard Nevada State Route 1A.

Nevada State Route 720 to Naval Air Station Fallon

2026-09-11T04:00:00.091-04:00

Nevada State Route 720 is rural state highway located near Fallon in Churchill County. Nevada State Route 720 begins at US Route 95 (Schurz Highway) and extends 3.248 miles eastward to the main entrance of Naval Air Station Road. Approximately 3 miles of Nevada State Route 720 are carried by Union Lane whereas the remaining 0.248 miles is carried by Pasture Road.

Nevada State Route 720 was commissioned during July 1976 to serve the then new main entrance of Naval Air Station Fallon. The prior main entrance was located along Berney Road (now Nevada State Route 119) which carried US Route 50 until 1959.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 720

Much of Nevada State Route 720 is aligned over Union Lane and L2 Drain. L2 Drain is one of the many irrigation ditches surrounding the city of Fallon which draws irrigation water from the Carson River. The 1908 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink Displays Union Lane originating (marked with a blue pin) at what is now Schurz Highway (US Route 95) and extending approximately two miles east of Pasture Road into what is now Naval Air Station Fallon.

Originally the main entrance to the Naval Air Station Fallon was located off of what was then US Route 50 along Berney Road. This original entrance gate can be seen on the 1951 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Sink. The same map displays Union Lane truncated to Pasture Road at the western air station boundary (marked with a blue pin).

On July 1, 1976, the state would commission Nevada State Route 720 to serve the main entrance of Naval Air Station Fallon. Nevada State Route 720 began at US Route 95 (Schurz Highway) and branched eastward to the main air station gate via Union Lane and Pasture Road. Nevada State Route 720 has never been altered since being commissioned and is 3.248 miles in length.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 720

Eastbound Nevada State Route 720 branches from US Route 95 along Union Lane. The eastbound start of the highway is marked with a "begin" placard.

Eastbound Nevada State Route 720 crosses over Nevada State Route 115 at Harrigan Road (the original alignment of US Route 50).

As eastbound Nevada State Route 720 reaches the end of Union Lane where it makes a left-hand turn onto Pasture Road.

The remaining balance of eastbound Nevada State Route 720 briefly jogs north to the main entrance of Naval Air Station Fallon. Authorized traffic can access the main air station entrance in addition to the housing annex gate.

In 1996 the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) relocated from Naval Air Station Miramar to Naval Air Station Fallon. Naval Air Station Fallon is largely known as a training base in modern times and often hosts visiting tenant commands. Authorized visitors to the facility can access an outdoor museum comprised mostly of decommissioned Navy aircraft.

Six Mile Canyon Road departing Virginia City

2026-09-09T04:00:00.142-04:00

Six Mile Canyon Road is an approximately 8-mile-long highway which serves the Virginia City area. Six Mile Canyon Road begins at Nevada State Route 341 (C Street) in Virginia City. From Virginia City the course of Six Mile Canyon Road descends rapidly through the namesake Six Mile Canyon and enters Dayton in Lyon County. Six Mile Canyon Road terminates at the intersection of US Route 50 and Fort Churchill Road.

Six Mile Canyon Road has been in use as a highway corridor since the Comstock Lode was struck in 1859. The Six Mile Canyon corridor historically was the only roadway which served Virginia City that was never part of a toll franchise. Six Mile Canyon Road was designated as Nevada State Route 79 between World War II and the 1976 State Highway Renumbering.

Six Mile Canyon Road was paved during the late 1980s and was considered for inclusion back into the State Highway System three times during the 1990s. Storey County considered tolling Six Mile Canyon Road after the corridor was closed due to flood damage during December 2005.

Part 1; the history of Six Mile Canyon Road

Six Mile Canyon Road as the name suggests is aligned through Six Mile Canyon in the Virginia Mountains. This corridor begins at Nevada State Route 341 (C Street) in Virginia City. From Virginia City the path of Six Mile Canyon Road descends rapidly to the Carson Plains where it terminates at US Route 50 and Fort Churchill Road at the outskirts of Dayton. Historically Six Mile Canyon Road facilitated direct access for traffic following the California Trail west from Ragtown and Fort Churchill to Virginia City.

In 1859 the Comstock Lode would be discovered in the Virginia Mountains which led to the establishment of Virginia City. Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin are generally credited with the discovery of the Comstock Lode. The silver deposit was ultimately named after Canadian miner Henry Comstock. Henry Comstock was an early investor in the mines around Virginia City but sold his interests before generating much profit.

The rise of Virginia City was rapid as it grew numerous miners from exhausted placer claims in California. The community had a population of approximately 3,000 in 1862 which quickly rose to around 15,000 by 1863. Virginia City has been the Storey County seat since it was created in 1861. Storey County is named after Captain Farris Storey who had been killed in the 1860 Pyramid Lake War.

In 1860, a group of Paiutes and Bannocks attacked the California Trail locale of Williams Station on the Carson River. The attack was spurred as retaliation against the owners of Williams Station for having kidnapped and raped two Paiute girls. This incident spurred the larger Pyramid Lake War which led to the establishment of Fort Churchill on the Carson River. Construction on Fort Churchill began on July 20, 1860, and the fortification was complete by 1861.

Ragtown was an emigrant station located east of Fort Churchill along the California Trail near modern day Fallon. The community's name was a reference to the tattered garments hung by travelers who had just crossed the Forty Mile Desert. Ragtown had Post Office service from May 14, 1864-May 29, 1867, and from May 5, 1884-April 19, 1887.

Six Mile Canyon was one of the original roadway corridors used to reach by Virginia City. The canyon was reportedly in use by miners arriving from the eastern states along the California Trail as early as 1859. The Six Mile Canyon Road was unusual as it was the only corridor to Virginia City that was never part of a franchise toll road.

Franchise toll rights granted in Nevada Territory beginning in 1861 were for a period of 20 years. When Nevada became a state in 1864 the previous franchise toll rights were honored. The Nevada Department of Transportation records indicate 117 franchise toll roads have historically existed in the state.

A road leading from the California Trail into Six Mile Canyon appears on the 1863 DeGroot's map of Nevada Territory.

Six Mile Canyon Road can be seen in an undated photo (Virginia City Facebook group).

The start of Six Mile Canyon Road east from C Street in Virginia City can be seen below in an 1866 photo (Virginia City Facebook group).

The Empire State Mill can be seen below along Six Mile Canyon Road in the 1870s (Nevada Ghost Towns and Historic Sites photo).

By the mid-1870s Virginia City reached a population of around 25,000. On October 26, 1875, Virginia City would be engulfed by the so-called "Great Fire." The Great Fire left 2,000 homeless and is generally considered to be the start of the decline for the Comstock Lode communities. In 1878 rich gold ore deposits around Bodie, California would draw many of the miners from Storey County. The population of Storey County dropped from 16,115 in 1880 to 8,806 by 1890.

The Nevada Department of Highways was created was created on March 23, 1917. Storey County was initially excluded from the initial run of State Highways (1919-1920 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial).

The Six Mile Canyon Road was commissioned as Nevada State Route 79 along with the upper part of Dayton Toll Road (as Nevada State Route 80) at some point between 1942-1943 during World War II. Nevada State Route 79 and 80 can be seen on the 1944 State Farm map of Nevada.

Nevada State Route 79 and Six Mile Canyon Road can be seen in detail on the 1950 Nevada Department of Highways map of Storey County.

The 1973 Federal Highway Act required counties to reclassify roadways. Six Mile Canyon Road did not meet the specifications for being included as a Federal Aid Secondary corridor. Thusly Nevada State Route 79 was dropped completely as part of the wider 1976 Nevada State Highway Renumbering.

Storey County would begin to pave Six Mile Canyon Road in the late 1980s to facilitate access for buses and emergency vehicles. Six Mile Canyon Road was ultimately rejected by the Nevada legislature for inclusion as a State Highway in 1993, 1995 and 1997.

Six Mile Canyon Road was closed following heavy storm damage on December 31, 2005. Storey County proposed an ordinance to convert Six Mile Canyon Road as a toll road corridor, but the measure proved unpopular. Six Mile Canyon Road would be repaired and reopened to traffic on June 21, 2006.

Part 2; a drive on Six Mile Canyon Road

Eastbound Six Mile Canyon Road begins in Virginia City at Nevada State Route 341 (C Street).

Eastbound Six Mile Canyon Road begins at an elevation of 6,146 feet above sea level. The first eastbound mile of Six Mile Canyon Road rapidly descends out of Virginia City and has gradients as steep as 10.4%.

Six Mile Road winds through the namesake Six Mile Canyon over the course of approximately 5 miles. The roadway enters Lyon County, Carson Valley and the outskirts of Dayton at approximately 4,500 feet above sea level.

Six Mile Canyon Road passes through Dayton where the corridor terminates at the intersection of US Route 50 and Fort Churchill Road. Fort Churchill Road prior to 1976 was part of Nevada State Route 2B and is mostly unpaved. Fort Churchill was abandoned in 1869 and became a Nevada State Park in 1957.

Nevada State Route 342 (the climb through Devil's Gate to Virginia City)

2026-09-07T04:00:00.313-04:00

Nevada State Route 342 is an approximately 3.780-mile State Highway located in the Virginia City area. Nevada State Route 342 forms a loop of Nevada State Route 341 and the Occidental Grade. Nevada State Route 342 contains gradients approaching 15% and passes through the formation known as Devil's Gate.

Nevada State Route 342 is a portion of the larger historic Dayton Toll Road. The Dayton Toll Road was constructed north of Dayton to Virginia City via Devil's Gate shortly after the Comstock Lode was struck in 1859. The communities of Gold Hill and Silver City are both components of the Dayton Toll Road corridor.

The segment of the Dayton Toll Road north of the bottom of the Occidental Grade to Virginia City was added to the State Highway System as part of Nevada State Route 17 during the 1925-1926 biennial period. The upper part of the Dayton Toll Road would be removed from the State Highway System when Nevada State Route 17 was realigned onto the Occidental Grade in 1936. Despite the upper segment being relinquished the lower portion of the Dayton Toll Road south of the Occidental Grade to Dayton was added the same year as Nevada State Route 51.

The upper portion of the Dayton Toll Road would be added back to the State Highway System as Nevada State Route 80 during World War II. In 1964 the lower portion would be renumbered as Nevada State Route 93 to accommodate the second iteration of Nevada State Route 51 acting as a continuation of Idaho State Route 51. The lower portion of the Dayton Toll Road was dropped as part of the 1976 State Highway Renumbering whereas the upper portion was assigned as Nevada State Route 342.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 342

Historically what is now Nevada State Route 342 was a component of the Dayton Toll Road. Said toll road connected Dayton to Virginia City via Silver City, Devil's Gate and Gold Hill. The corridor is known for being the most direct route to Virginia City which is carried by gradients approaching 15%.

Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin are generally credited with the discovery of the Comstock Lode. The silver deposit was ultimately named after Canadian miner Henry Comstock. Henry Comstock was an early investor in the mines around Virginia City but sold his interests before generating much profit.

Gold Hill is a small community located on the Storey County side of the Dayton Toll Road corridor and was established in 1859. The community functionally was a suburb of Virginia City which was located near several major mines. Gold Hill reportedly had a population of 8,000 residents by 1877.

Silver City is located in Lyon County just south of Devil's Gate. The Devil's Gate Mining District was established during November 1859. By January 1860 over 100 mining claims in the district had been filed which led to the establishment of the community of Silver City. Silver City was never quite as prosperous as the Comstock Lode towns in Storey County and only reached a peak population of approximately 1,200.

The Dayton Toll Road can be seen passing through Silver City below in an 1860 photo (attribution unknown).

The Dayton Toll Road can be seen on the 1863 DeGroot's map of Nevada Territory.

The Dayton Toll Road can be seen below circa 1865 at Devil's Gate (photo attribution unknown). Devil's Gate marks the location of the Storey County/Lyon County line.

The Dayton Toll Road can be seen passing through Devil's Gate during 1866 towards Gold Hill (Library of Congress photos).

Silver City and Dayton would be bypassed by the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in 1869 which reduced the profile of both communities to a degree. In the 1860s the Occidental Claim had been staked east of Silver City and Gold Hill. While the Occidental Claim was generally not very successful it did lead to the establishment of the Occidental Grade. The Occidental Grade had a far less steep gradient than the Dayton Toll Road and was easier to travel along.

The Dayton Toll Road can be seen below in 1870 facing south from Devil's Gate towards Silver City (Nevada Ghost Towns and Historic Sites photo).

The Dayton Toll Road corridor can be seen in contrast to the Occidental Grade and Virginia & Truckee Railroad on the 1891 United States Geological Survey map of Carson Valley.

Below the Dayton Toll Road can be seen passing through a nearly abandoned Gold Hill in 1915 (University of Southern California Libraries).

The 1921-1922 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial listed legislative recommendations to State Highway System. The list included adding a State Highway north of the Dayton-Carson Road (the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway) to Virginia City.

The 1925-1926 Nevada Department of Highway Biennial announced Nevada State Route 17 as a new highway serving Virginia City. The then new state highway corridor originated as Nevada State Route 3 near Reno and followed the Geiger Grade to Virginia City. From Virginia City the corridor of Nevada State Route 17 followed the old Dayton Toll Road through Gold Hill, Devil's Gate and Silver City before branching away towards Mound House at the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway (Nevada State Route 2A).

The 1927-1928 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported that Nevada State Route 17 in Gold Hill (C Street) had been improved in a cooperative between the state and Storey County.

This view faces southward on early Nevada State Route 17 at a deteriorating Gold Hill circa 1931 (Pomona Library photo).

The 1934-1936 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial reported that survey work had been conducted to realign Nevada State Route 17 south of Virginia City through the Occidental Mining District. The preliminary survey did not find a new highway location which would not disrupt active mining in the area.

The same volume reported that the Nevada State Route 17 was relocated off the upper part of the Dayton Toll Road onto the Occidental Grade in 1936. The alignment shift was part of larger overall highway improvements to roads reaching Virginia City. The Geiger Grade was also heavily modified to permit modernized highway travel.

In 1936 the portion of the Dayton Toll Road below the Occidental Grade was commissioned as Nevada State Route 51 which terminated at US Route 50 in Dayton. The full Dayton Toll Road corridor can be seen on the 1937 Nevada Department of Highways map of Storey County and Lyon County.

The upper part of the Dayton Toll Road was commissioned as Nevada State Route 80 at some point between 1942-1943 during World War II. Nevada State Route 80 can be seen on the 1944 State Farm map of Nevada.

Nevada State Route 80 can be seen in detail on the Nevada Department of Highways maps of Storey County (1950 edition) and Lyon County (1953 edition).

In 1964 portions of Nevada States Routes 11, 11A and 43 were renumbered as the second iteration of Nevada State Route 51. This renumbering was done to provide continuity with Idaho State Route 51 from the Nevada state line near Owyhee south to Elko. The original Nevada State Route 51 on the lower portion of the Dayton Toll Road was renumbered as Nevada State Route 93. Nevada State Route 93 can be seen in detail on the 1965-1966 Nevada Department of Transportation map.

In 1976 the Nevada State Highway Renumbering took place. The State Highway system was reorganized into numbers centric to geographic areas. Additionally numerous minor State Highways were dropped. The upper portion of the Dayton Toll Road through Silver City, Devil's Gate and Gold Hill was renumbered from Nevada State Route 80 to Route 342. The lower portion of the Dayton Toll Road between the Occidental Grade and Dayton which was Nevada State Route 93 was dropped from the State Highway System.

Modern Nevada State Route 342 first appears on the 1977-1978 Nevada Department of Highways map.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 342

Northbound Nevada State Route 342 splits from Nevada State Route 341 near Silver City. Traffic is advised of the steep grades approaching 15% on Nevada State Route 342. The lower portion of the Dayton Toll Road can be found a short distance east of the Nevada State Route 341/342 junction.

Nevada State Route 342 passes through Silver City and enters Storey County at Devil's Gate.

Nevada State Route 342 enters Gold Hill and crosses over the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. The last freight train to make the climb from Mound House to Virginia City had run in 1938 and the line went defunct by 1950. In 1972 Virginia City railroad enthusiast purchased the Virginia & Truckee Railroad right-of-way. The railroad has been since rebuilt as a heritage line between Carson City and Virginia City.

Nevada State Route 342 climbs through two switchbacks and enters Virginia City along C Street. Nevada State Route 342 terminates at Nevada State Route 341 atop the Occidental Grade.

Nevada State Route 341 is carried through downtown Virginia City along C Street. As the highway departs downtown towards Geiger Grade it intersects Six Mile Canyon Road which was once Nevada State Route 79.

Mormon Emigrant Trail (Emergency US Route 50 Alternate)

2026-09-04T04:00:00.101-04:00

Mormon Emigrant Trail is an approximately 24.5-mile portion of the original routing of the Carson Pass Highway in Eldorado National Forest. Mormon Emigrant Trail begins at California State Route 88 near Alder Hill and extends westward to Eldorado County Route J16 at Sly Park Road.

Carson Pass was a known crossing of the Sierra Nevada by the Washoe and was surveyed in an 1844 expedition led by John C. Fremont. The Carson Pass Highway was plotted as a wagon road by the Mormon Battalion in 1848 and was once the primary crossing of the Sierra Nevada. By the 1880s the Carson Pass Highway had several spurs with the primary traffic corridor being rerouted to Jackson. The original routing towards Placerville would come to be known as Morman Emigrant Trail and became part of Eldorado National Forest in 1910.

Morman Emigrant Trail is part of Forest Road 10N50 and Eldorado National Forest Route 5. Despite being a seasonally maintained roadway corridor Morman Emigrant Trail is occasionally pressed into service as US Route 50 Alternate. During the winter of 1997/1998 large slides closed US Route 50 over Echo Summit. US Route 50 Alternate was commissioned following Sly Park Road on County Route E16, Mormon Emigrant Trail, California State Route 88 and California State Route 89. The designation despite being signed as an alternative it is intended to be used only during emergencies on mainline US Route 50.

Part 1; the history of Mormon Emigrant Trail

Mormon Emigrant Trail is an original component of the Carson Pass Highway and is now maintained by Eldorado National Forest as Forest Road 10N50. Carson Pass Highway crests the Sierra Nevada range at the namesake Carson Pass located at 8,574 feet above sea level. Mormon Emigrant Trail is closed during winters by the Forest Service but occasionally gets pressed into service as US Route 50 Alternate.

The Goddard Survey later corroborated the findings of the Day Survey in that Johnson's Pass would be the desirable route of a Trans-Sierra Wagon Road.

The surveyed routes of Sherman Day over Johnson's Pass and Carson Pass.

The Carson Pass Highway can be seen originating east of Placerville, California and extending eastward towards Genoa, Nevada on the 1873 Bancroft's map.

On July 28, 1910, Eldorado National Forest was formally established along the corridor of Mormon Emigrant Trail. In 1911 the California Legislature would commission the Carson Pass Highway east from Jackson to Hope Valley as part of what would become Legislative Route Number 34. The specific wording legislation essentially formed a loop of the Sierra Nevada which included Luther Pass, the conceptual highway over Monitor Pass and the Big Trees Road over Ebbetts Pass:

Morman Emigrant Trail can be seen as a minor Forest Service Road on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Eldorado County. Morman Emigrant Trail is shown to originate at California State Route 8 near Alder Hill in Township 9 North, Range 16 East and extending west to Sly Park Road.

By 1940 Carson Pass Highway east of Jackson to the Nevada state line was renumbered as California State Route 88. This can be seen on the 1940 California Division of Highways map.

Originally Morman Emigrant Trail passed through what is now the Jenkinson Lake reservoir where it terminated at Sly Park Road. Sly Park Dam was constructed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation between 1953-1955. This construction required the relocation of Morman Emigrant Trail south of the site of Jenkinson Lake.

In modern times Morman Emigrant Trail is assigned as Forest Road 10N50 and as Eldorado National Forest Route 5. During the winter of 1997/1998 large slides closed US Route 50 over Echo Summit. US Route 50 Alternate was commissioned following Sly Park Road on County Route E16, Mormon Emigrant Trail, California State Route 88 and California State Route 89. The designation despite being signed as an alternative it is intended to be used only during emergencies on mainline US Route 50.

Caltrans never sought a formal designation of US Route 50 Alternate from the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials nor assumed maintenance of new roadway segments. Morman Emigrant Trail was repaved and had Postmile paddles affixed with "Route 50A" references to aid the California Highway Patrol. There is no clear evidence that US Route 50 Alternate signage still exists on Sly Park Road.

Part 2; scenes along Morman Emigrant Trail

These photos from March 2026 were taken from the transition from California State Route 88 onto Morman Emigrant Trail. Morman Emigrant Trail crests at 7,415 feet above sea level and was closed at the Iron Mountain Sno Park when these photos were taken.

US Route 50 Alternate signage still exists on Mormon Emigrant Trail. The below photo was taken by Josh Schmid during July 2022.

The same sign as it was during the winter of 2016 (Ray Mullins photo).

This view is along westbound Mormon Emigrant Trail (Josh Schmid photo).

Westbound County Route E16 follows a winding grade through the Sly Park area and intersects Morman Emigrant Trail at Jenkinson Lake. The Jenkinson Lake reservoir is primarily fed by Sly Creek. A highway sign references California State Route 88 being 24 miles away via eastbound Mormon Emigrant Trail.

Nevada State Route 88

2026-09-02T04:00:00.281-04:00

Nevada State Route 88 is a 7.868-mile corridor located in Carson Valley of Douglas County. Nevada State Route 88 is part of the Carson Pass Highway and a continuation of California State Route 88.

Carson Pass was a known crossing of the Sierra Nevada by the Washoe and was surveyed in an 1844 expedition led by John C. Fremont. The Carson Pass Highway was plotted as a wagon road by the Mormon Battalion in 1848 and was once the primary crossing of the Sierra Nevada. The Nevada portion of Carson Pass Highway was originally known as Woodfords Road and was part of Forest Route 4.

After Woodfords Road was improved via Federal funds in 1934 it became part of Nevada State Route 37. The corridor came to be known as part of the Carson Pass Highway and was renumbered to Nevada State Route 88 in 1956 to provide continuity with California State Route 88. Nevada State Route 88 is one of only three highways which still carries a pre-1976 Nevada State Highway numbering designations.

Part 1; the history of Nevada State Route 88

Nevada State Route 88 is a component of the Carson Pass Highway and a continuation of California State Route 88. Carson Pass Highway crests the Sierra Nevada range at the namesake Carson Pass located at 8,574 feet above sea level. The Carson Pass Highway is an all-year pass and occasionally gets pressed into service as US Route 50 Alternate.

The Goddard Survey later corroborated the findings of the Day Survey in that Johnson's Pass would be the desirable route of a Trans-Sierra Wagon Road.

The surveyed routes of Sherman Day over Johnson's Pass and Carson Pass.

The Carson Pass Highway can be seen originating east of Placerville, California and extending eastward towards Genoa, Nevada on the 1873 Bancroft's map.

Woodfords Road is referenced as part of Forest Route 4 in the July 1, 1932-June 30, 1934, Nevada Departments of Highways Biennial. The biennial announced that National Recovery Secondary highway funds were used to improve 3.99 miles of the corridor from Minden southward which included then new timber bridges. The biennial notes that improvements for the remainder of Woodfords Road to the California state line were anticipated to be completed within the next fiscal year. While not overtly stated in the biennial the intent of the project appears have been to annex Woodfords Road into the state highway system.

Nevada State Route 37 first appears applied to Woodfords Road on the 1935 Nevada Department of Highways map.

The 1936-1938 Nevada Department of Highways Biennial has Woodfords Road listed as part of Nevada State Route 37.

By 1940 Carson Pass Highway east of Jackson to the Nevada state line was renumbered as California State Route 88. This can be seen on the 1940 California Division of Highways map.

The 1951-1952 Nevada Department of Highways biennial described the damages to the state highway system associated with flooding on the Carson River during November 1950. All five timber bridges on Nevada State Route 37 had approach spans destroyed by the surging waters. The structures were to be replaced with concrete spans which had an estimated cost of $70,686.

The 1953-1954 Nevada Department of Highways biennial announced that three concrete bridges on Nevada State Route 37 were recently constructed. The new spans were located at the West Fork Carson River, Home Slough and Cottonwood Slough.

In 1956 Nevada State Route 37 had been renumbered as Nevada State Route 88. This functionally made Woodfords Road a continuation of California State Route 88 and the Carson Pass Highway. Nevada State Route 88 can be seen terminating at US Route 395 in Minden on the 1956 United States Geological Survey map of Freel Peak.

During July 1976 the wider Nevada State Highway Renumbering took place. Most states highways were arranged into three digital regional clusters. Nevada State Routes 88, 28 and 140 had remained unaltered due to the corridors connecting to highways of the same number in neighboring states.

Nevada State Route 88 can be seen below on the 2023-2024 Nevada Department of Transportation map.

Part 2; a drive on Nevada State Route 88

Northbound Nevada State Route 88 begins at the eastern terminus of California State Route 88 at the Nevada/California state line in Carson Valley. The California State Route 88 portion of Carson Pass Highway is aligned east/west whereas the Nevada State Route 88 is aligned north/south.

Nevada State Route 88 intersects Nevada State Route 206 at Fairview Lane.

Nevada State Route 88 enters the city limits of Gardnerville and intersects Nevada State Route 756 at Centerville Lane.

Northbound Nevada State Route 88 traffic is advised Nevada State Route 207 is accessible via Waterloo Lane.

Nevada State Route 88 crosses the East Fork Carson River and enters Minden. Nevada State Route 88 passes by Douglas High School and terminates at US Route 395. Minden was founded in 1906 by Heinrich Friedrich Dangberg Jr. The community is named after Minden, Germany which is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Minden obtained the Douglas County seat from Genoa in 1915.

Clinton Road (Amador County)

2026-09-01T07:42:30.595-04:00

Clinton Road is an approximately 9-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Amador County. As presently configured Clinton Road begins at California State Route 49 in Jackson and extends east to California State Route 88 near Pine Grove.

Clinton Road was developed in 1849 as the primary stage route between Jackson and Volcano. The corridor is named after the mining supply town of Clinton which was located on South Fork Jackson Creek. Clinton Road would become a public highway in 1854 after Amador County was created. For several decades the corridor of Clinton Road would serve as the primary highway east of Jackson towards Volcano and Carson Pass. The modern terminus points of the Clinton Road corridor would develop in the 1940s to better align with the then modernizing State Highways.

Part 1; the history of Clinton Road

Clinton Road is named after the Gold Rush era mining community of Clinton. Clinton Road was developed largely along South Fork Jackson Creek by prospectors traveling between the mines of Jackson and Volcano in 1849. The corridor originally was part of the chain of roadways which spanned eastward over the crest of the Sierra Nevada to Carson Pass.

Clinton would develop in the early 1850s as supply town for the placer mines on the middle and southern forks of Jackson Creek. Clinton would later become a hub for small scale quartz mining along with nearby Irishtown. Clinton reportedly had 100 clapboard and canvas homes by 1852. Clinton was primarily occupied by Mexican, French and Chilean miners.

The Spagnoli family who owned the largest store Clinton funded construction of irrigation ditches which brought water to the community. When Amador County was created during May 1854, Clinton business owner Thomas Loehr would successfully petition for Clinton Road to become a public highway.

Clinton Road can be seen as the primary highway between Jackson and Volcano on the 1857 Britton & Rey's map of California.

In 1877 the Spagnoli family would fund construction of St. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church in Clinton. Said church would become the last standing structure in the community after Clinton became a ghost town. The church was later moved to the grounds of the Kennedy Mine Foundation for preservation.

Clinton Road is still shown to be the primary highway between Jackson and Volcano on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.

The 1889 United States Geological Survey map displays Carson Pass Highway as having been constructed along Jackson Creek east of Jackson towards Pine Grove. The Carson Pass Highway would replace Clinton Road as the primary through highway and would later become part of the State Highway system (as California State Route 8 and later 88). The 1889 map edition displays Clinton Road beginning at Broadway in Jackson and extending to what is now Irishtown Road near what is now Spagnoli Mine Road.

The 1935 Division of Highways map of Amador County displays Clinton Road as beginning at California State Routes 8 and 49 (Broadway) in Jackson and extending eastward to California State Route 8 at Pine Grove. Clinton Road is still shown to be aligned to Irishtown Road near Pine Grove.

California State Routes 49 and 88 would be realigned out of downtown Jackson in 1945. Clinton Road was extended west of Broadway to reach the then new California State Route 49 alignment. The 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Mokelumne Hill displays the modern alignment of Clinton Road branching north of the Clinton town site to California State Route 88 near Irishtown Road.

Part 2; a drive on Clinton Road

From northbound Broadway in Jackson traffic heading onto eastbound Clinton Road makes a right-hand turn.

Clinton Road branches left approaching a Y-intersection with Butte Mountain Road.

Eastbound Clinton Road picks up the course of South Fork Jackson Creek and follows it through a wooded area. Clinton Road makes a left-hand turn approaching Tabeaud Road.

Clinton Road turns northeast and narrows to a single lane upon entering the Clinton town site. There is little evidence of Clinton today aside from E. Clampus Vitus Marker #37.

Clinton Road climbs from the Clinton town site over a ridge to California State Route 88 near Irishtown Road. Both Clinton Road and Irishtown Road appear to be carried mutually to California State Route 88.

Tracing Pennsylvania's lost routes - PA Route 909

2026-08-29T19:17:49.794-04:00

Hulton Road in Oakmont was PA 909 from 1928 to 1946.

Former Pennsylvania State Route 909 once ran along the south shore of the Allegheny River from Oakmont to New Kensington. After crossing the Allegheny River via the original Hulton Bridge, PA 909 traveled past the entrance to Oakmont Country Club and curved through Logans Ferry. The route was decommissioned by 1946; however, as late as 1952, AAA maps still showed the route in existence.

1952 AAA Map showing the former Route 909.

Now known as Hulton Road (SR 2082) and Coxcomb Hill Roads, there are still a few hints left that this was once a state primary route. At the intersection of Coxcomb Hill Road and Logans Ferry Road, street signs read 'Route 909.'

At the intersection of Coxcomb Hill and Logans Ferry Road, a sign blade still reads 'Route 909'.

Driving PA 909:

Site Navigation:

Sources & Links:

PA 909 @ PAHighways.com ---Jeff Kitsko

Are there ghosts in Downtown El Paso?

2026-08-29T14:07:12.262-04:00

In a city that is as old and rugged as El Paso, there's bound to be some haunted tales and sightings, right? So why not take a ghost walk through the city and see if I get spooked?

(Editor's Note: This tour was self-funded, and the experiences shared are based solely on what I personally encountered.)

My ghost tour started at San Jacinto Plaza in Downtown El Paso.

During a recent stay in El Paso, I decided to book a ghost tour with Sun City Ghosts and US Ghost Adventures. On a Wednesday evening in early March 2026, I headed from my hotel to San Jacinto Plaza, where I met my guide for the evening. I was the only person to book the tour, so it definitely had a personalized touch.

The tour was a standard one-hour walk through Downtown El Paso, highlighting some of the more well-known area ghost stories. Our first stop was near the El Paso Library. Here, in 1904, the library was built on the former site of a military cemetery. The graves were exhumed; however, there are stories of hauntings throughout the building, including the children's section, lower levels, and basement.

El Paso's Plaza Theatre - Home of the "Smoking Man"

The Plaza Theatre in El Paso is known for the "Smoking Man." The spirit has been sighted on one of the balconies, dressed in a formal tuxedo. He's known to say, "We all have our time to die," before jumping head-first from the balcony to the stage below.

Next, a visit to the Hotel Paso del Norte, possibly the most famous hotel in El Paso. The hotel, which has hosted numerous well-known names such as Pancho Villa, former US Presidents, actors and musicians, and athletes, has countless ghost stories.

The Hotel Paso del Norte dates to 1912, and in 1914 was a popular viewing spot of gunfights during the Mexican Revolution.

A devastated bride - who was allegedly left at the altar - roams the many corridors of the hotel. It is said that she threw herself from the hotel to her death. She is most frequently found on the 10th floor or in the basement.

Room 727 is known for many different sightings and frights. It is also the most requested room in the hotel.

Some of the well-known guests of the Hotel Paso del Norte.

What is nice is that we are allowed to visit the hotel's lobby and see some of the beauty of this over 100-year-old hotel. The bar is also open to the public.

From the hotel, we walked towards some of the more haunted areas of El Paso. Walking down East San Antonio Street past the old Wigwam Saloon, there is a spooky vibe. Maybe it was the desolate street and some of the abandoned storefronts and buildings, or that at one of the locations my guide said he once experienced a sighting, which made East San Antonio Street spooky.

The Wigwam Museum. It is also home to another El Paso Ghost Tour company.

Now called the Wigwam Museum, the old saloon was frequented by John Wesley Hardin. Hardin was a well-known Texas outlaw who briefly was a co-owner of the saloon in 1895. In August 1895, Hardin, after closing out his tab at the Wigwam, headed down the street to the Acme Saloon. Here, Hardin was murdered, via a shot to the back of the head, by John Henry Selman. A few months later, Selman's life ended in a gunfight not far from where he killed Hardin.

My guide said he experienced a ghost sighting at this location. While giving a tour, he felt a presence behind him.

The Wigwam is known for a ghost named "Lilly." The two-story building would be home to the saloon on the first floor and a brothel on the second. Lilly has been sighted wearing all-white and has been known to interact with unsuspecting visitors.

Finally, we reached the site of the former De Soto Hotel. The former hotel, which was severely damaged by fire in 2022, is widely considered El Paso's most haunted site. The former hotel, which in its later years was frequented by vagrants, has a mix of friendly and fearsome spirits, ranging from "Sara," who roamed the hotel's upper floors and was fond of female visitors, to more troublesome spirits found near the basement.

The De Soto Hotel in February 2019, three years before the fire that would destroy the building. The De Soto first opened in 1905 and is considered one of El Paso's most haunted locations. (Adam Prince)

Visitors to the basement of the De Soto have described being scratched and clawed by unknown forces. Some have been reported to have exited with long scratches on their arms or legs that even drew blood. Rumors of past satanic worship by a former resident known as "Devil Dave," who was said to have performed demonic rituals in the hotel's basement.

I always enjoy a good ghost tour. While I am not sure of the haunts and sightings, they are a great way to learn the history and color of a city. I came away from the El Paso Ghost Tour more connected to the city.

All photos taken by the post author - March 4, 2026 - unless otherwise noted.

Site Navigation:

Return to Gribblenation's El Paso Guide ---In Development

Sources & Links:

Sun City Ghosts ---U.S. Ghost Adventures
The Paso del Norte Paranormal Society
El Paso's Haunted Places ---Haunted Rooms Company
Haunted Texas ---Hauntbound.com

Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon Road

2026-08-28T04:00:00.379-04:00

Whitaker Forest Drive is an approximately 13-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada range of Tulare County. Whitaker Forest Drive begins at California State Route 245 at the community of Badger. From Badger the course of Whitaker Forest Road is maintained as Tulare County Mountain Road 465 for nine miles to the end of the pavement near Eshom Creek Campground.

From the end of the pavement Whitaker Forest Drive is maintained as Sequoia National Forest Road 14S75 through the University of California's Whitaker Forest to the Kings Canyon National Park boundary at Redwood Saddle. Within Kings Canyon National Park the name of Whitaker Forest Drive changes to Redwood Canyon Road and ascends approximately another 2 miles past Redwood Mountain to Generals Highway.

Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon were both developed as an access road during the late 19th century to the ranch of Horace Whitaker. The Whitaker Ranch Road originally extended east of Redwood Mountain to a mine at Big Meadow Creek. In 1893 the Redwood Mountain Grove of Sequoias would be designated as part of the Sierra Forest Reserve and would be later transferred to Sequoia National Forest in 1908. Horace Whitaker would donate 320 acres of Sequoia strew property to the University of California in 1910 for preservation purposes as the so-called "Whitaker Forest."

In 1940 General Grant National Park would be expanded and renamed as Kings Canyon National Park. The Redwood Mountain Grove was added to the expanded boundaries of Kings Canyon National Park. The 1940-era Kings Canyon National Park boundary is now where Whitaker Forest Drive becomes Redwood Canyon Road. Redwood Canyon Road has been inaccessible to the general public since the Redwood Mountain Grove was damaged by the 2021 KNP Complex Fire.

Part 1; the history of Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon Road

Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon Road permit access to Redwood Mountain via Whitaker Forest. Redwood Mountain lies at an elevation of approximately 6,430 feet above sea level in the Sierra Nevada range of Tulare County. Redwood Mountain is where the Redwood Mountain Grove of Giant Sequoia Trees is located. The Redwood Mountain Grove is the largest Sequoia Grove and is home to some of the largest trees by volume.

The Redwood Mountain Grove was largely spared from serious logging efforts during the late 19th century as it was located south of Millwood and Converse Basin. The Kings River Lumber Company had been established in 1888 in the form of a 30,000-acre purchase of forest lands in Converse Basin. This purchase lied immediately west of Grant Grove and came to be known as "Millwood."

The lands south of Millwood in the area that is now Badger developed largely around ranching properties during early Statehood in California. What is now Whitaker Forest was once owned by Horace Whitaker. Whitaker was born in Connecticut in 1830 and emigrated to California in 1850 amid the height of the Gold Rush. He would later relocate to Tulare County where he became a prolific rancher.

Much of Horace Whitaker's ranching holdings were obtained from the early 1870s through the 1880s. Whitaker owned property from near Orosi northeast through the Badger area to the vicinity of Redwood Mountain. The roadway northeast from Badger to the Whitaker Ranch holdings would form the basis for Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon Road.

The Kings River Lumber Company originally planned on constructing a railroad from Sanger to Converse Basin. The rugged terrain of Kings Canyon proved too formidable of an engineering challenge construction of a railroad grade. This led to the Kings River Lumber Company beginning construction on the 54-mile Sanger Log Flume. The flume was complete months prior to the establishment of General Grant National Park and Sequoia National Park in mid-year 1890. The logging operations around Converse Basin led to movements to preserve the Redwood Sequoia groves.

The Whitaker Ranch Road can be seen branching from Millwood Drive (now California State Route 245) in Badger on the 1892 Thompson Atlas of Tulare County in Township 15 South, Range 27 East.

The terminus of the Whitaker Ranch Road can be seen located east of the Whitaker ranching property near Redwood Mountain in Township 14 South, Range 28 East.

The Redwood Mountain Grove was excluded from the boundaries of early General Grant National Park. The Redwood Mountain Grove was later added to the Sierra Forest Reserve which was established on February 14, 1893, by then President Benjamin Harris. The grove would become part of Sequoia National Forest on July 1, 1908.

The Whitaker Ranch Road can be seen on the 1905 United States Geological Survey map of Tehipite. The roadway is shown to continue east of Whitaker property and Redwood Mountain towards a mine on Big Meadow Creek.

On July 26, 1910, Horace Whitaker donated 320 acres of his ranching lands near Redwood Mountain to the University of California board of regents. This property transfer was documented in the August 18, 1910, Hanford Sentinel. A stipulation of the property transfer was that no Redwood Sequoia could be cut down. Additional stipulations prohibited the sale of alcohol, stock grazing and that it must be known as "Whitaker Forest."

Horace Whitaker would die in Orosi months after deeding Whitaker Forest in 1910. The University of California would take control of the Whitaker Forest property formally in 1913. Whitaker Forest contained 215 large Redwood Sequoias which were intermixed with a considerable amount of second growth trees. Whitaker's heirs would unsuccessfully sue the University of California board of regents in 1918 for perceived failure to comply with the stipulation of the property transfer put forth by Horace Whitaker (namely animal grazing).

Whitaker Forest Drive can be seen in detail on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Tulare County. The highway is shown originating in Badger at what was then California State Route 65 and extending to Big Creek Meadow via Redwood Mountain.

On June 23, 1935, Generals Highway was dedicated and opened to traffic. The then new Generals Highway connected General Grant National Park through Sequoia National Forest to the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park. The then new Generals Highway included a junction with Whitaker Forest Drive a short distance north of Redwood Mountain.

On March 4, 1940, General Grant National Park was renamed as Kings Canyon National Park and expanded to approximately 400,000 acres via annexations of parcels from Sierra National Forest and Sequoia National Forest. The annexation included the Redwood Mountain Grove and the last two miles of Whitaker Forest Drive which was renamed as Redwood Canyon Road. A National Park Service Sequoia guard station was established west of the Kings Canyon National Park boundary within Whitaker Forest.

The 1948 United States Geological Survey map displays the expanded boundaries of Kings Canyon National Park. Whitaker Forest Drive can be seen giving way to Redwood Canyon Road at the National Park boundary.

The 1956 United States Geological Survey map of the Giant Forest displays Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon Road in greater detail. Whitaker Forest Drive within Whitaker Forest was assigned as part of Forest Road 14S75 and was never paved beyond the end of Tulare County maintenance. The Tulare County owned portion of Whitaker Forest Drive came to be designated as Tulare County Mountain Road 465.

The Forest Service portion of Whitaker Forest Drive and Redwood Canyon Road were never paved. This was likely due to the combined corridor allowing access to Generals Highway without passing through a National Park Service entrance station. Both roadways have been traditionally signed as Four Wheel Drive/High Clearance-only. At times the corridor has been accessible to low clearance vehicles.

The Redwood Mountain Grove was severely damaged by the KNP Complex Fire which began on September 9, 2021, and ended on December 16, 2021. The fire spanned 88,307 acres and killed an estimated 1,300-2,400 Redwood Sequoias. The southern quarter of the Redwood Mountain Grove was the segment most affected as it was hit with intense fires. Redwood Canyon Road has remained inaccessible to the general public since the KNP Complex Fire.

Part 2; a drive on Whitaker Forest Drive

Northbound Whitaker Forest Drive begins at California State Route 245 in Badger. Eshom Valley and Hartland Camp are both signed as being accessible via Whitaker Forest Drive. The first nine miles of Whitaker Forest Drive are maintained as Tulare County Mountain Road 465.

Whitaker Forest Drive departs Badger and intersects Hogback Drive.

As Whitaker Forest Drive approaches Eshom Valley Drive traffic bound for Hartland Camp is directed to turn right. Eshom Campground traffic is directed to continue north of Whitaker Forest Drive.

Whitaker Forest Drive descends slightly and crosses Dry Creek.

Upon crossing Dry Creek traffic on Whitaker Forest Drive is advised snow is not removed beyond the bridge.

Whitaker Forest Drive begins a northward climb through switchbacks which pass into the boundary of Sequoia National Forest to the opposite terminus of Eshom Valley Drive. The climb begins at approximately 3,000 feet above sea level and crests at about 4,600 feet. Several of the switchbacks have been patched repaired by Tulare County with dirt over asphalt.

Eshom Campground is signed as two miles from the junction of Whitaker Forest Drive and Eshom Valley Drive.

Whitaker Forest Drive climbs above 5,000 feet above sea level and enters Whitaker Forest. The roadway crosses over Eshom Creek amid a small cluster of young Sequoia trees.

The asphalt on Whitaker Forest Drive gives way at the end of Tulare County maintenance near the Eshom Campground turnoff. Signage for the Forest Road 14S75 section of Whitaker Forest Drive indicates it is passable to only high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles.

Part 3; a drive on Redwood Canyon Road prior to the KNP Complex Fire

These photos of southbound Redwood Canyon Road are from July 2020 prior to the KNP Complex Fire. At the time the two-mile descent to from Generals Highway to the Redwood Canyon Trailhead was rough but passable to low clearance vehicles. Redwood Canyon Road becomes Whitaker Forest Drive just beyond the Redwood Canyon Trailhead. This transition of road names occurs at the Kings Canyon National Park boundary.

Part 4; a hike in the Redwood Mountain Grove prior to the KNP Complex Fire

These photos were taken from the Redwood Mountain Grove during July 2020 prior to the KNP Complex Fire. These photos are from the Redwood Canyon Trailhead parking area.

The Redwood Canyon Trailhead guide sign.

These photos are of scenery on the hike to the Hart Tree. The Hart Tree was discovered approximately around 1880 and is named after Michael Hart. The tree was thought to once be the fourth largest Sequoia, but modern measurements has placed it as the twenty-fourth largest.

A bit of unfortunate irony with the sign in front of the Hart Tree which described why prescribed burns are necessary.

Old Dunlap Road (former California State Route 180 in Yokuts Valley)

2026-08-24T04:00:00.047-04:00

When California State Route 180 was commissioned in August 1934 the alignment in took in Sierra Nevada range was very different than from today. The original highway alignment from Squaw Valley (now Yokuts Valley) to east Grant Grove (then part of General Grant National Park) originally followed what is now Ruth Hill Road, Dunlap Road, Pinehurst Road (modern California State Route 245), Dark Canyon Road (partially now Forest Road 14S45). After funding fell through for the planned Kings Canyon Road the was corridor eventually picked up as a 30-mile-long cooperative project between the Division of Highways and Federal Government. Much of current alignment of California State Route 180 bypassing Squaw Valley (now Yokuts Valley) and Dunlap was complete by 1941.

The post-1941 alignment of California State Route 180 in Squaw Valley was shifted onto what was once Dunlap Road in Squaw Valley. This alignment itself was later bypassed by modern California State Route 180 in 1952. The Old Dunlap Road corridor still mostly intact as George Smith Road, Bear Mountain Road, Hall Lane, Elwood Road and Fulgham Lane.

The post-1941 realignment of California State Route 180 north of Ruth Hill Road onto what was Dunlap Road can be seen on the 1948 United States Geological Survey map of Fresno.

Part 1; the history of California State Route 180 in Yokuts Valley

During 1905 Legislative Chapter 598 would authorize a survey to locate a route for a highway to be constructed from Grant Grove of General Grant National Park into the Kings River Canyon. This corridor would be formally added as a planned state highway by way of 1909 Legislative Chapter 223 as Legislative Route Number 41.

Planned Legislative Route Number 41 appears on the 1918 California Highway Commission map as a special appropriations road.

The 1919 Third State Highway Bond Act would provide funding for construction of the Kings River Canyon Road. In 1933 Legislative Route Number 41 would be extended to Tracy via Fresno. The state highway west of Grant Grove followed Dark Canyon Road (now partially Forest Road 14S45), Pinehurst Road (now California State Route 245) Dunlap Road, and Old Dunlap Road (now Ruth Hill Road) through to Centerville. The initial Grant Grove-Centerville alignment of Legislative Route Number 41 passes through the communities of Pinehurst, Miramonte, Dunlap and Squaw Valley (now Yokuts Valley).

New Dunlap Road (shown as just Dunlap Road) and Old Dunlap Road can be seen as the named road corridors between Dunlap and Centerville on the 1924 United States Geological Map of Dinuba. Old Dunlap Road is displayed as following what is now Ruth Hill Road. Modern California State Route 180 now follows much of the alignment of New Dunlap Road in Yokuts Valley, but the corridor was significantly straightened (see the following paragraphs below).

Legislative Route Number 41 east of Fresno would be assigned as California State Route 180 when the initial Sign State Routes were announced in the August 1934 California Highways & Public Works.

The initial alignment of California State Route 180 east of Fresno can be seen on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Fresno County (unbroken red line). The state highway corridor is shown following what is now Ruth Hill Road through Squaw Valley into Dunlap.

A planned new alignment of California State Route 180 from Boulder Creek east to the Sequoia National Forest boundary near Dunlap appears budgeted for the 89th-90th Fiscal Years in the January 1937 California Highways & Public Works. The project corridor is shown to be broken up into zones spanning a total of 11 miles.

California State Route 180 along the slopes of Ruth Hill appears on the cover of the November 1938 California Highways & Public Works. The cover caption notes construction of the planned new alignment was shelved due to funding falling short. The existing corridor is called the "Squaw Valley Grade" in the caption.

The realignment of California State Route 180 from the outskirts of Squaw Valley to Grant Grove appears as budgeted 30-mile project zone for the 91st-92nd Fiscal Years in the February 1939 California Highways & Public Works.

The Squaw Valley-Grant Grove realignment of California State Route 180 was featured in the June 1940 California Highways & Public Works as being a cooperative project between the Federal Government and State of California. The chosen alignment is noted to first have been first surveyed by the Federal Government in 1931 to provide better access to General Grant National Park. The existing highway is noted to be extremely winding and have grades in excess of 10%. General Grant National Park was reorganized and in expanded during 1940 into Kings Canyon National Park.

The November 1941 California Highways & Public Works details the opening of the new alignment of California State Route 180 bypassing Squaw Valley and Dunlap. The then new highway is referenced in the article as "Kings Canyon Road" and is noted to have been completed on August 28, 1941. This is the first known instance of Kings Canyon Road nomenclature being used. The name is still used for much of California State Route 180 east of downtown Fresno in modern times.

In the Squaw Valley area, the Kings Canyon Road and California State Route 180 were realigned onto the existing Dunlap Road corridor north of Ruth Hill Road. On the 1950 United States Geological Survey map of Orange Cove North the Kings Canyon Road can be seen entering Squaw Valley eastbound via what is now Ruth Hill and turning northward into what is now George Smith Road. Kings Canyon Road can be seen using what is now Bear Mountain Road towards Hall Lane.

In northern Squaw Valley the Kings Canyon Road and California State Route 180 are showing overlapping what are now modern Elwood Road and Fulgham Lane on the 1944 United States Geological Survey map.

Kings Canyon Road and California State Route 180 east of Fulgham Lane shown to have followed a winding alignment along Mill Creek towards the 1941-era Kings Canyon Grade near Dunlap on the 1952 United States Geological Survey map of Patterson Mountain. Much of this winding alignment has been since buried by modern California State Route 180 aside from what is now Hopewell Road.

The September/October 1948 California Highways & Public Works announced a realignment project for California State Route 180 between Citrus Cove Road (now Cove Road) and White Deer Road (now Hopewell Road) upcoming for the 1949-1950 Fiscal Year. This project corridor was intended to replace the winding grade which existed within Citrus Cove eastward through Squaw Valley towards Mill Creek.

The November/December 1951 California Highways & Public Works announced the realignment of California State Route 180 between Citrus Cove and Squaw Valley was underway. It is unclear why this project corridor was delayed but it appears to have been completed during 1952 without further incident. This realignment would shifted California State Route 180 and Kings Canyon Road to the grade it now occupies from Citrus Cove east to Dunlap.

What is now Yokuts Valley was originally the home to a Yokut tribal village called Múshtihnau. At one point the valley where Múshtihnau was located in was called "Woman's Land." Around 1873 American settlers co-opted the name as "Squaw Valley" which was made official following the establishment of Postal Service in 1879. The term "squaw" in modern times is considered by many to be an ethnic slur towards Native Americans.

During January 2023 the Board of Geographic Names elected to rename the Squaw Valley as "Yokuts Valley." The renaming has been locally unpopular, and most businesses still carry the Squaw Valley name.

Part 2; a drive on the Old Dunlap Road corridor alignment of California State Route 180

Much of the Old Dunlap Road is divided up and largely is not continuous. The Old Dunlap Road corridor made a soft right-hand transition from what is now Elwood Road onto Fulgham Lane. Fulgham Lane is not signed and appears to no longer be maintained by Fresno County despite private residences being located on it.

These photos show the transition the Old Dunlap Road took from Hall Lane to Fulgham Lane via what is now Elwood Road.

Eastbound Fulgham Lane crosses a bridge at Mill Creek which is being consumed by overgrowth. This vintage of this span is unclear, but it is similar to bridges constructed by Fresno County from the 1920s through the 1940s.

Fulgham Lane continues east atop weathered asphalt and Portland Cement to modern California State Route 180 a short distance east of Yokuts Valley.

Travel New England: Texas Falls, Vermont

2026-08-22T14:46:05.607-04:00

Texas Falls is one of the many natural wonders within Green Mountain National Forest. The 35-foot, two-cascade waterfall is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in Vermont. Easily accessible from the parking area, the falls can be viewed either via a footbridge over the gorge or a 1.2-mile hiking trail.

Texas Falls dates to the Ice Age. 12,000 years ago, retreating glaciers carved through the bedrock, creating the falls. Today, Texas Falls is one of the more popular waterfalls in Vermont.

All photos taken by post author - May 4, 2012.

Site Navigation:

Return to Travel New England Index

Sources & Links:

Texas Falls Personal Photo Album on flickr
Explore Beautiful Texas Falls in Hancock ---VermontExplored.com
Texas Falls ---NewEnglandWaterfalls.com

How To Get There: