State Scenic Highway 138 138
State Scenic Highway 138 is a National Forest Scenic Byway in California. Within California it covers roughly 25 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along State Scenic Highway 138 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
State Scenic Highway 138 covers Route 138 across the Cajon Pass and Antelope Valley, and its Cajon-to-Crestline stretch carries a genuine federal designation. That segment, between Interstate 15 in Cajon Pass and State Route 18 at Crestline, is part of the Rim of the World Scenic Byway, a U.S. Forest Service National Forest Scenic Byway, climbing out of the high desert into the San Bernardino Mountains on tight curves with views back down over the pass. Farther west, the highway crosses the flat, wind-scoured Antelope Valley near Palmdale, a stark contrast to the mountain segment, and this portion remains only eligible, not officially designated, for state scenic-highway status. Caltrans has worked to widen and add shoulders to the Antelope Valley section given its history as a high-fatality corridor, so drivers should take extra care on the two-lane stretches.
- Cajon Pass to Crestline: Rim of the World National Forest Scenic Byway
- Antelope Valley desert crossing near Palmdale
- climbs into San Bernardino Mountains
- eligible elsewhere on the route
- history as a high-fatality corridor
Plan a drive on State Scenic Highway 138 →
What is a National Forest Scenic Byway?
National Forest Scenic Byways are routes designated by the U.S. Forest Service that thread through the mountains, canyons and old growth of America's national forests and grasslands.
Where to Stay along State Scenic Highway 138
1 campground or RV park sits within about 5 miles of State Scenic Highway 138.
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