Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway

California

National Scenic Byway

Map

Byway Details

Designation
National Scenic Byway
Length
60 mi in California

About Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway

The Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway is a 60-mile drive through the Calaveras Ranger District of Stanislaus National Forest in California. The route links the towns of Arnold, Dorrington and Bear Valley, and it serves as a base for a cluster of trails, campgrounds and climbing areas. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Calaveras Big Trees weather station show July highs around 81°F with lows near 56°F and only about one wet day in the month. Winter is much colder, with highs in the mid-40s and around 11 wet days a month from December through February. The byway is a hub for outdoor options. Barney Riley Trail and Heiser Lake offer hiking, and the Alpine Bypass Trail is a mountain biking route. Climbers can head to Hell's Kitchen, and Lake Alpine Recreation Area is about 0.2 miles away for fishing.

Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: May–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 63–81°F and lows of 42–56°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Calaveras Big Trees, CA weather station, 2.6 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan45° high30° low
  2. Feb46° high30° low
  3. Mar49° high32° low
  4. Apr54° high35° low
  5. May63° high42° low
  6. Jun73° high49° low
  7. Jul81° high56° low
  8. Aug80° high55° low
  9. Sep74° high51° low
  10. Oct64° high43° low
  11. Nov52° high34° low
  12. Dec44° high30° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Towns along the route
Arnold · Dorrington · Bear Valley

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Stanislaus National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)