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List of Sierra Nevada road passes facts for kids

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Main page: 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. Most 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.

Name Elevation (ft) Elevation (m) Coordinates Access Road Notes
Fredonyer Pass 5,748 1,752 40°21′35″N 120°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 5,212 1,589 39°47′30″N 120°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 6,709 2,045 39°37′03″N 120°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 6,400 1,951 39°30′18″N 120°16′55″W / 39.50500°N 120.28194°W / 39.50500; -120.28194 (Little Truckee Summit) SR 89
Donner Summit (Euer Saddle) 7,239 2,206 39°20′24″N 120°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 7,088 2,160 39°18′52″N 120°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 7,199 2,194 39°15′40″N 120°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 8,946 2,727 39°18′48″N 119°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 7,158 2,182 39°06′15″N 119°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 7,339 2,237 38°58′36″N 119°53′20″W / 38.97657°N 119.88879°W / 38.97657; -119.88879 (Daggett Pass) SR 207 On Carson Range spur
Echo Summit 7,377 2,249 38°48′47″N 120°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 7,735 2,358 38°47′13″N 119°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 8,573 2,613 38°41′38″N 119°59′15″W / 38.69389°N 119.98750°W / 38.69389; -119.98750 (Carson Pass) SR 88
Pacific Crest Trail
Monitor Pass 8,321 2,536 38°40′32″N 119°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
Ebbetts Pass 8,732 2,662 38°32′40″N 119°48′43″W / 38.5443529°N 119.8118455°W / 38.5443529; -119.8118455 (Ebbetts Pass) SR 4
Pacific Crest Trail		 Closed in winter
Sonora Pass 9,624 2,933 38°19′40″N 119°38′9″W / 38.32778°N 119.63583°W / 38.32778; -119.63583 (Sonora Pass) SR 108
Pacific Crest Trail		 Closed in winter
Tioga Pass 9,943 3,031 37°54′40″N 119°15′29″W / 37.91111°N 119.25806°W / 37.91111; -119.25806 (Tioga Pass) SR 120 Closed in winter
Minaret Summit 9,175 2,797 37°39′23″N 119°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
No roads cross the Sierra Crest for 137 miles (220 km) between Minaret Summit and Ninemile Canyon.
Sherman Pass 9,140 2,786 35°59′26″N 118°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
unnamed pass 6,260 1,908 35°51′41″N 118°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 5,246 1,599 35°39′47″N 118°01′37″W / 35.66306°N 118.02694°W / 35.66306; -118.02694 (Walker Pass) SR 178
Pacific Crest Trail
Tehachapi Summit 4,064 1,239 35°06′08″N 118°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

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List of Sierra Nevada road passes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.