State Scenic Highway 89 89

State Scenic Highway 89 crosses two Sierra Nevada summits, Monitor Pass and Luther Pass, on its way north from US 395 to Lake Tahoe. Starting near Topaz Lake, the highway climbs to 8,314-foot Monitor Pass, drops to the Carson River, then climbs again over 7,740-foot Luther Pass before descending toward the Tahoe basin. The officially designated scenic segment, covering Mono, Alpine, and El Dorado counties, is recognized as both a California State Scenic Highway and part of America's Scenic Byways network under the name Monitor Pass/Luther Pass/Lake Tahoe Road. Alpine meadows and forest line most of the drive, with the northern stretch opening onto some of the best roadside views of Lake Tahoe available from any highway in the basin. Because it crosses two exposed high-elevation passes, this section of Highway 89 closes with the first heavy snows most winters and doesn't reopen until late spring, making it a warm-season alternative to the year-round routes into Tahoe from the west.

• Monitor Pass (8,314 ft)
• Luther Pass (7,740 ft)
• Topaz Lake to Lake Tahoe
• Mono, Alpine, El Dorado counties
• seasonal closure
• Lake Tahoe views