This scenic byway may offer some of the most diverse scenery, botanical variety, wildlife and climatic zones of any drive in far Northern California. The route encompasses from the dryer, warmer Sacramento River Valley to the cool, often foggy Redwood Coast. It features a variety of cultural and historical glimpses of the gold mining, timber, and Native American history along the byway.

Starting in Redding, Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Museum provides a great way to immerse yourself in the local history. Almost immediately upon driving west out of Redding gives another historical window into the past. Old Shasta State Historic Park was known in 1849 as the “queen city of the northern mines”. It served as the main shipping point for supplies and money between all of the northern mine fields and San Francisco. The court house now serves as a historical exhibit for artifacts of the area and offers an outstanding collection of California art. Continuing further west, Whiskeytown Shasta – Trinity National Recreation Area, a National Park Service administered lake and park is known for its piercing granite peaks and cliffs, mountainous backcountry and Whiskeytown Lake. The lake provides 36 miles of pristine shoreline and beaches with water oriented activities to include swimming, boating and fishing.

Back on the road, the byway traces the tracks of gold rush era stagecoaches and freight wagons to such historic locales as Tower House, French Gulch and eventually on to Weaverville. Weaverville, about midway on the scenic route retains its gold rush flavor. The experiences of gold rush miners and Chinese immigrants are well preserved in the city’s historical buildings. Weaverville boasts some of California’s oldest businesses, several dating from the 1850’s. Continuing west, about four miles from Weaverville is the La Grange interpretive stop, which explains the incredibly destructive practice of hydraulic mining. Miners who came to the Trinity area in the late 1800’s used the plentiful supply of water to blast away the hillsides in search of gold.

The route now descends to the Wild & Scenic Trinity River, known for its dramatic canyon walls and sparkling clear waters. The river boasts superb year-round recreational opportunities such as kayaking and world class whitewater rafting, and is one of the finest sport fishing streams in California.
Soon you will come to an area known by the Indians as “the place where the rivers come together” or Hlel-Din. This once major Indian village is now the town of Willow Creek and “the gateway to Bigfoot Country”. The remainder of the route over Berry Summit and Lord-Ellis Summit provide several great places to stop and take in beautiful vistas. This section of road was not developed until after President Theodore Roosevelt named the area the Trinity Forest Reserve. The final stretch of highway through Blue Lake and on to Arcata provides occasional glimpses of the Redwood forests and other coastal vegetation made possible by the changing climate of the North Coast.

Drive Tips
Distance: 140 miles
Minimum Driving Time: 4 hours
Best Time to go: Year-round but check for road conditions over the summits during the winter months.