State Route 96 (SR 96) is a
state highway in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
that follows the
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
and
Klamath River
The Klamath River (Karuk: ''Ishkêesh'', Klamath: ''Koke'', Yurok: ''Hehlkeek 'We-Roy'') flows through Oregon and northern California in the United States, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. By average discharge, the Klamath is the second large ...
s between
State Route 299 in
Willow Creek and
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...
near
Yreka in Northern California. For most of the route it goes through the
Karuk Tribal Reservation, the
Yurok Tribal Reservation, and the
Hoopa Tribal Reservation. Over half of the length is the Bigfoot Scenic Byway, passing through "the region boasting the most sightings of
Bigfoot of anywhere in the country" according to the
National Forest Scenic Byway
The National Forest Scenic Byways are roads that have been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as scenic byways. Many are also National Scenic Byways (NSB). The program was initiated in 1987.
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List
The following roadways were listed by t ...
Program.
Route description
The route begins at a junction with
State Route 299, the Trinity Highway, in
Willow Creek. It heads north, following the Trinity River downstream through
Hoopa, and exiting the
Trinity National Forest Trinity National Forest was established as the Trinity Forest Reserve by the U.S. Forest Service in California on April 26, 1905 with . It became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 it gave up some acreage to California National F ...
near its confluence with the
Klamath River
The Klamath River (Karuk: ''Ishkêesh'', Klamath: ''Koke'', Yurok: ''Hehlkeek 'We-Roy'') flows through Oregon and northern California in the United States, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. By average discharge, the Klamath is the second large ...
at
Weitchpec. At Weitchpec, the route intersects
State Route 169 and turns northeast into the
Six Rivers National Forest
The Six Rivers National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in the northwestern corner of California. It was established on June 3, 1947 by U.S. President Harry S. Truman from portions of Klamath, Siskiyou and Trinity National Forests. It ...
. The highway passes through
Orleans and turns more northerly after intersecting Salmon River Road. Passing through
Happy Camp, SR 96 enters the
Klamath National Forest
Klamath National Forest is a national forest, in the Klamath Mountains and Cascade Range, located in Siskiyou County in northern California, but with a tiny extension (1.5 percent of the forest) into southern Jackson County in Oregon. The fores ...
. After passing through
Gottsville, the route exits the national forest. It intersects
State Route 263, which heads south toward
Yreka. SR 96 then turns north. Passing the Randolf Collier Safety Roadside Rest Area, the route meets its terminus at
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...
.
SR 96 is not part of the
National Highway System,
a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program ...
.
SR 96 is eligible for the
State Scenic Highway System,
but it is not officially designated as a scenic highway by the
California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the cabinet-level California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). Caltrans is headquartered in Sacr ...
.
The segment of SR 96 from Willow Creek to Happy Camp is designated as the Bigfoot Scenic Byway, a
National Forest Scenic Byway
The National Forest Scenic Byways are roads that have been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as scenic byways. Many are also National Scenic Byways (NSB). The program was initiated in 1987.
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List
The following roadways were listed by t ...
that goes through a region boasting the most sightings of
Bigfoot in the United States.
Major intersections
See also
*
References
External links
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California @ AARoads.com - State Route 96Caltrans: Route 96 highway conditions
096
State Route 096
State Route 096