The Long Way
Yuba, Sierra, and Nevada counties County
A bridge spans a rocky river surrounded by trees, with people swimming in the water.
Plate I. Old Hwy 49 bridge, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org
A concrete bridge spans across a rocky river flowing through a lush forest.
Plate II. Highway bridge, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org
A wooden trestle bridge spans across a lush, tree-filled canyon.
Plate III. Independence Trail flume, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org
A fast-flowing river rushes through a rocky gorge surrounded by trees.
Plate IV. South Yuba River, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierrarecmagazine.com
A river flows over a rocky bed beneath a bridge, surrounded by trees.
Plate V. Highway 49 bridge, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org
A view looking up through autumn-colored trees towards a blue sky.
Plate VI. Fall foliage, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org
A scenic view of a calm mountain lake surrounded by trees and rugged peaks.
Plate VII. Sierra Buttes view along Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org
A scenic view of a mountain lake surrounded by snowy terrain and forests under a blue sky.
Plate VIII. Donner Lake view, Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. From sierranevadageotourism.org

Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway

Truckee, Yuba, Sierra, and Nevada counties County, California. Scenic Byway.

Details

Map. Truckee, Yuba, Sierra, and Nevada counties County, California. Larger map
Where
Truckee, Yuba, Sierra, and Nevada counties County, CA. No street address stated. Directions
Getting there
Yuba Donner loops around on State Highways 89, 49, and 20 and on Interstate 80 in northeastern California.
Fees
None.
Access
Expect winter driving conditions along higher elevation stretches.
Phone
530-587-3558
Managed by
Truckee Ranger Station, Tahoe National Forest.
Established
1992.

This Scenic Byway makes a 160-mile driving loop route through the Sierra foothills and mountains west and east of the Sierra Crest, highlighting small communities located north of I-80, including Nevada City, Downieville, Sierra City, Sierraville and Truckee.

Notable Events

  1. 1846Half of the Donner Party camped where Donner Memorial State Park now stands, outside Truckee; a monument there honors the emigrants' isolation at Donner Lake in the winter of 1846. donnersummithistoricalsociety.org
  2. 1867China Wall on the byway's Donner Summit section was built without mortar by Chinese workers; Chinese workers also blasted the Sierra railroad tunnels nearby. donnersummithistoricalsociety.org
  3. 1992The National Scenic Byway Foundation lists the byway's designation as Forest Service Byway in 1992. nsbfoundation.com

Sources

  1. fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp/byway/55728
  2. recreation.gov/gateways/13903
  3. sierranevadageotourism.org/entries/yuba-donner-scenic-byway/80d25bdb-a37c-41b3-be5a-42bc885e4bbb
  4. nsbfoundation.com/sb/yuba-donner-scenic-byway
  5. scenicbyways.info/byway/55728.html
  6. fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/recreation/opportunities/scenic-drives
  7. web.archive.org/web/20111023092447/http://byways.org/explore/byways/55728
  8. donnersummithistoricalsociety.org/PDFs/ScenicByway2015brochurepg2.pdf