List of Sierra Nevada road passes

Main article: Sierra Nevada

This is a table of principal paved highway passes on or near the crest of the Sierra Nevada, United States. The road passes are generally listed from north to south, with their elevation and access road.

The California Department of Transportation attempts to keep Donner Summit (Interstate 80, I-80), Echo Summit (U.S. Route 50, US 50) and Carson Pass (State Route 88, SR 88) open year-round. With the notable exception of Mount Rose Summit, maintained by the Nevada Department of Transportation, other passes at higher elevation than these are usually closed during winter, with opening and closure dates varying based on snowfall and available road clearing and repair resources. ^[1]

Name	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Coordinates	Access Road	Notes
Fredonyer Pass [2]	5,748	1,752	40°21′35″N120°52′03″W / 40.35972°N 120.86750°W / 40.35972; -120.86750 (Fredonyer Pass)	SR 36	Approximate boundary with the Cascade Range
Beckwourth Pass [3]	5,212	1,589	39°47′30″N120°6′28″W / 39.79167°N 120.10778°W / 39.79167; -120.10778 (Beckwourth Pass)	SR 70 Feather River Route (via tunnel)	On the Diamond Mountains spur range Lowest Sierra Crest highway pass
Yuba Pass [4]	6,709	2,045	39°37′03″N120°29′20″W / 39.61750°N 120.48889°W / 39.61750; -120.48889 (Yuba Pass)	SR 49	On Feather River-Yuba River divide, not Sierra Crest
Little Truckee Summit [5]	6,400	1,951	39°30′18″N120°16′55″W / 39.50500°N 120.28194°W / 39.50500; -120.28194 (Little Truckee Summit)	SR 89
Donner Summit (Euer Saddle) [6]	7,239	2,206	39°20′24″N120°20′38″W / 39.34000°N 120.34389°W / 39.34000; -120.34389 (Donner Summit)	I-80	Westbound
	7,227	2,203		I-80	Eastbound
Donner Pass [7]	7,088	2,160	39°18′52″N120°19′37″W / 39.31444°N 120.32694°W / 39.31444; -120.32694 (Donner Pass)	Donner Pass Road Overland Route (via tunnel)	Also Northern route of the Lincoln Highway and former US 40
Brockway Summit [8]	7,199	2,194	39°15′40″N120°04′17″W / 39.26102°N 120.07130°W / 39.26102; -120.07130 (Brockway Summit)	SR 267	On Truckee River divide, not Sierra Crest
Mount Rose Summit [9]	8,946	2,727	39°18′48″N119°53′50″W / 39.31333°N 119.89722°W / 39.31333; -119.89722 (Mount Rose Summit)	SR 431	On Carson Range spur highest year round Sierra Nevada highway pass
Spooner Summit [10]	7,158	2,182	39°06′15″N119°53′50″W / 39.104233°N 119.897158°W / 39.104233; -119.897158 (Spooner Summit)	US 50	On Carson Range spur Southern route of the Lincoln Highway
Daggett Pass [11]	7,339	2,237	38°58′36″N119°53′20″W / 38.97657°N 119.88879°W / 38.97657; -119.88879 (Daggett Pass)	SR 207	On Carson Range spur
Echo Summit [12]	7,377	2,249	38°48′47″N120°01′48″W / 38.813°N 120.030°W / 38.813; -120.030 (Echo Summit)	US 50	Southern route of the Lincoln Highway
Luther Pass [13]	7,735	2,358	38°47′13″N119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°W / 38.78694; -119.94583 (Luther Pass)	SR 89	On Carson River-Lake Tahoe divide, not the Sierra Crest
Carson Pass [14]	8,573	2,613	38°41′38″N119°59′15″W / 38.69389°N 119.98750°W / 38.69389; -119.98750 (Carson Pass)	SR 88 Pacific Crest Trail
Monitor Pass [15]	8,321	2,536	38°40′32″N119°37′10″W / 38.67556°N 119.61944°W / 38.67556; -119.61944 (Monitor Pass)	SR 89	In Carson River watershed, not Sierra Crest closed in winter [1]
Ebbetts Pass [16]	8,732	2,662	38°32′40″N119°48′43″W / 38.5443529°N 119.8118455°W / 38.5443529; -119.8118455 (Ebbetts Pass)	SR 4 Pacific Crest Trail	Closed in winter [1]
Sonora Pass [17]	9,624	2,933	38°19′40″N119°38′9″W / 38.32778°N 119.63583°W / 38.32778; -119.63583 (Sonora Pass)	SR 108 Pacific Crest Trail	Closed in winter [1]
Tioga Pass [18]	9,943	3,031	37°54′40″N119°15′29″W / 37.91111°N 119.25806°W / 37.91111; -119.25806 (Tioga Pass)	SR 120	Closed in winter [1]
Minaret Summit [19]	9,175	2,797	37°39′23″N119°03′37″W / 37.65639°N 119.06028°W / 37.65639; -119.06028 (Minaret Summit)	SR 203	Not a trans-Sierra route, road ends west of summit closed in winter [1]
No roads cross the Sierra Crest for 137 miles (220 km) between Minaret Summit and Ninemile Canyon.
Sherman Pass [20]	9,140	2,786	35°59′26″N118°21′57″W / 35.99056°N 118.36583°W / 35.99056; -118.36583 (Sherman Pass)	Sherman Pass Road (Forest Route 22S05)	On the Kern River-South Fork Kern River divide, not the Sierra Crest Closed in winter [21]
unnamed pass [22]	6,260	1,908	35°51′41″N118°00′26″W / 35.86136°N 118.00719°W / 35.86136; -118.00719 (Unnamed pass)	CR J41 Ninemile Canyon Road/Kennedy Meadow Road
Walker Pass [23]	5,246	1,599	35°39′47″N118°01′37″W / 35.66306°N 118.02694°W / 35.66306; -118.02694 (Walker Pass)	SR 178 Pacific Crest Trail
Tehachapi Summit [24]	4,064	1,239	35°06′08″N118°16′58″W / 35.10222°N 118.28278°W / 35.10222; -118.28278 (Tehachapi Summit)	SR 58 Southern Pacific Railroad	Traditionally marks the south end of the Sierra and the northeast end of the Tehachapis, even though it is primarily associated with the latter

Cancelled plans

A number of trans-Sierra highways have been proposed but never constructed or cancelled. These include:

• Trans-Sierra Highway, which would have continued State Route 203 from its dead end, was proposed in the 1920s, but the idea was abandoned following the passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984.
• California State Route 168, the High Sierra Piute Highway, planned to go over Piute Pass; currently two disconnected segments with a gap over the Sierra Nevada
• California State Route 190 –currently two disconnected segments with a gap over the Sierra Nevada

See also

• Californiaportal
• Geographyportal
• List of mountain passes in California

References

1. "Winter Driving Tips". Caltrans . Retrieved January 15, 2023.
2. United States Geological Survey. Fredonyer Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
3. United States Geological Survey. Beckwourth Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
4. United States Geological Survey. Sattley, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
5. United States Geological Survey. Sierraville, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
6. United States Geological Survey. Norden, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
7. United States Geological Survey. Norden, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
8. United States Geological Survey. Martis Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018– via TopoQuest.
9. United States Geological Survey. Mount Rose, Nevada (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018– via TopoQuest.
10. United States Geological Survey. Glenbrook, Nevada (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018– via TopoQuest.
11. United States Geological Survey. South Lake Tahoe, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018– via TopoQuest.
12. United States Geological Survey. Echo Lake, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
13. United States Geological Survey. Freel Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
14. United States Geological Survey. Carson Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
15. United States Geological Survey. Topaz Lake, Nevada (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 11, 2017– via TopoQuest.
16. United States Geological Survey. Ebbetts Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
17. United States Geological Survey. Sonora Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
18. United States Geological Survey. Tioga Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
19. United States Geological Survey. Mammoth Mountain, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
20. United States Geological Survey. Sirretta Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
21. "Sherman Pass Road". U.S. Forest Service . Retrieved January 20, 2023.
22. United States Geological Survey. Lamont Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
23. United States Geological Survey. Walker Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014– via TopoQuest.
24. United States Geological Survey. Tehachapi North, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved September 17, 2017– via TopoQuest.

External links

• Caltrans - Mountain Pass Closures