360° VR Panoramas of El Camino Real
The San Andreas Rift Zone in San Luis Obispo County
Between Parkfield and the Carrizo Plain, California
The rift zone of the San Andreas Fault is easily visible in the grassy hills of eastern San Luis Obispo County. It consists of a series of low scarps, aligned notches, sag ponds, and offset drainages. It provides an easy route through the low hills, followed by a series of minor roads.
Tracing the fault can be a delightful springtime outing, watching for tell-tale rift features and enjoying the green hills and wildflowers.
Click on a thumbnail image to open an interactive 360° panorama in a new window.
 | James Dean Memorial at Cholame This memorial to the film actor James Dean was erected by a Japanese admirer. It is near the location where he was killed in a traffic accident in 1955.Cholame, California Date photographed: March 28, 2009See location in Google Maps | |
 | Pipeline crosses the San Andreas earthquake fault, south of Cholame A special structure where a natural gas pipeline crosses the San Andreas Fault. The pipeline comes up above ground and is mounted on skids, designed to allow offsets that might occur along the rift, either gradually or suddenly.south of Cholame, California Date photographed: March 28, 2009See location in Google Maps | |
 | San Andreas Rift zone near Cholame If you know what to look for, the San Andreas Rift can be seen clearly along Davis Road.south of Cholame, California Date photographed: March 28, 2009See location in Google Maps | |
 | Bitterwater Valley, between Cholame and the Carrizo Plain The Bitterwater Valley, a series of small connected hollows, follows the San Andreas Rift.between Cholame and the Carrizo Plain, California Date photographed: March 28, 2009See location in Google Maps | |
| Previous locality: Parkfield | Next locality: Carrizo Plain-North |