California 178 begins at the Junction of California 58 and California 99 in Bakersfield. After passing Junction California 204/Business California 99 (Golden State Highway), California 178 briefly becomes a freeway before heading northeast toward the Sierra Nevada foothills along the banks of the Kern River.
Scenic California 178 leads east through the Kern River Canyon, which is a narrow canyon crafted by the waters of the Kern River. Falling rocks are a concern along certain sections of the highway. Photo taken by Erik Fox (10/15/06).
Through the Kern River Canyon and over Walker Pass, California 178 is the only all-weather trans-Sierra route between California 58 and California 88. Passing by Isabella Reservoir, California 178 crosses Walker Pass (elevation 5,245 feet) before meeting California 14 and U.S. 395 in the vicinity of Ridgecrest and China Lake.
Currently, California 178 ends in the middle of the desert east of Ridgecrest at the turnoff to the Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark. The highway continues as a county-maintained highway, initially by San Bernardino County and then by Inyo County. The county route turns north, and it ultimately meets California 190 just east of Panamint Springs within Death Valley National Park, as shown in the following map. There are standing proposals to connect California 178 near Trona with the eastern section of California 178, but that seems increasingly unlikely given the fact that much of this route lies within Death Valley National Park.
The eastern segment of California 178 emerges as a narrow, two-lane highway at what seems to be an arbitrary point, but it is actually the original Death Valley National Monument boundary south of Badwater Basin (lowest spot in the continental United States) near Jubilee Pass. California 178 continues through Death Valley National Park, finally meeting California 127 a few miles north of Shoshone. California 178 merges onto California 127 for the distance into Shoshone, then turns northeast to cross into Nevada en route to Pahrump via Nevada 372.
California 178 East - between California 58/99 and U.S. 395
At the interchange with California 99, California 58 exits onto southbound California 99, and California 178 takes over the street heading eastbound. California 178 starts as a city street, passing through downtown Bakersfield before becoming a freeway en route toward the Kern River Canyon. Photo taken 01/21/04.
After passing under the California 99 overpass, California 178 approaches the turn off for Oak Street. There is a traffic signal at this intersection, but a brief ramp connects eastbound California 178 with southbound Oak Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Upon entering downtown Bakersfield, California 178 divides into two one-way streets. Eastbound follows 23rd Street, and westbound follows 24th Street. They rejoin upon reaching the freeway section. Photo taken 01/21/04.
While passing through downtown, California 178 has three lanes in each direction, with limited on-street parking. The center lane is a through lane, while the left and right lanes may be used for turns onto intersecting streets. Signs such as this one are present along the 12 blocks of one-way travel. This picture was taken along eastbound approaching F Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Upon reaching L Street, signs appear for the beginning of the freeway. There is one more traffic signal (at M Street), and then the freeway begins. It is possible that the California 178 freeway was intended to continue west to California 99, but it appears that the two freeways will not be connected via downtown Bakersfield. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 178 at M Street. This is the final traffic light before reaching the California 178 freeway. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The first exit along eastbound California 178 is Exit 2A, Q Street/24th Street to Junction California 204/Business California 99/Golden State Highway. The following exit is Exit 2B, Union Avenue, next right. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Westbound California 178 reaches Exit 2B, Union Avenue and Niles Street. Union Avenue leads south to California 204/Business California 99 and north to Manor Street/Panorama Drive. Niles Street becomes old California 178 east of the business route; it reconnects with California 178 via California 184 east of downtown. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Mileage sign for the next three exits along eastbound: Exit 3, Beale Street; Exit 4, Haley Street; Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue; and Exit 6, Oswell Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
California 178 has a long collector-distributor ramp between Exit 2B and the actual ramp to Union Avenue. This picture shows the signage present on the collector-distributor ramp for Exit 2B as seen from the mainline. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Another mileage sign for the same three exits along eastbound: Exit 3, Beale Street; Exit 4, Haley Street; Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue; and Exit 6, Oswell Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Beale Street leads northeast to Jefferson Park and southwest through East Bakersfield to Truxtun Avenue. Beale Street changes into Truxtun Avenue once the road turns from southwest to due west. Truxtun Avenue passes through downtown Bakersfield, passing by the Civic Auditorium and Convention Center before passing California 58-99 between Exits 25 and 26. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Eastbound California 178 reaches Exit 3, Beale Street. The next exit is Exit 4, Haley Street, followed by Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Mileage sign for the next three exits along eastbound: Exit 4, Haley Street; Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue and Exit 6, Oswell Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Eastbound California 178 reaches Exit 4, Haley Street. The next exit is Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Mileage sign along eastbound for the next two exits: Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue and Exit 6, Oswell Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Eastbound California 178 reaches Exit 5, Mount Vernon Avenue. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The next exit along eastbound is Exit 6, Oswell Street, next right. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Eastbound California 178 reaches Exit 6, Oswell Street. Photo taken 01/21/04.
After the Oswell Street exit, the freeway ends. California 178 squeezes back into a two lane highway, but there is clearly room in the right of way to extend the freeway further east if needed. Photo taken 01/21/04.
The divided highway ends, leaving some vacant land to the south (right) of the highway. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Two lanes merge into one lane along eastbound, and California 178 assumes the identity of a rural, two-lane highway. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Eastbound California 178 meets Fairfax Road here, at the first traffic signal since leaving downtown Bakersfield. The highway changes from a suburban to rural feel after passing this intersection. Photo taken 01/21/04.
Continuing east, California 178 next meets California 184 south at this traffic signal. California 184 heads south to Edison, Lamont, and Weedpatch, while California 178 continues northeast toward Lake Isabella and Ridgecrest via Walker Pass, elevation 5,280 feet. Photo taken 01/21/04.
California 178 East - between U.S. 395 and Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark
Views of eastbound California 178 leaving Ridgecrest on the way toward Trona. The state route does not make it all the way to the town of Trona, home of one of two trona mining facilities in the United States (the other being near Green River, Wyoming, along Interstate 80/U.S. 30). Photos taken 01/19/02.
End eastbound California 178 at the Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark turnoff. The paved road continues straight ahead as a county-maintained route (Trona-Wildrose Road). Photos taken 01/19/02.
Signage for the turnoff from eastbound California 178 to Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark, which is located seven miles south of California 178 along a gravel road. Photo taken 01/19/02.
California 178 East - between Old Death Valley National Monument Boundary and California 127
Begin Eastbound California 178 at the former Death Valley National Monument boundary. When the national park was created by President Bill Clinton during the 1990s, the original national monument was incorporated into a much larger national park. The western terminus of the eastern California 178 used to be at the original national monument boundary, but it was not changed when the national park was created. Photo taken 01/19/02.
End Westbound California 178 at the former Death Valley National Monument boundary. Other than the fact that this used to be the national monument boundary, this point seems like an arbitrary end to a state highway. The paved road continues into the park as Badwater Road, and it ultimately connects to Junction California 190. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Eastbound California 178 approaching Junction California 127 just north of Shoshone. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Eastbound California 178 at Junction California 127. Note that Death Valley Junction is shown on this mileage sign as "Junction California 190." Photo taken 01/19/02.
California 178 East - between California 127 and Nevada 372
End eastbound California 178 at the California-Nevada State Line between Shoshone and Pahrump. Photos taken 01/21/02.
California 178 West - between Nevada State Line and Death Valley National Park
This Welcome to California sign greets motorists along westbound California 178 at the California-Nevada State Line between Shoshone and Pahrump. Photo taken 01/21/02.
Begin Westbound California 178 at the California-Nevada State Line between Shoshone and Pahrump. Photo taken 01/21/02.
This mileage sign is found along westbound California 178 at the California-Nevada State Line between Shoshone and Pahrump. Photo taken 01/21/02.
Westbound California 178 approaches Junction California 127 near Shoshone. Photo taken 01/21/02.
Westbound California 178 at Junction California 127 near Shoshone. California 178 turns north along California 127 to enter the town of Shoshone, one of the few gateway towns to Death Valley National Park. Photo taken 01/21/02.
Westbound California 178 no services sign after Junction California 127. Not only are there no services for 72 miles, the services within Death Valley National Park are very expensive. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Westbound California 178 mileage sign after Junction California 127. The state highway does not make it all the way to Badwater or the Death Valley Visitors Center; it ends at the old Death Valley National Monument boundary line. Photo taken 01/19/02.
California 178 West - between Trona-Wildrose Road and California 99 in Bakersfield
Westbound California 178 ends at its interchange with California 99; the through road (24th Street) becomes California 58. Photo taken 01/21/02.
Trona-Wildrose Road East
Even though the state route ended at the Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark cutoff, Trona-Wildrose Road continues northeast to enter the town of Trona. Trona, used for the production of glass and baking soda, is mined from the dry bed of Searles Lake. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Northbound Trona-Wildrose Road view of the Panamint Valley. This marks the end of Trona-Wildrose Road and the beginning of Panamint Valley Road. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Panamint Valley Road East
Northbound Panamint Valley Road approaching Death Valley National Park. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Northbound Panamint Valley Road entering Death Valley National Park. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Northbound Panamint Valley Road at Wildrose Road split. Wildrose Road leads northeast into Death Valley National Park via Wildrose, while Panamint Valley Road continues north to meet California 190 near Panamint Springs. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Death Valley National Park: Badwater Road
The major attraction along Badwater Road is Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the continental United States at an elevation of -282 feet. The actual lowest point is not signed, but this sign at the parking area shows that the surrounding area is at -280 feet. To get to the lowest point, from the north, take Badwater Road south from California 190 at the Death Valley Gateway. From the west, follow California 178 west into the park; after the state route ends, follow the paved road until reaching Badwater Basin. Photo taken 01/19/02.
View of the parking area at Badwater Basin as seen from the trail leading to the lowest point. Note the tiny white marking on the rocks on the cliff. That white mark shows where Sea Level would be, 280 feet above the vantage point of the floor of Death Valley. Photo taken 01/19/02.
The ground at Badwater Basin (elevation -282 feet) is extremely salty, and it creates a unique crust that almost looks crystalline. This is due to the evaporation of water that makes it this far into the Death Valley basin, leaving behind the salts leached from the desert earth. The ground also gives the impression of a wintery landscape, but even in January, the weather is balmy and pleasant. It was much colder at higher elevations, including Dante's View. Photo taken 01/19/02.
This pool of water is located near the lowest point in the continental United States. The Amargosa River drains into this low point, leaving behind pools like this one. Photo taken 01/19/02.
The evening sun highlights the cliffs towering over northbound Badwater Road at a point between Badwater Basin and Ashford Junction. Photo taken 01/19/02.
Northbound Badwater Road at Mormon Point, elevation sea level. Photo taken 01/19/02.
