This page was last updated in 2005, so some entries might be out of date. Fortunately, Michael Smith updated Gerald Reponen's printed Angeles Crest Scenic Byway Roadside Inventory after Gerald's death, and sent it to me to be linked from this page. It is a .doc document available here:
Angeles Crest Scenic Byway Roadside Inventory (2019) There are many estimates in the table below, so do not expect that all the the numbers will be accurate to the last digit. Furthermore, whenever the road is changed, such as sometimes occur after fires and avalanches, the mile markers may change. The mile markers below are for the road as of 2005.
The travel times are based on Tom's actual times to about 10 locations on three separate trips, assuming no stops, with the other travel times interpolated using the mile markers, using a constant speed of 38.8 mph. That speed fit all the observed times to within a minute for each. Since Tom is one of the slower drivers on the Crest Highway, your times may be shorter. On the other hand, if you are stuck behind an even slower driver like Jane, your times may be longer.
These travel times to a given location assume travel from the intersection of SR2 and I-210. In many cases, this is not the quickest way to get to the locations on the other end of SR2. From many locations in the L.A. Basin, and all points east, it is much quicker to get to I-15 and take SR138 to the far end of SR2 and then back toward the L.A. Basin on SR2. Two examples:
- From the intersection of I-10 and I-15, it is faster to go via SR138 to get to locations with mile markers above ~58 miles.
- From Pasadena and many other locations in the L.A. Basin, it is quicker to get to Wrightwood via SR138.
The numeric "mile markers" in the table come from various sources:
- about half are from our observations;
- some come from Caltrans;
- some from Gerald Reponen's printed Angeles Crest Scenic Byway Roadside Inventory;
- some have been taken from Schad's Afoot and Afield in Los Angeles County; and
- the rest are places without physical mile markers at the location, but whose mile marker has been estimated from our odometer readings.
The names given in the column Location and Parking Info are either the place name, or names given by one of the above sources. In particular, the Roadside Inventory is a rich source of names, including numeric ones like 200 and 212, for which the origin is obscure.
Mile markers from sources other than ourselves may have inconsistencies and / or typos. For example, there is a consistent 0.1 mile offset between the numbers we observed in 1999 and the numbers from Schad's 1991 book (Schad's numbers are larger). This offset may be due to a revision in the actual numbers on the road signs. Similarly, mile markers from other sources may date to previous versions of the road, and have similar offsets.
Note that the physical mile markers get reset at the L.A. County / San Bernardino County boundary at the west edge of Wrightwood. Some of the San Bernardino mileage markers are from the call boxes, which are supposed to be on the same mileage marker system, but are clearly not precisely accurate. The L.A. mile markers are in good agreement with our odometer readings, but there are clear discrepancies between the S.B. mile markers, the call box numbers, and our odometers.
The distance from I-210 has been derived from the L.A. mile markers by subtracting 24.57 miles, the mile marker just north of the northernmost I-210 ramp, and from our odometer readings in S.B. county.
When known, the direction of a given location or the parking for a given location is given as to the left or right of the road, assuming one is travelling from I-210.
Please email us with any corrections or additional information.
By the way, we are grateful to CalTrans for their excellent maintenance of this road, which, in our opinion, must have one of the highest rates of rockfall in the entire state!
See also Elevation Profile, and Caltrans Map Showing Mile Markers (be sure to increase the displayed resolution to read them)
| Distance From I-210 (miles) | Time From I-210 (HR:MIN) | Mile Marker (miles) | Location and Parking Info | Restroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 0:01 | LA 24.54 | Immediately north of I-210 | no |
| 0.96 | 0:03 | LA 25.50 | Cross Foothill Fault near Gould Canyon bridge | no |
| 1.93 | 0:03 | LA 26.47 | Parking for Gould Mesa Service Road at transformers, on right | no |
| 2.16 | 0:04 | LA 26.70 | CalTrans gate | no |
| 2.31 | 0:04 | LA 26.85 | 2000 feet elevation | no |
| 2.46 | 0:04 | LA 27.00 | Enter ANF | no |
| 2.68 | 0:04 | LA 27.22 | First of 3 large turnouts, on right | no |
| 2.79 | 0:05 | LA 27.33 | Second of 3 large turnouts, view of Arroyo Seco and Pasadena, on right | no |
| 3.19 | 0:06 | LA 27.73 | Angeles Crest Forest Station, on left | no |
| 3.86 | 0:06 | LA 28.40 | Third of 3 large turnouts, now blocked, on right | no |
| 4.04 | 0:08 | LA 28.58 | Slide Canyon Bridge | no |
| 5.05 | 0:08 | LA 29.59 | Woodwardia Bridge | no |
| 5.48 | 0:09 | LA 30.02 | Parking for Upper Dark Canyon Trail, on left | |
| 5.94 | 0:09 | LA 30.48 | Lower Dark Canyon trailhead (CCC Ridge), on right | no |
| 6.11 | 0:10 | LA 30.65 | Parking for Fire Road 2N80, on left | |
| 6.15 | 0:12 | LA 30.69 | 3000 feet elevation | no |
| 7.91 | 0:12 | LA 32.45 | Dewey's Pit [a landslide area] | no |
| 8.01 | 0:12 | LA 32.55 | Burton's curve | no |
| 8.06 | 0:14 | LA 32.60 | Georges Gap, Clear Creek Vista, on left | |
| 9.26 | 0:15 | LA 33.80 | Junction with Angeles Forest Highway, Clear Creek (Ranger) Station, on left; Clear Creek Information Station, on right | no |
| 9.60 | 0:15 | LA 34.14 | Switzer Picnic Area, on right | yes |
| 9.96 | 0:18 | LA 34.50 | Colby Canyon Trailhead, on left | no |
| 11.63 | 0:20 | LA 36.17 | Beginning of Ladybug Curve; 4000 feet elevation | no |
| 13.06 | 0:21 | LA 37.60 | Large turnout, view of upper Arroyo Seco | |
| 13.84 | 0:22 | LA 38.38 | Red Box, Mt. Wilson Road, on right | yes |
| 13.96 | 0:23 | LA 38.50 | CalTrans gate and sand tower | no |
| 15.07 | 0:25 | LA 39.61 | Lone Pine Ridge | no |
| 15.87 | 0:25 | LA 40.41 | Turnout; view of West Fork and Mt. Wilson | |
| 16.08 | 0:26 | LA 40.62 | "Trees for Color" | no |
| 17.06 | 0:28 | LA 41.60 | Badger Gap | no |
| 18.06 | 0:29 | LA 42.60 | Junction Barley Flats Road, Upper Big Tujunga Road | |
| 18.46 | 0:29 | LA 43.00 | Shortcut Picnic Area, sans tables(!), on left | yes |
| 18.76 | 0:30 | LA 43.30 | Shortcut Saddle, parking mostly on right | no |
| 19.57 | 0:33 | LA 44.11 | 5000 feet elevation | no |
| 20.71 | 0:32 | LA 45.25 | Bobcat Saddle | no |
| 21.46 | 0:36 | LA 46.00 | Windy Gap - View of Big 4 peaks (Baldy, San Gorgonio, San Jacinto, Santiago Peak), San Gabriel Wilderness | |
| 22.96 | 0:39 | LA 47.50 | Charlton Flats Picnic Area, on left | yes |
| 25.16 | 0:39 | LA 49.70 | Chilao Campground turnoff, on left | yes |
| 25.36 | 0:40 | LA 49.90 | View of Devil's Canyon | |
| 25.96 | 0:40 | LA 50.50 | Devils Canyon trailhead on right, parking on left | no |
| 26.06 | 0:41 | LA 50.60 | Chilao Visitor Center turnoff, on left | yes |
| 26.39 | 0:44 | LA 50.93 | Newcomb's Ranch, on left | |
| 28.26 | 0:46 | LA 52.80 | Three Points Junction, Three Points Trailhead, Santa Clara Divide Road, signed only as "To Horse Flats" and perhaps "To Organizational Camps", on left | yes |
| 29.48 | 0:46 | LA 54.02 | PCT Crossing, parking on right | |
| 29.68 | 0:47 | LA 54.22 | 6000 feet elevation | no |
| 30.47 | 0:48 | LA 55.01 | Winston Springs | no |
| 30.90 | 0:48 | LA 55.44 | Avalanche Canyon | no |
| 31.12 | 0:49 | LA 55.66 | Cloudburst Canyon | no |
| 31.55 | 0:50 | LA 56.09 | Panorama Curve | no |
| 32.16 | 0:50 | LA 56.70 | Motorcycle Curve | no |
| 32.43 | 0:50 | LA 56.97 | PCT Crossing, parking on left | |
| 32.56 | 0:51 | LA 57.10 | Cloudburst Summit | no |
| 32.96 | 0:51 | LA 57.50 | Mt. Waterman Ski Area | no |
| 33.16 | 0:52 | LA 57.70 | Roadside turnout, Buckhorn Peak trailhead, on left | no |
| 33.46 | 0:52 | LA 58.00 | Buckhorn trailhead for Mt. Waterman hike on right, parking on left | no |
| 33.71 | 0:54 | LA 58.25 | Entrance road to Buckhorn Campground, on left | yes |
| 34.81 | 0:56 | LA 59.35 | Snowcrest Ski Area, formerly Kratka Ridge | no |
| 36.13 | 0:57 | LA 60.67 | Vista Picnic Area, on right | |
| 36.55 | 0:57 | LA 61.09 | Cedar Springs | no |
| 37.06 | 0:58 | LA 61.60 | Eagle's Roost Picnic Area, PCT parking on right, CalTrans sand shed | yes |
| 37.45 | 0:59 | LA 61.99 | Williamson Rock, parking on left | no |
| 37.86 | 0:59 | LA 62.40 | Mt. Williamson trailhead, at an unnamed saddle, parking area, on left | no |
| 38.26 | 1:00 | LA 62.80 | Beginning of two tunnels | no |
| 38.96 | 1:01 | LA 63.50 | Jarvi Memorial Vista, on right | yes |
| 39.56 | 1:02 | LA 64.10 | Islip Saddle, PCT parking lot on left, closed SR-39 on right | yes |
| 40.01 | 1:03 | LA 64.55 | Cortelyou Spring | no |
| 40.96 | 1:04 | LA 65.50 | Gated Fire Road on right, (former Pine Hollow Picnic Area on left) | no |
| 41.59 | 1:05 | LA 66.13 | Elly Bar | no |
| 41.84 | 1:07 | LA 66.38 | Little Jimmys | no |
| 41.86 | 1:07 | LA 66.40 | White Fir Spring | no |
| 43.06 | 1:07 | LA 67.60 | Best snow-melt gully for wildflowers, on right; desert view to north | no |
| 43.53 | 1:08 | LA 68.07 | 200 | no |
| 43.73 | 1:08 | LA 68.27 | 212 | no |
| 44.10 | 1:09 | LA 68.64 | Matthew Ridge | no |
| 44.65 | 1:10 | LA 69.19 | Strawberry Guard Rail | no |
| 45.06 | 1:11 | LA 69.60 | Dawson Saddle, parking on left | no |
| 46.06 | 1:12 | LA 70.60 | Dorr Canyon; desert views, geology | no |
| 46.46 | 1:13 | LA 71.00 | Whitethorn | no |
| 47.03 | 1:13 | LA 71.57 | Broken Wall | no |
| 47.44 | 1:14 | LA 71.98 | Snow Canyon | no |
| 47.79 | 1:15 | LA 72.33 | Jackhammer Tree | no |
| 48.18 | 1:15 | LA 72.72 | Lone Wall | no |
| 48.28 | 1:16 | LA 72.82 | Mojave Desert Vista | no |
| 48.82 | 1:16 | LA 73.36 | 7000 feet elevation | no |
| 49.40 | 1:18 | LA 73.94 | Icy Springs | no |
| 50.26 | 1:20 | LA 74.80 | Vincent Gap, PCT parking, on right | yes |
| 51.57 | 1:22 | LA 76.11 | Blue Cut | no |
| 52.76 | 1:23 | LA 77.30 | Grassy Hollow Visitor Center, on left | yes |
| 53.56 | 1:26 | LA 78.10 | Blue Ridge Summit, Lightning Ridge and PCT parking on left, Blue Ridge Road, Inspiration Point Parking on right | yes |
| 55.36 | 1:27 | LA 79.90 | Big Pines, on left | yes |
| 56.26 | 1:29 | LA 80.80 | Mountain High East Ski Resort, on right | no |
| 57.73 | 1:30 | LA 82.27 SB 00.00 | L.A. / S.B. County Line Enter Wrightwood | no |
| 58.03 | 1:30 | SB 00.30 | S curve | no |
| 58.48 | 1:31 | SB 00.75 | 6000 feet elevation | no |
| 59.06 | 1:32 | SB 01.30 | Pine Road, Wrightwood, on right | no |
| 59.66 | 1:33 | SB 01.70 | Lone Pine Road, Wrightwood, on right | no |
| 60.26 | 1:34 | SB 02.30 | Sheep Creek Road | no |
| 60.46 | 1:35 | SB 02.50 | Leave Wrightwood | no |
| 61.29 | 1:36 | SB 03.33 | Stock Pile | no |
| 62.16 | 1:37 | SB 04.20 | Desert Front Road | no |
| 62.46 | 1:37 | SB 04.50 | Coor Pender | no |
| 62.81 | 1:37 | SB 04.85 | 5000 feet elevation | no |
| 62.96 | 1:39 | SB 05.00 | Leave ANF | no |
| 64.26 | 1:39 | SB 06.20 | end SR2 at SR138 | no |
| Location | Note |
|---|---|
| Georges Gap (Clear Creek Vista) | Has view of San Gabriel Fault midway up the other side of the canyon. The trace of the fault is given by the contact between light and dark rock, and the line of vegetation caused by water coming to the surface at the fault trace. |
Go to:
Copyright © 1999-2013 by Tom Chester and Jane Strong.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sgm/places/sr2_log.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Jane Strong
Updated 18 April 2005 (two comments added 8 June 2013; link added to updated roadside inventory on 7 June 2021)
