360° VR Panoramas of El Camino Real
Cuesta Pass over the Santa Lucia Range
North of San Luis Obispo, California
Cuesta Pass crosses the divide between the Salinas River valley to the north and the San Luis Obispo coastal valleys to the south. It is a fairly easy route over the formidable barrier of the Santa Lucia Range, climbing in a single steady grade from just above sea level on the south side to an elevation of 1522 feet.
Such a convenient gap has of course been historically important. It was followed by the Portola expedition of 1769, became the horse path of El Camino Real, upgraded to a wagon road in 1876, then a narrow concrete highway in 1923. In the meantime the Southern Pacific Railroad chose this route in 1894, though it cut under the summit in a long tunnel.Modern Highway 101 is now 6 lanes and divided, but the original Padre Trail, the dirt Stagecoach Road, the railroad, and parts of the two lane highway are all still visible and in some cases even accessible.
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 | The Cuesta Grade on Highway 101 north of San Luis Obispo The Cuesta Grade on Highway 101 north of San Luis Obisponorth of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
 | Cuesta Ridge west of Highway 101 Cuesta Ridge west of Highway 101north of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
 | Parasailers launched from Cuesta Ridge Parasailers launched from Cuesta Ridgenorth of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
 | Sargent cypress in the Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area Sargent cypress in the Cuesta Ridge Botanical Areanorth of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
 | Cuesta Ridge, near Cerro Alto Cuesta Ridge, near Cerro Altonorth of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
 | Sargent cypress forest regrowth after fire Sargent cypress forest regrowth after firenorth of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
 | Old growth Sargent cypress forest Old growth Sargent cypress forestnorth of San Luis Obispo, California Date photographed: February 25, 2006See location in Google Maps | |
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