List of mountain passes in California facts for kids

The following is a list of mountain passes and gaps in California. California is geographically diverse with numerous roads and railways traversing within its borders. In the middle of the U.S. state lies the California Central Valley, bounded by the coastal mountain ranges in the west, the Sierra Nevada to the east, the Cascade Range in the north and the Tehachapi Mountains in the south. Although most of these passes are now traversed by state highways, some date prior to California's statehood in 1850 and are today registered as California Historical Landmarks.

     # California Historical Landmark      * Interstate highway bypasses the actual mountain pass      ^ Long-distance trail. No road or rail access

Name	Mountain range	County	Elevation	Coordinates	Primary access route	Other access route(s)	GNIS
Altamont Pass	Diablo Range	Alameda	1,009 feet (308 m)	37°44′45″N 121°39′30″W / 37.74583°N 121.65833°W / 37.74583; -121.65833 (Altamont Pass)	I-580| Altamont Pass Road Union Pacific Railroad	218189
Anderson Grade Summit	Cascade Range	Siskiyou	3,067 feet (935 m)	41°48′06″N 122°34′55″W / 41.80167°N 122.58194°W / 41.80167; -122.58194 (Anderson Grade Summit)	I-5		N/A
Apache Saddle	San Emigdio Mountains	Kern	6,099 feet (1,859 m)	34°51′38″N 119°12′34″W / 34.86056°N 119.20944°W / 34.86056; -119.20944 (Apache Saddle)	FH 95	Cerro Noroeste Road	254416
Bear Divide	San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	2,687 feet (819 m)	34°21′36″N 118°23′36″W / 34.36000°N 118.39333°W / 34.36000; -118.39333 (Bear Divide)	Little Tujunga Canyon Road	Santa Clara Truck Trail	239096
Beckwourth Pass	Sierra Nevada	Plumas	5,221 feet (1,591 m)	39°47′30″N 120°6′28″W / 39.79167°N 120.10778°W / 39.79167; -120.10778 (Beckwourth Pass)	SR 70	Feather River Route	256775
Bushnell Summit	Sierra Pelona Mountains	Los Angeles	4,101 feet (1,250 m)	34°42′13″N 118°31′41″W / 34.70361°N 118.52806°W / 34.70361; -118.52806 (Beckwourth Pass)	CR N2	Forest Route 7N23	239899
Black Butte Summit	Cascade Range	Siskiyou	3,912 feet (1,192 m)	41°21′59″N 122°20′53″W / 41.36639°N 122.34806°W / 41.36639; -122.34806 (Black Butte Summit)	I-5		n/a
Cahuenga Pass	Santa Monica Mountains	Los Angeles	745 feet (227 m)	34°7′28″N 118°20′34″W / 34.12444°N 118.34278°W / 34.12444; -118.34278 (Cahuenga Pass)	US 101		239987
Cajon Pass	San Bernardino/San Gabriel Mountains	San Bernardino	3,777 feet (1,151 m)	34°19′33″N 117°25′42″W / 34.32583°N 117.42833°W / 34.32583; -117.42833 (Cajon Pass)	I-15| SR 138 Union Pacific Railroad BNSF Railway	270155
Carson Pass	Sierra Nevada	Alpine	8,574 feet (2,613 m)	38°41′38″N 119°59′15″W / 38.69389°N 119.98750°W / 38.69389; -119.98750 (Carson Pass)	SR 88		258006
Cedar Pass	Warner Mountains	Modoc	6,407 feet (1,953 m)	41°33′45″N 120°16′08″W / 41.56250°N 120.26889°W / 41.56250; -120.26889 (Cedar Pass)	SR 299		220791
Cloudburst Summit	San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	7,034 feet (2,144 m)	34°21′05″N 117°56′04″W / 34.35139°N 117.93444°W / 34.35139; -117.93444 (Cloudburst Summit)	SR 2	Pacific Crest Trail	240711
Conway Summit	Sierra Nevada	Mono	8,143 feet (2,482 m)	38°05′17″N 119°10′55″W / 38.08806°N 119.18194°W / 38.08806; -119.18194 (Conway Summit)	US 395		258665
Corral Hollow Pass	Diablo Range	Alameda	1,600 feet (490 m)	37°38′57″N 121°36′34″W / 37.64917°N 121.60944°W / 37.64917; -121.60944 (Corral Hollow Pass)	CR J2		N/A
Cottonwood Pass	Diablo Range	San Luis Obispo	1,312 feet (400 m)	35°46′49″N 120°12′26″W / 35.78028°N 120.20722°W / 35.78028; -120.20722 (Cottonwood Pass)	SR 41		240990
Damnation Pass	Klamath Mountains	Shasta	4,278 feet (1,304 m)	40°56′31″N 122°32′28″W / 40.94194°N 122.54111°W / 40.94194; -122.54111 (Damnation Pass)	Dog Creek Road	Sanford Pass Road	259027
Dawson Saddle	San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	7,943 feet (2,421 m)	34°22′04″N 117°48′12″W / 34.36778°N 117.80333°W / 34.36778; -117.80333 (Dawson Saddle)	SR 2		241294
Deadman Summit	Sierra Nevada	Mono	8,047 feet (2,453 m)	37°46′15″N 119°00′30″W / 37.77083°N 119.00833°W / 37.77083; -119.00833 (Deadman Summit)	US 395		1658383
Devil's Gate Pass	Sweetwater Mountains	Mono	7,519 feet (2,292 m)	38°20′54″N 119°21′43″W / 38.34833°N 119.36194°W / 38.34833; -119.36194 (Devil's Gate Pass)	US 395		222305
Donner Pass	Sierra Nevada	Nevada	7,056 feet (2,151 m)	39°18′57″N 120°19′17″W / 39.31583°N 120.32139°W / 39.31583; -120.32139 (Donner Pass)	I-80| Donner Pass Road California Trail Overland Route	259475
Ebbetts Pass	Sierra Nevada	Alpine	8,736 feet (2,663 m)	38°32′40″N 119°48′43″W / 38.54444°N 119.81194°W / 38.54444; -119.81194 (Ebbetts Pass)	SR 4		259784
Echo Summit	Sierra Nevada	El Dorado	7,382 feet (2,250 m)	38°48′47″N 120°01′49″W / 38.81306°N 120.03028°W / 38.81306; -120.03028 (Echo Summit)	US 50		259792
Etna Summit	Klamath Mountains	Siskiyou	5,912 feet (1,802 m)	41°23′42″N 122°59′35″W / 41.39500°N 122.99306°W / 41.39500; -122.99306 (Etna Summit)	Sawyers Bar Road	Pacific Crest Trail	259971
Fandango Pass	Warner Mountains	Modoc	6,135 feet (1,870 m)	41°48′08″N 120°12′12″W / 41.80222°N 120.20333°W / 41.80222; -120.20333 (Fandango Pass)	Fandango Pass Road		223385
Forester Pass	Sierra Nevada	Tulare	13,153 feet (4,009 m)	36°41′39″N 118°22′19″W / 36.69417°N 118.37194°W / 36.69417; -118.37194 (Forester Pass (John Muir Trail))	John Muir Trail^		260262
Fredonyer Pass	Sierra Nevada/Cascades	Lassen	5,751 feet (1,753 m)	40°21′35″N 120°52′03″W / 40.35972°N 120.86750°W / 40.35972; -120.86750 (Fredonyer Pass)	SR 36		260357
Gaviota Pass	Santa Ynez Mountains	Santa Barbara	135 feet (41 m)	34°29′22″N 120°13′34″W / 34.48944°N 120.22611°W / 34.48944; -120.22611 (Gaviota Pass)	US 101		271287
Gilbert Pass	White/Inyo Mountains	Inyo	6,381 feet (1,945 m)	37°25′51″N 117°56′19″W / 37.43083°N 117.93861°W / 37.43083; -117.93861 (Gilbert Pass)	SR 168		1667222
Glen Pass	Sierra Nevada	Fresno	11,798 feet (3,596 m)	36°47′20″N 118°24′45″W / 36.78889°N 118.41250°W / 36.78889; -118.41250 (Glen Pass (John Muir Trail))	John Muir Trail^		260603
Godde Pass	Sierra Pelona Mountains	Los Angeles	3,386 feet (1,032 m)	34°02′20″N 116°49′49″W / 34.03889°N 116.83028°W / 34.03889; -116.83028 (Godde Pass)	Godde Hill Road		271321
Greenhorn Summit	Sierra Nevada	Kern	6,092 feet (1,857 m)	35°44′18″N 118°33′26″W / 35.73833°N 118.55722°W / 35.73833; -118.55722 (Greenhorn Summit)	SR 155	Rancheria Road	271436
Gunsight Pass	San Bernardino Mountains	San Bernardino	7,316 feet (2,230 m)	34°36′30″N 118°14′40″W / 34.60833°N 118.24444°W / 34.60833; -118.24444 (Gunsight Pass)	Raywood Flat Road		243090
Hatchet Mountain Pass	Klamath Mountains/Cascade Range	Shasta	4,340 feet (1,320 m)	40°51′09″N 121°46′01″W / 40.85250°N 121.76694°W / 40.85250; -121.76694 (Hatchet Mountain Pass)	SR 299		261152
Hecker Pass	Santa Cruz Mountains	Santa Cruz	1,339 feet (408 m)	36°59′40″N 121°43′02″W / 36.99444°N 121.71722°W / 36.99444; -121.71722 (Hecker Pass)	SR 152		225111
Henness Pass	Sierra Nevada	Sierra	6,916 feet (2,108 m)	39°30′10″N 120°26′22″W / 39.50278°N 120.43944°W / 39.50278; -120.43944 (Henness Pass)	Henness Pass Road		225177
Ibex Pass	Sperry Hills	Inyo-San Bernardino border	2,072 feet (632 m)	35°47′40″N 116°20′26″W / 35.79444°N 116.34056°W / 35.79444; -116.34056 (Ibex Pass)	SR 127		243763
Islip Saddle	San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	6,670 feet (2,030 m)	34°21′25″N 117°51′02″W / 34.35694°N 117.85056°W / 34.35694; -117.85056 (Islip Saddle)	SR 2	SR 39 (closed) Pacific Crest Trail	243931
Laguna Summit	Cuyamaca Mountains	San Diego	4,055 feet (1,236 m)	32°48′39″N 116°30′36″W / 32.81083°N 116.51000°W / 32.81083; -116.51000 (Laguna Summit)	I-8	Sunrise Highway	N/A
Lord-Ellis Summit	Northern Coast Ranges	Humboldt	2,267 feet (691 m)	40°55′49″N 123°51′36″W / 40.93028°N 123.86000°W / 40.93028; -123.86000 (Lord-Ellis Summit)	SR 299	Old Dolly Varden Road Old Highway 200	262920
Low Gap	Northern Coast Ranges	Trinity	2,753 feet (839 m)	40°27′38″N 123°31′25″W / 40.46056°N 123.52361°W / 40.46056; -123.52361 (Low Gap)	SR 36		262992
Luther Pass	Sierra Nevada	Alpine-El Dorado border	7,740 feet (2,360 m)	38°47′13″N 119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°W / 38.78694; -119.94583 (Luther Pass)	SR 89		263076
Mendocino Pass	Northern Coast Ranges	Glenn	5,006 feet (1,526 m)	39°47′39″N 122°56′06″W / 39.79417°N 122.93500°W / 39.79417; -122.93500 (Mendocino Pass)	FH 7 / SR 162		263454
Minaret Summit	Sierra Nevada	Madera-Mono border	9,265 feet (2,824 m)	37°39′23″N 119°03′37″W / 37.65639°N 119.06028°W / 37.65639; -119.06028 (Minaret Summit)	SR 203	Reds Meadow Road	263666
Mission Pass	Diablo Range	Alameda	662 feet (202 m)	37°33′37″N 121°54′39″W / 37.56028°N 121.91083°W / 37.56028; -121.91083 (Mission Pass)	I-680		228838
Monitor Pass	Sierra Nevada	Alpine	8,314 feet (2,534 m)	38°40′32″N 119°37′10″W / 38.67556°N 119.61944°W / 38.67556; -119.61944 (Monitor Pass)	SR 89		228917
Morgan Summit	Sierra Nevada	Tehama	5,760 feet (1,760 m)	40°21′50″N 121°32′07″W / 40.36389°N 121.53528°W / 40.36389; -121.53528 (Morgan Summit)	SR 89 / SR 36		1659178
Mount Baldy Notch	San Gabriel Mountains	San Bernardino	7,821 feet (2,384 m)	34°16′22″N 117°36′38″W / 34.27278°N 117.61056°W / 34.27278; -117.61056 (Mount Baldy Notch)	Mount Baldy Road (Private)		246254
Muir Pass	Sierra Nevada	Fresno	11,955 feet (3,644 m)	37°06′42″N 118°40′14″W / 37.11167°N 118.67056°W / 37.11167; -118.67056 (Muir Pass (John Muir Trail))	John Muir Trail^		263951
Newhall/Fremont Pass	Santa Susana/San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	750 feet (230 m)	34°20′43″N 118°30′26″W / 34.34528°N 118.50722°W / 34.34528; -118.50722 (Newhall Pass)	I-5	SR 14 San Fernando Road Sierra Highway	242485
Oak Creek Pass	Tehachapi Mountains	Kern	4,820 feet (1,470 m)	35°03′39″N 118°23′20″W / 35.06083°N 118.38889°W / 35.06083; -118.38889 (Oak Creek Pass)	Tehachapi Willow Springs Road		246716
Onyx Summit	San Bernardino Mountains	San Bernardino	8,443 feet (2,573 m)	34°11′32″N 116°43′8″W / 34.19222°N 116.71889°W / 34.19222; -116.71889 (Onyx Summit)	SR 38		272805
Oregon Mountain Summit	Klamath Mountains	Trinity	2,910 feet (890 m)	40°44′19″N 122°58′59″W / 40.73861°N 122.98306°W / 40.73861; -122.98306 (Oregon Mountain Summit)	SR 299	Glennison Gap Road Jennings Road	1665401
Pacheco Pass	Diablo Range	Santa Clara	1,368 feet (417 m)	37°3′59″N 121°13′7″W / 37.06639°N 121.21861°W / 37.06639; -121.21861 (Pacheco Pass)	SR 152		230196
Pacific Grade Summit	Sierra Nevada	Alpine	8,051 feet (2,454 m)	38°31′00″N 119°54′34″W / 38.51667°N 119.90944°W / 38.51667; -119.90944 (Pacific Grad Summit)	SR 4		274786
Panoche Pass	Diablo Range	San Benito	2,250 feet (690 m)	36°37′41″N 121°00′51″W / 36.62806°N 121.01417°W / 36.62806; -121.01417 (Panoche Pass)	CR J1		230286
Patchen Pass	Santa Cruz Mountains	Santa Cruz-Santa Clara border	1,814 feet (553 m)	37°08′39″N 121°59′05″W / 37.14417°N 121.98472°W / 37.14417; -121.98472 (Patchen Pass)	SR 17	Summit Road	252422
Pine Mountain Summit	Santa Ynez Mountains	Ventura	5,160 feet (1,570 m)	34°39′00″N 119°23′08″W / 34.65000°N 119.38556°W / 34.65000; -119.38556 (Pine Mountain Summit)	SR 33		N/A
Polonio Pass	Temblor / Diablo Range	Kern	1,407 feet (429 m)	Unknown	SR 46		N/A
Ridgewood Summit	Mendocino Range	Mendocino	1,956 feet (596 m)	39°20′27″N 123°19′00″W / 39.3407°N 123.3167°W / 39.3407; -123.3167 (Ridgewood Summit)	US 101		N/A
San Francisquito Pass	Sierra Pelona Mountains	Los Angeles	1,114 feet (340 m)	34°38′22″N 118°22′50″W / 34.63944°N 118.38056°W / 34.63944; -118.38056 (San Francisquito Pass)	San Francisquito Canyon Road		N/A
San Gorgonio Pass	San Bernardino/San Jacinto Mountains	Riverside	1,591 feet (485 m)	33°55′0″N 116°45′03″W / 33.91667°N 116.75083°W / 33.91667; -116.75083 (San Gorgonio Pass)	I-10	Union Pacific Railroad	273482
San Marcos Pass	Santa Ynez Mountains	Santa Barbara	2,225 feet (678 m)	34°30′42″N 119°49′29″W / 34.51167°N 119.82472°W / 34.51167; -119.82472 (San Marcos Pass)	SR 154		248912
Santa Rosa Summit	Santa Rosa	Riverside	4,997 feet (1,523 m)	33°33′41″N 116°34′13″W / 33.56139°N 116.57028°W / 33.56139; -116.57028 (Santa Rosa Summit)	SR 74		273567
Santa Susana Pass	Santa Susana Mountains/Simi Hills	Los Angeles	1,608 feet (490 m)	34°16′06″N 118°37′58″W / 34.26833°N 118.63278°W / 34.26833; -118.63278 (Santa Susana Pass)	SR 118	Santa Susana Pass Road	249127
Sepulveda Pass	Santa Monica Mountains	Los Angeles	1,130 feet (340 m)	34°7′37″N 118°28′29″W / 34.12694°N 118.47472°W / 34.12694; -118.47472 (Sepulveda Pass)	I-405	Sepulveda Boulevard	N/A
Sherman Pass	Sierra Nevada	Tulare	9,200 feet (2,800 m)	35°59′26″N 118°21′57″W / 35.99056°N 118.36583°W / 35.99056; -118.36583 (Sherman Pass)	Sherman Pass Road		1667613
Sherwin Summit	Sierra Nevada	Mono	6,426 feet (1,959 m)	37°30′52″N 118°37′40″W / 37.51444°N 118.62778°W / 37.51444; -118.62778 (Sherwin Summit)	US 395		1659642
Soledad Pass	Sierra Pelona / San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	3,209 feet (978 m)	34°30′24″N 118°6′44″W / 34.50667°N 118.11222°W / 34.50667; -118.11222 (Soledad Pass)	SR 14	Angeles Forest Highway Sierra Highway Union Pacific Railroad	273803
Sonora Pass	Sierra Nevada	Mono-Tuolumne border	9,624 feet (2,933 m)	38°19′40″N 119°38′9″W / 38.32778°N 119.63583°W / 38.32778; -119.63583 (Sonora Pass)	SR 108		1934439
Tehachapi Pass	Tehachapi Mountains / Sierra Nevada	Kern	3,771 feet (1,149 m)	35°06′08″N 118°16′58″W / 35.10222°N 118.28278°W / 35.10222; -118.28278 (Tehachapi Pass)	SR 58	Union Pacific Railroad	254326
Tejon Pass	Sierra Pelona / Tehachapi / San Emigdio Mountains	Los Angeles / Kern County	4,160 feet (1,270 m)	34°48′10″N 118°52′37″W / 34.80278°N 118.87694°W / 34.80278; -118.87694 (Tejon Pass)	I-5	North Peace Valley Road	274055
Teofulio Summit	San Felipe Hills	San Diego	3,681 feet (1,122 m)	33°12′17″N 116°36′13″W / 33.20472°N 116.60361°W / 33.20472; -116.60361 (Teofulio Summit)	CR S2		252258
Tioga Pass	Sierra Nevada	Mono-Tuolumne border	9,943 feet (3,031 m)	37°54′40″N 119°15′29″W / 37.91111°N 119.25806°W / 37.91111; -119.25806 (Tioga Pass)	SR 120		255154
Towne Pass	Inyo Mountains	Inyo	5,000 feet (1,500 m)	unknown	SR 190		n/a
Vincent Gap	San Gabriel Mountains	Los Angeles	6,581 feet (2,006 m)	34°22′25″N 117°45′08″W / 34.37361°N 117.75222°W / 34.37361; -117.75222 (Vincent Gap)	SR 2	Big Rock Creek Road Pacific Crest Trail	251060
Walker Pass	Sierra Nevada	Kern	5,250 feet (1,600 m)	35°39′47″N 118°1′37″W / 35.66306°N 118.02694°W / 35.66306; -118.02694 (Walker Pass)	SR 178	Pacific Crest Trail	255847
Westgard Pass	White/Inyo Mountains	Inyo	7,313 feet (2,229 m)	37°18′01″N 118°09′11″W / 37.30028°N 118.15306°W / 37.30028; -118.15306 (Westgard Pass)	SR 168		237547
Yaqui Pass	Santa Rosa	San Diego	1,742 feet (531 m)	33°08′47″N 116°21′06″W / 33.14639°N 116.35167°W / 33.14639; -116.35167 (Yaqui Pass)	CR S3		251845
Yuba Pass	Sierra Nevada	Sierra	6,709 feet (2,045 m)	39°37′3″N 120°29′20″W / 39.61750°N 120.48889°W / 39.61750; -120.48889 (Yuba Pass)	SR 49		238294