California Major Highways

CalTrans

CalTrans provides the most up-to-date traffic information on all roads and highways in California including traffic delays due to repairs or accidents and road closures.

PHONE: (800) 427-7623 or (916) 445-7623
WEBSITE: www.dot.ca.gov

Major Highways Overview

Average speed on highways is 65 mph (104 kmph). Rush hour should be a concern in large cities and occurs around the hours of 8am and 5pm. It's not too difficult to avoid these hours when leaving a city, but incorrectly timing your entrance to a city after traveling hundreds of miles can cost you several hours in traffic.
EXAMPLE: When traveling Interstate 5 from Northern California to southern, don't randomly decide a time of arrival. Instead, consider what the traffic will be like in Los Angeles and choose a timeframe to avoid rush hour traffic. This should determine your departure and arrival times. Failure to do so will result in additional hours of heavy traffic driving.

U.S. Highways
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Highway 50 runs east & west from Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe and down through Carson City, Nevada. This is a major highway that travelers use to get from Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe. Road closures are rare but can occur during the winter months. This is one of California's most beatiful major highways following the American River down from Lake Tahoe through the heart of Gold Country. Highway 50 passes through Hwy 49 in Placerville. You can take Hwy 49 north to the gold towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City, or south to Angels Camp and Sonora.

Highway 101 runs north & south along the coast from Los Angeles to beyond the Oregon border. This highway passes through most of California's major coastal communities. Major wine producing regions like Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo can be easily reached from this highway. The 'Pacific Coast Highway' (Hwy 1, PCH) often mirrors the 101 to the west along coastal cliffs. Although travel along PCH can be slow going along its winding two lane roads, the views are spectacular. This was once known as 'The King's Highway' because the Spanish built all of their missions along its full length for the King of Spain.

ALSO KNOWN AS: Ventura Freeway - Hollywood Freeway

Highway 395 runs north & south connecting southern California with the northern Sierras. Traffic is heavier in winter months due to its path from heavily populated southern California regions to Mammoth Mountain, June Lake, and Lake Tahoe for skiing. The southernmost portion from Hesperia to Ridgecrest is often a treacherous two lane highway. Many travelers prefer to avoid this section by taking Highway 14 through Mojave. To the south, the 395 follows along the east side of the Sierras through the high desert communities of Lone Pine and Bishop. Lone Pine resides at the base of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Death Valley, the lowest point in U.S., is also accessible from Lone Pine. Ancient lava flows are evident in the southern regions. To the north, the 395 enters the sierras and passes Mammoth Mountain, June Lake, Mono Lake, Yosemite back country, Bodie ghost town, and Bridgeport before dipping into Nevada on its way to Reno. Road closures are common during the winter months between June Lake and the Nevada border. The 395 re-enters the state above Lake Tahoe and traverses the remote, less traveled, northeast corner of the Shasta Cascade. The 395 is our favorite California highway for its volcanic wonder to the south and Sierra treasures to the north.

Interstate Highways
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Intersate 5 runs north & south and is the main artery for travel within the state. The 5 is the only highway that traverses the entire state from the Oregon to the Mexico borders and passes through major cities like Sacramento, Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego.

ALSO KNOWN AS: Golden State Freeway - San Diego Freeway - Santa Ana Freeway
Tejon Pass / The Grapevine is south of Bakersfield and north of Los Angeles.

Intersate 8 runs east & west from San Diego following along the Mexico border to Arizona. From San Diego the 8 climbs up into the Cleveland National Forest passing Lake Cuyamaca and Laguna Mountain, drops down through the Yuma Desert and on through Yuma, Arizona. Off-roading is a popular activity in the desert sand dunes.

Intersate 10 runs east & west connecting the beach city of Santa Monica with Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Palm Springs and the Colorado River on the Arizona border. The popular mountain communities of Big Bear Lake and Idyllwild are also accessible from the 10.
NOTE: The 10 is prone to heavy traffic during rush hour and holidays.

ALSO KNOWN AS: San Bernardino Freeway - Santa Monica Freeway

Intersate 15 runs northeast from San Diego to Las Vegas, Nevada and passes through Temecula wine country, the Inland Empire and the high desert communities of Barstow and Baker. Baker boasts to have the world's tallest thermometer...you can't miss it from the highway.
NOTE: the 15 is prone to heavy traffic heading northbound on Friday night and Saturdays and southbound on Sundays. If you're planning on traveling this route to only visit Las Vegas, airfare can be very inexpensive and a better alternative. See our airports page for possible options.

ALSO KNOWN AS: Corona Freeway - Barstow Freeway
Cajon Pass north of the 215 junction

Intersate 40 runs east & west from the 15 in Barstow to Lake Havasu. The Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is off this road.

Intersate 80 runs east & west from San Francisco to north Lake Tahoe and down through Reno, Nevada. This is a major highway that travelers use to get from San Francisco and Sacramento to north Lake Tahoe. This is a beautiful highway from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe. Road closures are rare but can occur during the winter months. The 80 passes through the northern Gold Country towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City.

Intersate 580 runs southeast from the north coast to Interstate 5 near Stockton. The 580 is a main highway for travelers coming from central and southern California to San Francisco and the north coast.

State & County Highways
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Highway 14 runs northeast from the 5 in Santa Clarita to the 395 in Inyokern. Travelers from the southern state use this highway as a safer alternative to connect with the 395. Although the 14 becomes two lanes after Mojave, it is still a safer stretch of road than the southern portion of the 395. Vasquez Rocks are located just north of the 5 connection. Mojave is the home of Edwards Air Force Base where the NASA Space Shuttle sometimes makes its landings.
NOTE: the 14 passes through high crime zones north of Angeles National Forest. We recommend you have enough fuel to pass through these areas without stopping.

Highway 99 runs north & south from Red Bluff to Bakerfield. The 99 parallels the 5 and is a more stimulating drive. You can access Sequoia, Yosemite and Gold Country from the 99 and it travels through the major cities of Fresno, Modesto and Sacramento. We recommend driving the 99 instead of the 5 if possible.