State Scenic Highway 166 166
State Scenic Highway 166 is a scenic drive in California. Within California it covers roughly 70 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 166 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
State Scenic Highway 166, the Cuyama Highway, crosses a narrow canyon and remote desert valley between Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo County's eastern edge. It runs west to east from State Route 101 near Santa Maria, separating the Sierra Madre Mountains from the San Luis Obispo County ranges and following the Cuyama River before the terrain opens into the broad, remote Cuyama Valley, a mix of cattle ranches and oil operations, including the historic Russell Ranch Oil Field, set against dry, layered hills that see little rainfall and few visitors compared to California's better-known scenic drives. The segment between Route 101 and Route 33 in the Cuyama Valley has been placed on the state's eligible list for scenic-highway status, recognizing the canyon and valley scenery, though it has not received the official designation that requires local corridor protection measures. It is a long, lightly trafficked drive best suited to those seeking solitude over amenities.
- Cuyama Highway, Santa Maria to Cuyama Valley
- Cuyama River canyon
- Sierra Madre Mountains
- Russell Ranch Oil Field & cattle ranches
- eligible for state scenic highway status
Plan a drive on State Scenic Highway 166 →
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 166
2 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of State Scenic Highway 166.
Campsite, lodging, RV rental and membership links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.