State Scenic Highway 146 146
State Scenic Highway 146 is a scenic drive in California. Within California it covers roughly 3 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 146 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
State Scenic Highway 146 is unusual in that it exists as two unconnected pieces, both serving Pinnacles National Park in the Gabilan Mountains. The western segment branches off U.S. 101 near Soledad and winds along Metz Road and Shirttail Canyon Road to the park's west entrance, while the eastern segment runs off State Route 25 near Paicines to reach the park's more developed east side; no road connects the two halves, so visitors driving between them must detour around the mountains entirely. Much of the route traces the San Andreas Fault, straddling the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates for long stretches. Both segments are listed as eligible for California's State Scenic Highway System for their rock-formation and mountain views, though neither has received the official designation that requires a local corridor protection plan.
- two disconnected segments serving Pinnacles National Park
- western entrance via Soledad, eastern via Paicines
- traces the San Andreas Fault
- Gabilan Mountains rock formations
- eligible for scenic highway status
Plan a drive on State Scenic Highway 146 →
About this drive
This is a scenic drive — a road worth taking for the views and the journey itself rather than the quickest line between two points.
Where to Stay along State Scenic Highway 146
1 campground or RV park sits within about 5 miles of State Scenic Highway 146.
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