Henness Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henness Pass |
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|---|---|
| Elevation | 6,916 ft (2,108 m) |
| Traversed by | Henness Pass Road |
| Location | Sierra County, California, U.S. |
| Range | Sierra Nevada |
| Coordinates | 39°30′10″N 120°26′22″W / 39.50278°N 120.43944°W |
| Topo map | USGS Sattley |
Henness Pass is a mountain pass located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. It sits high up, about 6,916 ft (2,108 m) (or 2,108 meters) above sea level. You can find it in Sierra County, California, northwest of Reno, Nevada. A road called Henness Pass Road goes through this pass. This road is mostly unpaved and can be tricky to drive on, especially in winter. Some parts are only for vehicles with high clearance.
Contents
Henness Pass: A Historic Mountain Route
A Special Place in the Mountains
Like many important passes in the Sierra Nevada, Henness Pass is on the Great Basin Divide. This means it's a natural boundary where water flows in two different directions. On one side, the Middle Yuba River flows west towards the Pacific Ocean. On the other side, the Little Truckee River flows east into the Great Basin.
A Path Through History
For a very long time, Henness Pass Road was a key travel route. Native Americans used it first. Later, during the California Gold Rush, immigrants and miners traveled this path. Starting in the late 1850s, the road became a major supply route. It helped bring important goods to the silver and gold mines in Nevada.
Supplies often came by steamboat from San Francisco up the Sacramento River to Marysville. From there, wagons carried the goods. Part of this journey included crossing the Bridgeport Covered Bridge. It also connected to the Virginia Turnpike, which led to the road to Henness Pass near North San Juan.
Why is it Called Henness Pass?
Henness Pass is named after Patrick Henness. He is known for helping to create this route around 1849 or 1850. It offered a different way to cross the mountains than Donner Pass. In 1855, the California Legislature planned to build a wagon road over the Sierra Nevada. D.B. Scott officially surveyed the Henness Pass route. However, a different path through El Dorado County, similar to today's U.S. Route 50, was chosen instead.
The Road Today
The importance of the Henness Pass route changed when the First Transcontinental Railroad was finished in 1868. The railroad reached Reno by way of Donner Pass, making it easier to travel and transport goods.
Even today, Henness Pass and its road are still important. They offer the only significant crossing between Yuba Pass (on State Route 49) to the north and Donner Summit (on Interstate 80) to the south.
