Prior to reaching the summit, eastbound California 58/Carrisa Highway leaves San Luis Obispo County and enters Kern County. Note the pavement changes at the county line. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 58/Carrisa Highway continues to climb up the Temblor Range. Trees and scrub appear along California 58 for the first time since leaving the La Panza Range on the other side of Carrizo Plain. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Reaching the 3,250-foot summit, California 58/Carrisa Highway continues east toward McKittrick. Photos taken 07/05/06.
Almost without warning, California 58/Carrisa Highway starts to travel downhill ... fast. Several switchbacks, coupled with limited signing of the curves and a downhill grade make this an exercise in keeping the brakes working. This suite of photos follows California 58 as it winds its way down the backside of the Temblor Range. Watch for rockslides, especially during winter months. Photos taken 07/05/06.
After the initial steep downhill descent and sweeping switchbacks, California 58/Carrisa Highway passes under the two main 500-kV power transmission lines leading from Pacific Gas and Electric's Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Generating Station northeast to the massive Midway Substation near Buttonwillow. (Another 500 kV power line leads from Diablo Canyon north to the Gates Substation near the junction of Interstate 5 and California 198.) Photos taken 07/05/06.
After passing under the massive power lines, California 58/Carrisa Highway continues to descend the Temblor Range, but now at a much more gradual pace. The winding switchbacks are done for the most part, and the road takes its time descending into McKittrick. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Even on the east side of the Temblor Range, very little traffic uses California 58 until after McKittrick. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Eastbound California 58/Carrisa Highway approaches Reward Road, which travels east to McKittrick on an alternate alignment parallel to California 58/Carrisa Highway. Photo taken 07/05/06.
For the next five miles, eastbound California 58/Carrisa Highway takes a few curves, but none as sharp as the ones we saw while descending Temblor Range. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Prior to meeting California 33, eastbound California 58/Carrisa Highway approaches a fork in the road. Turn right to connect to California 33 south, or keep left to follow California 58 east to California 33 north. Too bad no guide sign announces this fact. Photo taken 07/05/06.
The back of the signage for westbound California 58 comes into view before the roadway splits. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Both branches of the fork are part of Carrisa Highway. At California 33, Carrisa Highway ends, but California 58 will continue with a shared alignment north on California 33 and then continue east again via McKittrick Highway. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Although there is no junction sign to announce this fact, eastbound California 58 approaches Junction California 33. Turn right on California 33 south to Taft (16 miles); turn left to follow California 33 north and California 58 east to McKittrick (one mile). The control city of Bakersfield is provided for eastbound California 58 (40 miles). Photo taken 07/05/06.
A set of shields for California 33 and California 58 is posted at the end of Carrisa Highway. Turn left (north) to follow California 58 east to McKittrick, Buttonwillow, Rosedale, Green Acres, Fruitvale, and Bakersfield. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 33 north and California 58 east (Second Street)
Northbound California 33 and eastbound California 58 enters the unincorporated community of McKittrick, with a population of 160 as of the 2000 Census. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Limited services are available in McKittrick, including a motel and small market. Continue east on California 58 to Buttonwillow or north on California 33 to Avenal for gas. Photo taken 07/05/06.
The routes divide shortly after leaving downtown McKittrick. Northbound California 33 will aim northwest toward Avenal and Coalinga, while eastbound California 58 turns northwest toward Buttonwillow and Interstate 5 at Exit 257. Photo taken 07/05/06.
A mileage sign for the destinations is provided shortly thereafter, including Coalinga (74 miles north via California 33), Buttonwillow (12 miles via California 58), and Bakersfield (39 miles via California 58). Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 58/McKittrick Highway east
After splitting from California 33, eastbound California 58 turns to the northeast for the journey to Buttonwillow and Bakersfield. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Cruising over a hill, the Central Valley comes into view in all its grandeur. From here, California 58 keeps heading northeast until it meets Lokern Road. All along this road are various oil and gas exploration facilities, and a variety of pipes, tanks, and power lines in support of these operations can be seen from the state highway. Even more of these facilities are located along California 33, especially south of McKittrick toward Taft and north toward Avenal. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Towers for one of the 500-kV power lines can be seen in the distance, along with an oil derrick and a truck route. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Continuing northeast, California 58 crosses under first of the two 500-kV power lines that earlier crossed the state highway on the descent from the Temblor Range. Note the other power lines that serve the oil and natural gas industries. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 58 transitions a bit more toward the east, but still travels northeasterly through here. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Due to the lack of rainfall in this part of the Central Valley, the land is not irrigated in the foothills east of McKittrick. Mining and mineral extraction is a more commonly found activity in this corner of the state. California 58 continues east toward Buttonwillow, where farming plays a much larger role. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Eastbound California 58 crosses the California Aqueduct, which carries water from the Sacramento River-San Joaquin River delta region. To ascend the Tehachapi Mountains south to Los Angeles, the aqueduct is pumped over the mountains at Wheeler Ridge. The aqueduct generally follows Interstate 5 from the Delta south to Wheeler Ridge and generally stays on the west side of the Central Valley. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 58 passes under the second 500-kV power line, which also connects Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Generating Station with the Midway Substation. the 230-kV power line has paralleled California 58 since the downslope of La Panza Range west of Carrizo Plain, and it follows the 500-kV power line east to Midway. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Eastbound California 58 approaches Lokern Road. At this point, California 58 transitions onto eastbound Lokern Road. To the west, Lokern Road connects with California 33 north of the Cymeric Oil Field and south of the Belridge Oil Fields. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 58/Lokern Road (McKittrick Highway) east
An eastbound California 58 reassurance shield is posted shortly after the Lokern Road intersection. Note that California 58 is an established truck route now, as it serves the trucks working the oil and gas fields in this part of the valley and takes them east to Interstate 5. From here, California 58 turns due east toward Buttonwillow. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Shortly thereafter, a mileage sign provides the distance to Buttonwillow (four miles) and Bakersfield (30 miles). Photo taken 07/05/06.
Having crossed the California Aqueduct, water becomes more plentiful. Agriculture becomes more common as we approach Buttonwillow ("The Heart of Cotton Country") and enter the heart of the southern Central Valley. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Eastbound California 58/Lokern Road (McKittrick Highway) approaches Corn Camp Road north to Main Drain Road. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Shortly thereafter, eastbound California 58 approaches Elk Grove Road south. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Residential areas appear on the north side of California 58 as we enter the outskirts of Buttonwillow. The next major intersection is with Palomas Avenue. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Unincorporated Buttonwillow was home to 1,266 people as of the 2000 Census. The community is named for the "Buttonwillow Tree," which is a buttonbush. Because of their similarity to a willow tree, the buttonbush was called a "buttonwillow." Settlers used the Buttonwillow Tree to help with directions in this part of the valley. Through town, California 58 briefly becomes Front Street in addition to being McKittrick Highway and Lokern Road. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Entering downtown Buttonwillow, eastbound California 58 approaches Buttonwillow Road, which travels north to Interstate 5 Exit 263. Note the use of a dreaded neutered Interstate 5 trailblazer shield. Continue straight ahead on California 58/McKittrick Highway east for motorist services and Interstate 5 south. Photo taken 07/05/06.
After the Buttonwillow Road intersection, California 58 has a reassurance shield on eastbound Front Street/McKittrick Highway. Photo taken 07/05/06.
For the first time, California 58 becomes four lanes as it continues through the industrial section of Buttonwillow. Photo taken 07/05/06.
The next major intersection on eastbound California 58/Front Street is with Mirasol Avenue, which travels south to Taft (19 miles). Photo taken 07/05/06.
Leaving Buttonwillow, California 58 passes by several stores (including car repair shops) and approaches the huge Midway Substation. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 58 passes on the south side of the Midway Substation, which is shown on some maps as "Kilowatt." Several lines intersect here: Path 15 brings two 500-kV power lines from the north (Gates Substation near Harris Ranch); two additional 500-kV power lines that have paralleled California 58 come into this substation from Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Generating Station. Two more 500-kV power lines (Southern California Edison) continue south toward greater Los Angeles. A seventh 500-kV power line also travels south to greater Los Angeles via Palmdale, but it begins as a Pacific Gas and Electric power line, then changes into a Southern California Edison power line at a point near Horsethief Mountain on sprawling Tejon Ranch. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Leaving the Midway Substation ("Kilowatt"), eastbound California 58/McKittrick Highway approaches Wasco Way south to Tupman (13 miles) and the Tule Elk Reserve. Connecting to Tupman Road, the highway eventually finds its way to California 119 (former U.S. 399). Photo taken 07/05/06.
Eastbound California 58 passes under the 500-kV power line that travels southeast toward Palmdale and thence south toward La Caņada-Flintridge. A set of 230-kV power lines accompany the 500-kV power line to serve areas in the vicinity of Bakersfield. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Passing by a few more farms and ranches, California 58 will soon approach its junction with Interstate 5. Photo taken 07/05/06.
At Interstate 5/Westside Highway, most motorist services are finally available after the long stretch without services in Carrizo Plain and McKittrick. Some services are in downtown Buttonwillow, but an even broader array can be found at the Interstate 5 interchange. The next left is the first traffic signal to be found on eastbound California 58; it connects California 58 with Interstate 5 south to Los Angeles. Photo taken 07/05/06.
Eastbound California 58 meets Interstate 5 south at this traffic signal. Continue straight ahead under the Interstate 5 bridges for the ramp to Interstate 5 north to Sacramento. Photo taken 07/05/06.
California 43 south and California 58 east (Enos Lane)
