| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway approaches Exit 11, Soledad Canyon Road, one mile. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 11, Soledad Canyon Road. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 15, Agua Dulce Canyon Road. "Agua Dulce" is Spanish for "Sweet Water." Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 19, Escondido Canyon Road. "Escondido" is Spanish for "hidden." Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 22, Red Rover Mine Road. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 26, Santiago Road. Santiago Road leads south into Acton, where it meets Santiago Canyon Road. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 27, Soledad Canyon Road. Soledad Canyon Road, which had been paralleling California 14 to the south on an alignment closer to the railroad tracks, rejoins the freeway here. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 30, Junction Southbound Los Angeles County Route N-3/Angeles Forest Highway and Eastbound Pearblossom Highway. Los Angeles County Route N-3 connects with California 2/Angeles Crest Highway via the Angeles Forest Highway. Pearblossom Highway, meanwhile, leads east to join California 138 near Pearland and also connects to another section of old U.S. 6. This particular stretch of old U.S. 6 follows the Sierra Highway through the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway approaches Exit 33, Avenue S, one mile. Right around this sign, the freeway finally turns north after heading east-northeast since Sylmar. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Passing over the California Aqueduct, northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway will pass by Lake Palmdale before descending into the Antelope Valley. The aqueduct continues southeast toward San Bernardino, roughly paralleling California 138 and the San Andreas Fault. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Now entering Palmdale, northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway passes over the San Andreas Fault as it leaves the rural, mountainous areas of the national forest and enters a sprawling, high desert community. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 33, Avenue S. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway approaches Exit 35, Junction Eastbound California 138/Westbound Los Angeles County Route N-2/Palmdale Boulevard, one and one-quarter miles. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Now entering an urban area, services are more readily available. California 138 is a major east-west corridor that generally follows the San Andreas Fault between Interstate 5 and Interstate 15. It acts as a bypass of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, but it has seen significant increases in traffic as a result of new development in areas such as Lancaster-Palmdale and the need for alternate routes to bypass the city. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 35, Junction Eastbound California 138/Westbound Los Angeles County Route N-2. While Los Angeles County Route N-2 ends here, California 138 merges with northbound California 14. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Generally, California 14 and California 138 are well-signed on their joined segment, which lasts from Exit 36 north to Exit 49. This particular assembly is located after Exit 36 and prior to Exit 37/Avenue P. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 37, Avenue P/Rancho Vista Road, one mile. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 37, Avenue P/Rancho Vista Road, next right. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 37, Avenue P/Rancho Vista Road. Notably, there are no mileage signs for specific exits along this stretch of California 14. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| The next exit along northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 is Exit 37, Avenue N in three-quarters of a mile. The freeway heads due north through the Antelope Valley, generally below grade, thus obscuring views of the surrounding development. Much of the area was developed for commuters looking for a cheaper alternative to living in crowded Los Angeles and its suburbs. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 37, Avenue N. The lettered series of east-west streets continue within the Palmdale-Lancaster metropolitan area. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 43, Avenue M, three-quarters of a mile. This sign is mounted on the Avenue N overpass. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Now leaving Palmdale, northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 enter Lancaster. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 40, Avenue M. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 41, Avenue L. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 42, Avenue K. The pattern of one lettered street per mile continues; this sign is mounted on the Avenue L overpass. It is three-quarters of a mile from the overpass to the exit gore and one mile between overpasses for lettered streets. Due to a missed photo, we don't have a picture of Exit 43, Junction Eastbound Los Angeles County Route N-5/Avenue J. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Traveling above grade for a change, northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 curve a bit to the northwest to avoid downtown Lancaster. Avenue I, which is Exit 44, leads into downtown Lancaster. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 44, Avenue I/Downtown Lancaster. The downtown area is situated between Avenue I and Avenue J along Sierra Highway (old U.S. 6). After Avenue I, the freeway loses a lane, changing from six to four lanes overall. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 45, Avenue H. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 46, Avenue G, three-quarters of a mile. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 46, Avenue G/General William J. Fox Airport/Apollo County Park, next right. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 reaches Exit 46, Avenue G. Both the Airport and the County Park are located west of the freeway. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 approaches Exit 47, Avenue F, three-quarters of a mile. This is the last of the exits spaced every mile since Avenue N. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway and Westbound California 138 at Exit 47, Avenue F. Note the use of two separate signs to indicate this exit. Marc Reitzell indicates that the first sign for Avenue F is actually a "fold-out" sign. It is opened when the space shuttle comes to Edwards Air Force Base, which doesn't happen much anymore. When opened, that sign says something like, "Space Shuttle Viewing Site." Avenue F runs along the south boundary of Edwards Air Force Base to 120th Street East. Those interested in seeing the shuttle could then go through the south base gate on 120th Street East. You can also short cut to California 58 through the east side of Edwards by going this way to 120th Street East and then take Avenue B to Mercury Boulevard to Rich Road. Rich Road arrives in Boron eventually. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway approaches Exit 49, Junction Westbound California 138/Avenue D, three-quarters of a mile. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway approaches Exit 49, Junction Westbound California 138, next right. Had the once-proposed Metropolitan Bypass been constructed, it would have followed California 138 and intersected the California 14 freeway near here, perhaps as part of the unconstructed California 48 freeway. Currently there are no further plans to construct California 138 as a freeway, but talk of such a corridor may still be resurrected at a future time depending on need for a bypass of Los Angeles as well as the growth and development of Antelope Valley. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway at Exit 49, Junction Westbound California 138/Avenue D. Only four more miles of Los Angeles County remains after this interchange along northbound California 14. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway approaches Exit 52, Avenue A, one mile. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14/Antelope Valley Freeway reaches Exit 52, Avenue A. In the Los Angeles County grid pattern for Antelope Valley, Avenue A is the most northerly east-west road, and it forms the county line. The freeway now departs Los Angeles County and enters Kern County. (Thanks to T.J. Trujillo, 06/07/04 for clarifying Avenue A is the county line.) Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14 approaches Exit 55, Rosamond/Edwards Air Force Base, one mile. Rosamond serves as both a gateway to Edwards Air Force Base and a community for those who wish to commute from Kern County to Los Angeles County. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14 approaches Exit 55, Rosamond/Edwards Air Force Base, next right. On certain occasions, Edwards Air Force Base rises to prominence when the space shuttle is landed in California. This generally occurs when there is inclement weather for several days at the Florida landing facility at Cape Canaveral (Kennedy Space Coast). The base lies east of California 14, west of U.S. 395, and south of California 58, occupying a huge tract of land in southeastern Kern County. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Reaching the Rosamond/Edwards Air Force Base exit, northbound California 14 skirts most of the development associated with this area. The vast desert continues ahead. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| The next overhead along northbound California 14 confirms that fact, with the destinations of Mojave and Bishop. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Mileage sign along northbound California 14. The next three destinations are Mojave/Junction Business California 58, California City, and Bishop. As is traditional in Kern County, this district of Caltrans opts to place the route shield on the same assembly as the mileage sign. In this case, the shield is mounted below the sign. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| The next exit along northbound California 14 is Exit 58, Dawn Road. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14 at Exit 58, Dawn Road. Dawn Road leads east to connect with original U.S. 6/Sierra Highway. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14 at Exit 61, Backus Road. Backus Road skirts the south edge of Soledad Mountain, elevation 4,190 feet. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Continuing with the Kern County standard for mileage signs, this sign measures the distance to Junction Business California 58/Mojave, California City, and Bishop. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Northbound California 14 at Exit 64, Silver Queen Road. Silver Queen Road skirts the north edge of Soledad Mountain, then turns southwest toward Gem Hill and Tropico Hill via Mojave-Tropico Road. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| As it enters the metropolitan area of Mojave, California 14 loses its freeway status and enters the city as a surface street. This is a temporary condition; the California 14 freeway is slated for extension to meet the new California 58 freeway. Such a bypass would enable a smoother flow of through traffic around Mojave from the Southland that is en route to the Eastern Sierra, Bishop, Mammoth, and Reno. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| California 58 cuts across the northernmost tier of Southern California, passing through Santa Margarita, McKittrick, Bakersfield, and Mojave before connecting with Interstate 15 and Interstate 40 in Barstow. Much of this route east of Bakersfield was historic U.S. 466, decommissioned in 1964. Slowly, California 58 is being upgraded to an all-freeway corridor between Interstate 5 and Interstate 15. California 14 meets the California 58 business route at the southern end of the town of Mojave. Long-range plans for an extended California 14 freeway from Los Angeles County would result in a direct connection from California 14 to the California 58/Mojave Bypass freeway. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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| Now entering the town of Mojave, California 14 approaches its first major intersection since entering Kern County. This first intersection is with Business California 58. At the time this picture was taken, California 58 was routed through town, and California 14 met California 58 here. However, in Fall 2003, California 58 was rerouted onto the Mojave Bypass, and the original route became a business loop. California 14 northbound and Business California 58 westbound merge from this intersection until meeting the bypass north of town. Photo taken 08/16/03.
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Page Updated December 18, 2004.
