U.S. Route 395 (California)

U.S. Route 395 (California)
State	CA
Route	395
Type	US
Length mi	557
Direction a	South
Terminus a	I‑15 in Hesperia
Direction b	North
Terminus b	OR‑140 at Oregon state line
Counties	San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Kern County, Inyo County, Mono County, Lassen County, Modoc County
Established	1926

U.S. Route 395 (California)

U.S. Route 395 traverses eastern California from Hesperia at I‑15 north to the Oregon state line near New Pine Creek, providing a principal corridor alongside the Sierra Nevada and linking communities such as Ridgecrest, Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Bridgeport, and Susanville. The route serves as a connection between Los Angeles and interior Pacific Northwest routes including Interstate 5, US‑50, and US‑395 (Nevada), and traverses landscapes associated with Death Valley National Park, Sequoia National Forest, Inyo National Forest, and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Route description

US‑395 enters California from San Bernardino County at Hesperia and proceeds north as a multilane highway near Victorville and Adelanto, intersecting I‑15 and paralleling freight corridors used by Union Pacific Railroad. The corridor passes through the Mojave Desert to serve Ridgecrest and provides access to China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station and the Sierra Nevada eastern escarpment near Indian Wells Valley. North of Kern County the highway skirts the southern margins of Owens Valley, reaches Bishop, and intersects state highways serving Death Valley National Park and Sequoia National Park visitors.

Proceeding through Inyo County US‑395 ascends alongside the Owens River and provides principal access to Mammoth Lakes and the Mammoth Mountain ski area via California State Route 203. The highway continues past Convict Lake, Thompson Peak, and the Ansel Adams Wilderness toward Mono County where it crosses near June Lake and enters the Bridgeport Valley serving Bridgeport and Bodie State Historic Park.

Northward the route follows high-desert valleys and traverses Sierra County-adjacent terrain into Lassen County and Modoc County, intersecting I‑80 near Reno-adjacent corridors and connecting to routes toward Klamath Falls and Susanville. The northernmost segment reaches the Oregon state line near New Pine Creek, meeting OR‑140.

History

The corridor traces routes used by Paiute people and later by 19th‑century routes tied to the California Gold Rush and the Lincoln Highway era, linking Sacramento and San Francisco interests east of the Sierra Nevada. When the U.S. Numbered Highway System was established in 1926, US‑395 was designated to connect Los Angeles-area roads with Reno and the Pacific Northwest; subsequent realignments matched growth of Los Angeles County suburbs and military installations such as Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

During the 1930s–1960s improvements were driven by traffic to Death Valley National Monument (later Death Valley National Park), to Yosemite National Park-area eastern access points, and by wartime and Cold War expansions serving Edwards Air Force Base and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The mid‑20th century saw paving, bypass construction, and four‑lane widening near Ridgecrest and Victorville; later decades emphasized safety through mountain passes adjacent to Sherwin Summit and Mammoth Lakes as winter operations required coordination with the California Department of Transportation.

Preservation and tourism initiatives in the late 20th and early 21st centuries linked US‑395 to Bodie State Historic Park, the Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Lassen Volcanic National Park corridors, while regional planning with agencies such as the California Transportation Commission and county governments sought to balance freight, commuter, and recreational uses.

Major intersections

US‑395 intersects many principal routes that include I‑15 at Hesperia, SR‑14 near Palmdale-area connectors, US‑6 access corridors to Tonopah, US‑50 links toward South Lake Tahoe, SR‑120 near Lee Vining for access to Yosemite National Park, SR‑203 serving Mammoth Lakes, and junctions with I‑80-connected routes supporting travel to Reno and Sacramento. Northern connections include links to US‑395 (Nevada) continuations and OR‑140 at the Oregon state line.

Auxiliary routes

Auxiliary and business routings historically associated with US‑395 include business loops through Ridgecrest, Bishop, and Susanville managed in coordination with local jurisdictions and the California Department of Transportation. Several state highway spurs and connectors such as SR‑14 connectors, SR‑120, and SR‑203 function as de facto auxiliaries providing access to Mammoth Mountain, June Lake, and Bodie State Historic Park.

Future plans and improvements

Planned and proposed improvements have been advanced by the California Department of Transportation and regional metropolitan planning organizations to address freight movements linked to Union Pacific Railroad interchange facilities, to upgrade safety on mountain passes near Sherwin Summit and Deadman Summit, and to improve winter maintenance coordination involving National Weather Service forecasts for the Sierra Nevada. Proposals include targeted widening near Victor Valley, intersection upgrades near Ridgecrest to support Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake access, and environmental mitigation measures in coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife for sensitive habitats adjacent to Owens Valley and Mono Lake. Discussions with tribal governments representing Paiute people and county agencies continue regarding scenic preservation, tourism access to Bodie State Historic Park and Ansel Adams Wilderness, and multimodal improvements linking to Mammoth Yosemite Airport.

Category:U.S. Highways in California