Rock Creek Road is the highest paved public road of California

Rock Creek Road is the name of a very scenic drive with dramatic views in the U.S. state of California. It is said to be the highest paved public road in California.

Where is Rock Creek Road?

The road is located on the boundary of Mono and Inyo counties, in the eastern central part of California, within the Inyo National Forest.

Is Rock Creek road paved?

The road is totally paved. It’s 16.73km (10,4 miles) long running north-south from the west side of Highway 395, east of Tom's Place to Mosquito Flats. The road narrows to unmarked narrow two lanes just past Rock Creek Lake.

Is Rock Creek Road open?

Set high in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, the road tops out at 3.121m (10,239ft) above the sea level. Expect high alpine conditions. This road is not clear of snow until late in May or early June and chains or snow tyres can be required anytime. Be prepared for any kind of weather. Beware that the temperatures during the summer can be stifling.

Is Rock Creek Road steep?

The road is pretty steep hitting a 10-15% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at Tom's Place, the elevation gain is 969 meters. The average gradient is 5.79%.

Is Rock Creek Road worth it?

To drive the road without stopping will take most people between 20 and 25 minutes. The drive offers dramatic views of surrounding Sierra peaks.
Pic: James Hatton