Outback Scenic Byway

Last updated

Oregon Outback Scenic Byway logo.jpg

Outback Scenic Byway

Oregon Outback Scenic Byway map.jpg
Outback Scenic Byway highlighted in green
Route information
Maintained by Oregon Department of Transportation
Length170 mi [1]  (270 km)
Component
highways
OR 31.svg OR 31
US 395.svg US 395
Major junctions
North end La Pine, Oregon
South endsouth of Lakeview, Oregon at the California border
Location
Country United States
State Oregon
Counties Deschutes and Lake counties
Highway system

The Outback Scenic Byway is a designated National Scenic Byway on Oregon state highways that features the scenic rugged landscape of Central Oregon.

Contents

Route description

The byway goes between La Pine and just past Lakeview at the California border. It runs southeast on Oregon Route 31 for most of its length, then continues at the intersection with U.S. Route 395 to the Oregon-California border.

It passes multiple natural attractions including Fort Rock State Park, Hole-in-the-Ground, Summer Lake, and Summer Lake Hot Springs.

The highway is a 2-lane, rural road for its entire length.

Intersections with other highways

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeview, Oregon</span> Town in Oregon, United States

Lakeview is a town in Lake County, Oregon, United States. The population was 2,418 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Lake County. The city bills itself as the "Tallest Town in Oregon" because of its elevation, 4,757 feet (1,450 m) above sea level. Lakeview is situated in the Goose Lake Valley at the foot of the Warner Mountains and at the edge of Oregon's high desert country. Its economy is based on agriculture, lumber production, and government activities. In addition, tourism is an increasingly important part of the city's economy. Oregon's Outback Scenic Byway passes through Lakeview.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 395</span> Highway in the United States

U.S. Route 395 is a U.S. Route in the western United States. The southern terminus of the route is in the Mojave Desert at Interstate 15 near Hesperia. The northern terminus is at the Canada–US border near Laurier, where the road becomes Highway 395 upon entering British Columbia, Canada. Before 1964, the route extended south to San Diego. I-15, I-215, and California State Route 163 replaced the stretch of 395 that ran from San Diego to Hesperia through Riverside and San Bernardino. "Old Highway 395" can be seen along or near I-15 in many locations before it branches off at Hesperia to head north. It has also been referred to as the "Three Flags Route."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 97</span> North–south highway in the northwestern United States

U.S. Route 97 (US 97) is a major north–south route of the United States Numbered Highway System in the Pacific Northwest region. It runs for approximately 670 miles (1,078 km) through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, primarily serving interior areas on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. The highway terminates to the south at a junction with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Weed, California, and to the north at the Canadian border near Osoyoos, British Columbia, where it becomes British Columbia Highway 97. Major cities on the US 97 corridor include Klamath Falls, Bend, and Redmond in Oregon; and Yakima, Ellensburg, and Wenatchee in Washington. A portion of the highway in California and Oregon is part of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 74</span> Highway in California

State Route 74, part of which forms the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway or Pines to Palms Highway, and the Ortega Highway, is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Interstate 5 in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County to the city limits of Palm Desert in Riverside County. Stretching about 111 miles (179 km), it passes through several parks and National Forests between the Pacific coast and the Coachella Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 120</span> Highway in California

State Route 120 is a state highway in the central part of California, connecting the San Joaquin Valley with the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park, and the Mono Lake area. Its western terminus is at Interstate 5 in Lathrop, and its eastern terminus at U.S. Route 6 in Benton. While the route is signed as a contiguous route through Yosemite, the portion inside the park is federally maintained and is not included in the state route logs. The portion at Tioga Pass at Yosemite's eastern boundary is the highest paved through road in the California State Route system. This part is not maintained in the winter and is usually closed during the winter season.

The State Scenic Highway System in the U.S. state of California is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as scenic highways. They are marked by the state flower, a California poppy, inside either a rectangle for state-maintained highways or a pentagon for county highways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 299</span> State highway in California, United States

State Route 299 is an east–west state highway in the state of California that runs across the northern part of the state. At 305.777 miles (492.100 km), it is the third longest California state highway. Route 299 begins at US 101 at the northern edge of Arcata and continues in an easterly direction through to the Nevada state line. Between Arcata and Redding, Route 299 intersects with State Route 96, and is briefly co-signed with State Route 3. In Redding, it intersects with State Route 273, State Route 44, and Interstate 5. East of Redding, it intersects with State Route 89, and a section is co-signed with State Route 139 before reaching Alturas. It is then co-signed with U.S. Route 395 northeast of Alturas, and then runs east toward the border with Nevada. A ghost town, Vya, Nevada, can be reached via this route, which after the border becomes a dirt road, which was formerly Nevada State Route 8A. The segment of SR 299 between Arcata and Redding is the Trinity Scenic Byway, a National Forest Scenic Byway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 18</span> State route in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties in California, United States

State Route 18 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It serves as a primary route into the San Bernardino Mountains, both from the Riverside–San Bernardino metropolitan area from the south and the Mojave Desert from the north. SR 18 runs from State Route 210 in San Bernardino to State Route 138 in Llano. It has two discontinuities: one in Big Bear Lake, the other in Victorville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Route 140</span> Highway in Oregon

Oregon Route 140 is a state highway in southern Oregon, United States. It is the longest state highway in Oregon, running 237 miles (381 km) from the community of White City, Oregon, through Klamath Falls and on to Lakeview. It then continues east, eventually descending into the state of Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 89</span> Highway in California

State Route 89 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels in the north–south direction, serving as a major thoroughfare for many mountain communities in the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range. It starts from U.S. Route 395 near Topaz Lake, winding its way up to the 8,314-foot (2,534 m) Monitor Pass, down to the Carson River, and up again over the 7,740-foot (2,359 m) Luther Pass. From that point on, the route generally loses elevation on its way past Lake Tahoe, through Tahoe and Plumas National Forests until Lake Almanor. For roughly nine miles the route is then a part of State Route 36. The route then ascends to the 5,753-foot (1,754 m) Morgan Summit. After it enters Lassen Volcanic National Park it continues to gain elevation until it reaches its highest point in an unnamed pass in the middle of Lassen Peak and Bumpass Mountain. The road then descends and heads northwest, finally terminating at Interstate 5 at the foot of Mount Shasta at around 3,600 feet (1,100 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 36</span> Highway in California

State Route 36 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of California that is routed from U.S. Route 101 in Humboldt County to U.S. Route 395 just east of Susanville in Lassen County. The highway passes through Red Bluff, the county seat of Tehama County, on the northern edge of the Sacramento Valley. The portion of SR 36 travelling past Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lake Almanor is part of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, a National Scenic Byway. Also, Route 36 between Alton and Susanville is a designated Blue Star Memorial Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway</span> Highway in California and Oregon

The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway is a scenic highway and All-American Road in the U.S. states of California and Oregon. It is roughly 500 mi (804.7 km) long and travels north–south along the Cascade Range past numerous volcanoes. It is composed of two separate National Scenic Byways, the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway - Oregon and Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway - California. The latter also wholly includes the Lassen Scenic Byway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Route 168</span> Highway in California

State Route 168 is an east-west state highway in the U.S. state of California that is separated into two distinct segments by the Sierra Nevada mountains. The western segment runs from State Routes 41 and 180 in Fresno east to Huntington Lake along the western slope of the Sierra. The eastern segment connects Lake Sabrina in the Eastern Sierra to State Route 266 in the community of Oasis, just to the west of the Nevada border. The eastern segment of SR 168 also forms a concurrency with U.S. Route 395 between Bishop and Big Pine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Route 31</span> Highway in Oregon

Oregon Route 31 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oregon that runs between the Central Oregon cities of La Pine and Lakeview. OR 31 traverses most of the Fremont Highway No. 19 of the Oregon state highway system, named after John C. Frémont. The entire length of OR 31 is part of the Outback Scenic Byway, though the byway extends further south beyond the end of OR 31, to the California border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler State Wayside</span> State Park in lake County, Oregon

Chandler State Wayside is a state park in south-central Oregon in the United States. It is named in honor of Solomon and Hattie Chandler, who donated the land for the park. The park covers 85 acres (34 ha) of pine forest along a creek. The park provides restrooms and other basic facilities to accommodate the traveling public. Chandler State Wayside is administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 395 in California</span> Highway in California

U.S. Route 395 (US 395) is a United States Numbered Highway, stretching from Hesperia, California to the Canadian border in Laurier, Washington. The California portion of US 395 is a 557-mile (896 km) route which traverses from Interstate 15 (I-15) in Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake. The route clips into Nevada, serving the cities Carson City and Reno, before returning to California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 97 in California</span> Highway in California

U.S. Route 97 (US 97) is a United States Numbered Highway, stretching from Weed, California to the Canadian border in Oroville, Washington. The California portion of US 97 runs north from I-5 in Weed to the Oregon state line. This is the majority of a shortcut between I-5 and Klamath Falls, Oregon, added to both states' state highway systems in 1931. It was designated as US 97 in 1935, replacing an east–west section in southern Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valley Falls, Oregon</span> Unincorporated community in the state of Oregon, United States

Valley Falls is a small unincorporated community in Lake County, Oregon, United States. The settled area is located at the junction of U.S. Route 395 and Oregon Route 31. The community is named for a small falls on the Chewaucan River just north of the occupied site. East of Valley Falls, the cliff face of Abert Rim overlooks the community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goose Lake Valley</span> Valley in south-central Oregon and northeastern California

The Goose Lake Valley is located in south-central Oregon and northeastern California in the United States. It is a high valley at the northwestern corner of North America's Great Basin. Much of the valley floor is covered by Goose Lake, a large endorheic lake that straddles the Oregon–California border. Native Americans inhabited the Goose Lake Valley for thousands of years before explorers arrived in the 19th century. The pioneer wagon route known as the Applegate Trail crossed the Goose Lake Valley on its way to southern Oregon. At the south end of Goose Lake, the Lassen Cutoff separated from the Applegate Trail and headed south toward the Sacramento Valley. Today, Lakeview, Oregon, is the largest settlement in the valley. Livestock ranching and lumber mills are the valley's main commercial activity. The Goose Lake Valley offers a number of recreational opportunities including hang-gliding, hunting, fishing, and birdwatching.

Minnesota Scenic Byways are a system of roads in the U.S. state of Minnesota which pass through areas of scenic, cultural, or recreational significance. There are currently 22 scenic byways in the system with a total length of 2,948 miles (4,744 km). Eight of these byways are also designated as National Scenic Byways, and the North Shore Scenic Drive is further designated as an All-American Road.

References

  1. "Outback Scenic Byway". America's Byways. Federal Highway Administration . Retrieved March 26, 2023.