A series of decorative bells hanging from tall columns, replicating the old mission bells, were set at odd intervals along the road. Then, in , the road on the Cuesta Grade a marvelous bi-lingual redundancy was greatly improved with the addition of a concrete surface, now with a maximum grade of seven degrees.
The old Mountain Road was still used by horse-drawn wagons. In , the big road was officially called U. Route The year before that, in , a businessman built a hotel catering to motorists in San Luis Obispo, at the north end of Monterey Street which served as U.
This was called the Mo-Tel Inn, the first use of that word. It was in operation until , and the remnants of two buildings can still be seen, next to the Apple Farm Inn just before one gets on the latest version of U. In , U. My descent is cautious, what with sharp curves and rain furrows, but the old dirt road can prove to be quite relaxing, taking me back to the way life was years ago.
A great little history of this fascinating place! I enjoyed reading it. From here, they descended Quinado Canyon to the Salinas River. By taking the short loop of the old highway at the crest you can go under the freeway and follow the railroad tracks, which emerge from the tunnel on the west side of the highway and pass under a bridge, unlike the map above.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Northeast U. South Central U. Southeast U. West U. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. It is followed closely by tunnels 7 1, ft. At a sharp turn to the right, trains pass what used to be Tunnel Just after midnight on February 24, -without warning- 46 feet of the tunnel caved in. The railroad determined that the tunnel was no longer safe, so it was bypassed. Between and , nearly the entire length of tunnels was enlarged and relined with concrete.
It took 14 years because the railroad decided to continue regular train schedules without interruption on the single track. This meant crews could only work between trains. The geology of the Santa Lucia range also complicated the job, the rock being heavily faulted.
It has areas of serpentine greenish rock, California's state mineral , shale black and layered , and volcanic rocks. There are also subterranean springs of acidic water. The procedure for the enlargement was to remove one segment of the original lining at a time, excavate the enlargement, and then install new lining in that segment before removing the next part. Pause, look west, and take in a broad view toward Morro Bay.
Cuesta Ridge rises high above the pastoral valley below. West Cuesta Ridge Road continues to climb from here with glimpses of the radio tower-covered summit near the botanical area. A dirt trail runs parallel to the road, which can be used to add extra ridge crests and cut a couple corner. If you bear right here, you can hike 0. You can look west from the mountaintop farther down the ridge toward Tassajara Peak, which is also covered in radio towers.
The very top of Cerro Alto might be visible as well, playing peekaboo behind the ridge. To reach Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area, take the left fork at the split below the summit. The road maintains a gradual course around the west side of the mountaintop and proceed another quarter mile to the edge of the Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area. As you approach the grove of Sargent cypress trees that are preserved there, a wide dirt trail will join the road on the left.
Pass through young Sargent cypress trees that have regrown since a wildfire scorched this area in After 2. Cuesta Ridge Botanic Area is home to many plants, including some that are rare and local. As the panel explains, this is a special place for special plants:.
You are standing in a grove of Sargent cypress trees. Although these trees grow in several locations in central and northern California, this is the largest grove that can be reached easily by car. While the grove might not be as easy to reach in a car is it was in decades past better to hike here anyway , it is a great place to see Sargent cypress trees, which are only found in coastal mountain ranges between Santa Barbara and San Francisco.
These evergreens prefer to grow in pure stands on serpentine soil. Sargent cypress can rise to fifty feet tall, but come from humble beginnings, growing out of small round cones that are about an inch long. West Cuesta Ridge Road continues through the grove, so you can explore quite a ways farther.
If you turn left at the sign and walk a couple hundred feet, you will come to a west-facing ledge with views across the mountain ridges toward the Pacific. With the combination of evergreen-covered slopes and vast ocean views, you could easily believe you were standing on a remote ridge on the Big Sur coast. Walk among the large Sargent cypress, grab some shade and have a picnic, or just snap a few photos and turn back. Summit area, and canyons on east side of the freeway between section 5 and the summit.
Cuesta Canyon Park. Fox Hollow Rd. Reservoir Cyn. Estrada Gardens.
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