State Scenic Highway 199 199
State Scenic Highway 199 is a National Forest Scenic Byway in California. Within California it covers roughly 40 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 199 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
State Scenic Highway 199 carries U.S. 199, the Redwood Highway, and its California stretch is a genuine National Forest Scenic Byway. Running from the Oregon border through Del Norte County to a junction with U.S. 101 near Crescent City, the road holds federal designation as the Smith River Scenic Byway, named by the U.S. Forest Service in 1989, dropping through the Six Rivers National Forest and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, crossing the Smith River and climbing over a ridge amid towering old-growth coast redwoods, one of the largest such groves left in California. It's one of the few routes into the state from the north that passes directly through ancient redwood forest rather than skirting it, giving travelers arriving from Oregon their first look at the trees the region is famous for. The drive is short, but the elevation change and dense canopy make it feel far removed from the coastal towns at either end.
- Smith River Scenic Byway, National Forest Scenic Byway since 1989
- Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
- Six Rivers National Forest
- crosses the Smith River
- old-growth coast redwood grove
Plan a drive on State Scenic Highway 199 →
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 199
5 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of State Scenic Highway 199.
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