List of mountain passes in California

The following is a list of mountain passes and gaps in California. California is geographically diverse with numerous roads and railways traversing within its borders. In the middle of the U.S. state lies the California Central Valley, bounded by the coastal mountain ranges in the west, the Sierra Nevada to the east, the Cascade Range in the north and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. Although most of these passes are now traversed by state highways, some date prior to California's statehood in 1850 and are today registered as California Historical Landmarks.

  * Interstate highway bypasses the actual mountain pass
  ^ Long-distance trail. No road or rail access
Name Mountain range County Elevation Coordinates Primary access route Other access route(s) GNIS
Altamont Pass Diablo Range Alameda 1,009 feet (308 m) 37°44′45″N 121°39′30″W / 37.74583°N 121.65833°W / 37.74583; -121.65833 (Altamont Pass) I‑580* Altamont Pass Road
Union Pacific Railroad		 218189
Anderson Grade Summit Cascade Range Siskiyou 3,067 feet (935 m) 41°48′06″N 122°34′55″W / 41.80167°N 122.58194°W / 41.80167; -122.58194 (Anderson Grade Summit) I‑5 N/A
Beckwourth Pass[1] Sierra Nevada Plumas 5,221 feet (1,591 m) 39°47′30″N 120°6′28″W / 39.79167°N 120.10778°W / 39.79167; -120.10778 (Beckwourth Pass) SR 70 Feather River Route 256775
Cahuenga Pass Santa Monica Mountains Los Angeles 745 feet (227 m) 34°7′28″N 118°20′34″W / 34.12444°N 118.34278°W / 34.12444; -118.34278 (Cahuenga Pass) US 101 239987
Cajon Pass San Bernardino/San Gabriel Mountains San Bernardino 3,777 feet (1,151 m) 34°19′33″N 117°25′42″W / 34.32583°N 117.42833°W / 34.32583; -117.42833 (Cajon Pass) I‑15* SR 138
Union Pacific Railroad
BNSF Railway		 270155
Carson Pass[2] Sierra Nevada Alpine 8,574 feet (2,613 m) 38°41′38″N 119°59′15″W / 38.69389°N 119.98750°W / 38.69389; -119.98750 (Carson Pass) SR 88 258006
Conway Summit Sierra Nevada Mono 8,143 feet (2,482 m) 38°05′17″N 119°10′55″W / 38.08806°N 119.18194°W / 38.08806; -119.18194 (Conway Summit) US 395 258665
Corral Hollow Pass Diablo Range Alameda 1,600 feet (490 m) 37°38′57″N 121°36′34″W / 37.64917°N 121.60944°W / 37.64917; -121.60944 (Corral Hollow Pass) CR J2 N/A
Deadman Summit Sierra Nevada Mono 8,047 feet (2,453 m) 37°46′15″N 119°00′30″W / 37.77083°N 119.00833°W / 37.77083; -119.00833 (Deadman Summit) US 395 N/A
Devil's Gate Pass Sweetwater Mountains Mono 7,519 feet (2,292 m) 38°20′54″N 119°21′43″W / 38.34833°N 119.36194°W / 38.34833; -119.36194 (Devil's Gate Pass) US 395 222305
Donner Pass Sierra Nevada Nevada 7,056 feet (2,151 m) 39°18′57″N 120°19′17″W / 39.31583°N 120.32139°W / 39.31583; -120.32139 (Donner Pass) I‑80* Donner Pass Road
California Trail
Overland Route		 259475
Ebbetts Pass[3] Sierra Nevada Alpine 8,736 feet (2,663 m) 38°32′40″N 119°48′43″W / 38.54444°N 119.81194°W / 38.54444; -119.81194 (Ebbetts Pass) SR 4 259784
Echo Summit Sierra Nevada El Dorado 7,382 feet (2,250 m) 38°48′47″N 120°01′49″W / 38.81306°N 120.03028°W / 38.81306; -120.03028 (Echo Summit) US 50 259792
Fandango Pass[4] Warner Mountains Modoc 6,135 feet (1,870 m) 41°48′08″N 120°12′12″W / 41.80222°N 120.20333°W / 41.80222; -120.20333 (Fandango Pass) Fandango Pass Road 223385
Forester Pass Sierra Nevada Tulare 13,153 feet (4,009 m) 36°41′39″N 118°22′19″W / 36.69417°N 118.37194°W / 36.69417; -118.37194 (Forester Pass) John Muir Trail^ 260262
Fredonyer Pass Sierra Nevada/Cascades Lassen 5,751 feet (1,753 m) 40°21′35″N 120°52′03″W / 40.35972°N 120.86750°W / 40.35972; -120.86750 (Fredonyer Pass) SR 36 260357
Gaviota Pass[5] Santa Ynez Mountains Santa Barbara 135 feet (41 m) 34°29′22″N 120°13′34″W / 34.48944°N 120.22611°W / 34.48944; -120.22611 (Gaviota Pass) US 101 271287
Glen Pass Sierra Nevada Fresno 11,798 feet (3,596 m) 36°47′20″N 118°24′45″W / 36.78889°N 118.41250°W / 36.78889; -118.41250 (Glen Pass) John Muir Trail^ 260603
Hecker Pass Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz 1,339 feet (408 m) 36°59′40″N 121°43′02″W / 36.99444°N 121.71722°W / 36.99444; -121.71722 (Hecker Pass) SR 152 225111
Henness Pass Sierra Nevada Sierra 6,916 feet (2,108 m) 39°30′10″N 120°26′22″W / 39.50278°N 120.43944°W / 39.50278; -120.43944 (Henness Pass) Henness Pass Road 225177
Ibex Pass Sperry Hills Inyo-San Bernardino border 2,072 feet (632 m) 35°47′40″N 116°20′26″W / 35.79444°N 116.34056°W / 35.79444; -116.34056 (Ibex Pass) SR 127 243763
Islip Saddle San Gabriel Mountains Los Angeles 6,670 feet (2,030 m) 34°21′25″N 117°51′02″W / 34.35694°N 117.85056°W / 34.35694; -117.85056 (Islip Saddle) SR 2 SR 39 (closed)
Pacific Crest Trail		 243931
Luther Pass Sierra Nevada Alpine-El Dorado border 7,740 feet (2,360 m) 38°47′13″N 119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°W / 38.78694; -119.94583 (Luther Pass) SR 89 263076
Mendocino Pass Northern Coast Ranges Glenn 5,006 feet (1,526 m) 39°47′39″N 122°56′06″W / 39.79417°N 122.93500°W / 39.79417; -122.93500 (Mendocino Pass) FH 7 / SR 162 263454
Minaret Summit Sierra Nevada Madera-Mono border 9,265 feet (2,824 m) 37°39′23″N 119°03′37″W / 37.65639°N 119.06028°W / 37.65639; -119.06028 (Minaret Summit) SR 203 Reds Meadow Road 263666
Mission Pass Diablo Range Alameda 662 feet (202 m) 37°33′37″N 121°54′39″W / 37.56028°N 121.91083°W / 37.56028; -121.91083 (Mission Pass) I‑680 228838
Monitor Pass Sierra Nevada Alpine 8,314 feet (2,534 m) 38°40′32″N 119°37′10″W / 38.67556°N 119.61944°W / 38.67556; -119.61944 (Monitor Pass) SR 89 228917
Morgan Summit Sierra Nevada Tehama 5,760 feet (1,760 m) 40°21′50″N 121°32′07″W / 40.36389°N 121.53528°W / 40.36389; -121.53528 (Morgan Summit) SR 89 / SR 36 1659178
Muir Pass Sierra Nevada Fresno 11,955 feet (3,644 m) 37°06′42″N 118°40′14″W / 37.11167°N 118.67056°W / 37.11167; -118.67056 (Muir Pass) John Muir Trail^ 263951
Newhall/Fremont Pass Santa Susana/San Gabriel Mountains Los Angeles 750 feet (230 m) 34°20′43″N 118°30′26″W / 34.34528°N 118.50722°W / 34.34528; -118.50722 (Newhall Pass) I‑5 SR 14
San Fernando Road
Sierra Highway		 242485
Oak Creek Pass[6] Tehachapi Mountains Kern 4,820 feet (1,470 m) 35°03′39″N 118°23′20″W / 35.06083°N 118.38889°W / 35.06083; -118.38889 (Oak Creek Pass) Tehachapi Willow Springs Road 246716
Onyx Summit San Bernardino Mountains San Bernardino 8,443 feet (2,573 m) 34°11′32″N 116°43′8″W / 34.19222°N 116.71889°W / 34.19222; -116.71889 (Onyx Summit) SR 38 272805
Pacheco Pass[7] Diablo Range Santa Clara 1,368 feet (417 m) 37°3′59″N 121°13′7″W / 37.06639°N 121.21861°W / 37.06639; -121.21861 (Pacheco Pass) SR 152 230196
Pacific Grade Summit Sierra Nevada Alpine 8,051 feet (2,454 m) 38°31′00″N 119°54′34″W / 38.51667°N 119.90944°W / 38.51667; -119.90944 (Pacific Grad Summit) SR 4 274786
Panoche Pass Diablo Range San Benito 2,250 feet (690 m) 36°37′41″N 121°00′51″W / 36.62806°N 121.01417°W / 36.62806; -121.01417 (Panoche Pass) CR J1 230286
Patchen Pass Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz-Santa Clara border 1,814 feet (553 m) 37°08′39″N 121°59′05″W / 37.14417°N 121.98472°W / 37.14417; -121.98472 (Patchen Pass) SR 17 Summit Road 252422
San Francisquito Pass Sierra Pelona Mountains Los Angeles 1,114 feet (340 m) 34°38′22″N 118°22′50″W / 34.63944°N 118.38056°W / 34.63944; -118.38056 (San Francisquito Pass) San Francisquito Canyon Road N/A
San Gorgonio Pass San Bernardino/San Jacinto Mountains Riverside 1,591 feet (485 m) 33°55′0″N 116°45′03″W / 33.91667°N 116.75083°W / 33.91667; -116.75083 (San Gorgonio Pass) I‑10 Union Pacific Railroad 273482
San Marcos Pass Santa Ynez Mountains Santa Barbara 2,225 feet (678 m) 34°30′42″N 119°49′29″W / 34.51167°N 119.82472°W / 34.51167; -119.82472 (San Marcos Pass) SR 154 248912
Santa Susana Pass Santa Susana Mountains/Simi Hills Los Angeles 1,608 feet (490 m) 34°16′06″N 118°37′58″W / 34.26833°N 118.63278°W / 34.26833; -118.63278 (Santa Susana Pass) SR 118 Santa Susana Pass Road 249127
Sepulveda Pass Santa Monica Mountains Los Angeles 1,130 feet (340 m) 34°7′37″N 118°28′29″W / 34.12694°N 118.47472°W / 34.12694; -118.47472 (Sepulveda Pass) I‑405 Sepulveda Boulevard N/A
Sherman Pass Sierra Nevada Tulare 9,200 feet (2,800 m) 35°59′26″N 118°21′57″W / 35.99056°N 118.36583°W / 35.99056; -118.36583 (Sherman Pass) Sherman Pass Road 1667613
Sherwin Summit Sierra Nevada Mono 6,426 feet (1,959 m) 37°30′52″N 118°37′40″W / 37.51444°N 118.62778°W / 37.51444; -118.62778 (Sherwin Summit) US 395 1659642
Soledad Pass Sierra Pelona Mountains Los Angeles 3,209 feet (978 m) 34°30′24″N 118°6′44″W / 34.50667°N 118.11222°W / 34.50667; -118.11222 (Soledad Pass) SR 14 Angeles Forest Highway
Sierra Highway
Union Pacific Railroad		 273803
Sonora Pass Sierra Nevada Mono-Tuolumne border 9,624 feet (2,933 m) 38°19′40″N 119°38′9″W / 38.32778°N 119.63583°W / 38.32778; -119.63583 (Sonora Pass) SR 108 1934439
Tehachapi Pass Tehachapi Mountains Kern 3,771 feet (1,149 m) 35°06′08″N 118°16′58″W / 35.10222°N 118.28278°W / 35.10222; -118.28278 (Tehachapi Pass) SR 58 Union Pacific Railroad 254326
Tejon Pass Tehachapi Mountains Los Angeles 4,160 feet (1,270 m) 34°48′10″N 118°52′37″W / 34.80278°N 118.87694°W / 34.80278; -118.87694 (Tejon Pass) I‑5 North Peace Valley Road 274055
Tioga Pass Sierra Nevada Mono-Tuolumne border 9,943 feet (3,031 m) 37°54′40″N 119°15′29″W / 37.91111°N 119.25806°W / 37.91111; -119.25806 (Tioga Pass) SR 120 255154
Walker Pass[8] Sierra Nevada Kern 5,250 feet (1,600 m) 35°39′47″N 118°1′37″W / 35.66306°N 118.02694°W / 35.66306; -118.02694 (Walker Pass) SR 178 Pacific Crest Trail 255847
Westgard Pass White/Inyo Mountains Inyo 7,313 feet (2,229 m) 37°18′01″N 118°09′11″W / 37.30028°N 118.15306°W / 37.30028; -118.15306 (Westgard Pass) SR 168 237547
Yuba Pass Sierra Nevada Sierra 6,709 feet (2,045 m) 39°37′3″N 120°29′20″W / 39.61750°N 120.48889°W / 39.61750; -120.48889 (Yuba Pass) SR 49 238294

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mountain passes of California.

References

  1. ↑ "Beckwourth Pass". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. Beckwourth Pass ... was discovered in 1851 by James P. Beckwourth
  2. ↑ "Kit Carson Marker". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. On this spot, the summit of the Kit Carson Pass, stood the Kit Carson Tree on which the famous scout Kit Carson inscribed his name in 1844 when he guided the then Captain John C. Frémont, head of a government exploring expedition, over the Sierra Nevada
  3. ↑ "Ebbetts Pass Route". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. The Emigrant Trail through Ebbetts Pass, discovered by and named after Major John Ebbetts, was opened up in the early 1850s
  4. ↑ "Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail (Fandango Pass)". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. This spot marks the convergence of two pioneer trails used by emigrants during the years 1846-1850
  5. ↑ "Gaviota Pass". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. Here, on Christmas Day, 1846, natives and soldiers from the Presidio of Santa Barbara lay in ambush for Lieutenant Colonel John C. Frémont ... [he] learned of the plot and ... came instead over the San Marcos Pass to capture Santa Barbara
  6. ↑ "Oak Creek Pass". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. In 1776, Father Francisco Garcés used the Oak Creek Pass to return to the Mojave after exploring the San Joaquin Valley
  7. ↑ "Pacheco Pass". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. On June 21, 1805, on his first exploratory journey into the San Joaquin Valley, Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga traversed and recorded this pass
  8. ↑ "Walker Pass". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved July 8, 2013. Discovered by Joseph R. Walker, American trailblazer, who left the San Joaquin Valley through this pass in 1834
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