Smith River Scenic Byway (Highway 199)
Gasquet, Del Norte County, California. U.S. Forest Service Scenic Byway; Year-round.
Details
- Where
- Hwy 199 Hwy 199, Gasquet, CA 95543. Directions
- Getting there
- Begin near Crescent City at the junction of US 101 and US 199 near Bertsch Terrace; follow US 199 northeast past Gasquet and along the Smith River through Jedediah Smith State Park and the Smith River National Recreation Area to just south of the California/Oregon state border.
- Fees
- None.
- Access
- Drive Tips Distance: 33 miles Minimum Driving Time: 1 hour Best Time to go: Year-round.
- Phone
- +1 707-457-3131
- Website
- fs.usda.gov
- Managed by
- U.S. Forest Service.
Highlighted by white-water rapids on the Smith River, redwoods, rhododendrons, ferns and diverse geological land forms and ecosystems.
Notable Events
- 1881A petition was circulated calling on the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors to help fund Gasquet's toll road to Oregon. npshistory.com
- 1882Gasquet notified the Board of Supervisors that the road was under construction and about one-half completed. npshistory.com
- 1886Anti-Chinese agitation peaked and virtually all Chinese Americans in Del Norte County were expelled; only the roads they built remain. npshistory.com
- 1887Gasquet's toll road into Oregon was completed. npshistory.com
- 1902Tolls were charged until Del Norte County took the road over, making it a free road until the state of California assumed control. enjoymagazine.com
- 1929The Hiouchi Bridge across Smith River was officially opened for traffic and dedicated. npshistory.com
- 1964Above Gasquet, three concrete arch bridges were carried away and several miles of roadway lost. waterboards.ca.gov
People
- Horace Gasquet, Built a toll road from Gasquet Flats to Oregon using Chinese labor.
- Laurant Bonnaz, Surveyed the route of the Gasquet toll road.