Historic U.S. 66 - California Travel Information

Historic U.S. 66

Historic U.S. 66 (also known as the Mother Road; Will Rogers Highway) is perhaps the most famous highway in the United States. Traversing eight states on its trip from Santa Monica to Chicago (through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois), Historic U.S. 66 passes through many towns that time forgot. Relegated to business loop or frontage road status for much of its route nationally, the last segment of U.S. 66 was bypassed by freeway in 1985 in Arizona. The entire route was decommissioned shortly thereafter, and now U.S. 66 is signed as an historic route. Signs are erected all along the various routings of U.S. 66 in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and Inland Empire, and U.S. 66 is well-signed on its extant sections between Cajon Pass, Barstow, and Needles.

A portion of this route is still state maintained, even though portions of the route are being remanded to local control. Currently, however, California 66 is Foothill Boulevard between California 30 in San Dimas/Claremont and Interstate 215 in San Bernardino. California 66 matches the original routing of Historic U.S. 66 for its entire length. This highway is much more often signed as either Historic U.S. 66 (brown shields) or even as U.S. 66, even though U.S. 66 is long since decommissioned.

Site Navigation

Historic U.S. 66 east
	Eastbound U.S. 66 shield in Duarte. This is not located along California 66, but it is on the historical U.S. 66 route. Photo taken 01/06/02.
California 66 east
See the California 66 page.
Historic U.S. 66 east and U.S. 91-395 north
	An extant section of U.S. 66 (and its former companions, U.S. 91-395) is located on the ascent to Cajon Pass between Interstate 15, Exits 124 and 129. Following Cajon Boulevard, this old stretch of U.S. 66 features a former divided highway that was converted back into a two-lane road. Some of the old eastbound/northbound lanes are still intact, but they are only used by bicyclists and hikers. In this picture, the former eastbound lanes are torn up. Photo taken 01/20/04.

Views of eastbound U.S. 66/northbound U.S. 91-395 as it passes through the lower reaches of the Cajon Pass. The old eastbound lanes of the expressway have been decommissioned in favor of a two-lane road. Photos taken 01/20/04.

			The old expressway features a 1939 concrete bridge for the former northbound lanes of U.S. 66-91-395. This bridge is closed to motor vehicles. This series of photos shows some views of this old bridge. Photos taken 01/20/04.
			Historic U.S. 66 shields are occasionally found painted on the pavement, as shown on these three pictures taken at the 1939 bridge. Photo taken 01/20/04.

U.S. 66 east and U.S. 91 north (National Trails Highway)
	View of the 1939 concrete bridge as seen from northbound U.S. 66-91-395. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Northbound U.S. 66-91-395 approaching Junction Interstate 15. This neutered shield was likely placed by San Bernardino County rather than Caltrans. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	U.S. 66-91 follow the railroad and the Mojave River closely between Victorville and Barstow, while Interstate 15 favors an alignment that is more direct but further away from the river and small communities along it, including Oro Grande, Helendale, Hodge, and Lenwood. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	View of the National Trails Highway/U.S. 66-91 north of Victorville. The highway passes by two cement facilities and several communities before reaching the less populated portions of the high desert. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Nearing the top of a hill along northbound U.S. 66-91/National Trails Highway is this towering substation, which helps transmit power across the power grid in Southern California. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	The Oro Grande Bridge allows U.S. 66-91 to cross the Mojave River north of Oro Grande and Victorville. Known as the Oro Grande Bridge, it was constructed and opened to traffic in 1932, and it is still in use today. Another truss bridge of the same ilk is located along old U.S. 91 in Barstow. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	View of the Oro Grande Bridge at midspan as seen along eastbound U.S. 66/northbound U.S. 91. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 approaching a subway under the railroad tracks. This warning sign advises high profile vehicles not enter if they are taller than the advisory sign limit. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	This narrow subway pushes U.S. 66-91 under the railroad tracks. With a clearance of only 13 feet, 11 inches, taller vehicles have been known to get stuck here or even damage the subway. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	U.S. 66-91 passes through some sparsely settled areas in the high desert. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 enters the city limits of Hodge. Most of the development in Hodge is by the Mojave River, where green farmland contrasts sharply with the surrounding dry landscape. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	View of Eastbound U.S. 66-91 between Hodge and Barstow. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 enters the city limits of Barstow some distance south of California 58. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 approaching Lenwood Road. Lenwood Road leads east to Interstate 15 (Exit 178), which is the location of the Barstow outlets and dozens of restaurants, and west to California 58 en route to Mojave and Bakersfield. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 approaching Junction California 58, a freeway that leads east to Bakersfield and west to Interstate 15. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	California 58 bypasses old U.S. 466, which used to approach Barstow from the west. With the recent construction of the Barstow Bypass, traffic may avoid north Barstow and old U.S. 466. This picture shows north/eastbound U.S. 91-66 at the freeway interchange for eastbound California 58, which leads to Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Freeway entrance signage for eastbound California 58 as seen from U.S. 66-91. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 at Junction California 58 west, which leads to Mojave, Tehachapi, and Bakersfield. Photo taken 01/20/04.
	Eastbound U.S. 66-91 reaches Business Loop I-15 in Barstow. The business loop shield is omitted from this guide sign, but the business loop northbound is straight ahead and southbound is a right turn. Old U.S. 66-91 joins the business loop straight ahead into Barstow. Photo taken 01/20/04.

Page Updated March 21, 2004.