Forgotten Route 66 Shortcut in the Cajon Pass

This virtual road trip will help you find a historic road through the Cajon Pass in California. Built originally in 1861, it was later improved for automobiles in 1914, then later became a shortcut for Route 66 travelers after Route 66 was commissioned in 1926.

#route66
#historicroads
#nationaloldtrailsroad
#cajonpass

[GeoffStJohn-kxfo]

Not trying to be a jerk but this video implied that route 66 went through KC, Kansas and SE Colorado according to the map. It did not. It went from Chicago, to St. Louis, down to Springfield MO, THEN accross OK to the west. One of the major proponents of creating RT 66 was from Springfield Mo and insisted it go through there.

[gypsyjr]

I spend almost 5 years on the road with my Harley-Davidson, camping every night. Got to explore sections of Route 66 where it is preserved, and was amazed cars could fit on the narrow road. I rode 50 from the bridge in Ocean City MD to Sacramento CA. I crossed the country another time on as much of Old Highway 40 as possible. Found quite a few federal campsites, often under Corps of Engineers administration, sometimes Bureau of Land Management. Even found the only National Wildlife Service preserve in the country with full service campsites. It had an interesting history of how it came to be. From NW Washington I dropped down on historic highways and ended up in Sturges SD. But I stayed on paved roads other than short country roads that lead to campgrounds. Touched every state of the Union except Hawaii.

[Kaipi]

Having been born and raised in California until I was 23, I had no idea that many of the old dirt roads were actually quite historical and had a lot of stories behind them. This is so cool

[cherylpemberton]

Grandma Valda told me years ago about when they moved from Arizona to Salinas in Dust Bowl days. She said they were coming down the Cajon Pass in spring of 1933, and she said, "Look Gordon, someone has a trailer just like ours!" Grandpa Gordon realized there was no vehicle towing that trailer - IT WAS THEIR TRAILER, rolling down the pass next to them!! Grandpa somehow got that old Ford pickup in front of the trailer and stopped it. She said what happened was the man who they'd paid at the trailer sales to weld the hitch on hadn't done a good job, and it had come off.


Some old guy who lived up on the pass stopped, went back to his place, brought equipment, fixed it and sent them on their way. Despite them trying to pay him, he refused; told them, "We got hunnerds of you Okies comin' through here every day; my wife says we should help you poor people, 'cause 'but by the Grace of God there goes you and I.'" He even offered to let the family stay at his home for the night, but they felt like they'd already taken enough.

[jdawg]

Every now and then the youtube algorithm recommends a hidden gem like this. Subscribed! Thanks for this.

[miohai]

Aww, so sorry to hear about the Summit! As 'displaced' californios, when I drove semis I always stopped and bought a whole Boysenberry pie to bring back to share with my dad. I'm so glad we got to share a few before, like so many great memories, it faded into obscurity. I feel mighty lucky to have been raised in cali in the 60s. It was a golden age that we'll never see again.

[johnbarbuto]

This was wonderful for me. Now a 75 year old, I grew up in the LA basin, living in Duarte in my late first decade. I remember the Cajon pass from trips with my parents. This brought back those early years, including driving up the pass from the LA basin with a canvas bag of water strapped to the front of the car, in case of over-heating. Thanks "for the memories"!

[MrMigueldelaO]

I was born and raised in New Mexico - Las Vegas to be exact = New Mexico. The Santa Fe railroad arrived in 1879. Six years later - 1885 - it reached the Cajon Pass - the tracks in your video! My cousin was the registered nurse on the train - LA to Chicago in the late 40's. EVERY Hollywood star road those tracks to New York.

[AbandonedMines]

Nice to see you providing info on the old, almost forgotten roads that were the precursors to our modern highways. Still sad that the Summit Inn is gone. I like your quote at 5:39 where you say, “The pavement ends and the past begins.“ Very cool!

[GSD]

I have lived in Riverside all my life, I've eaten at all the dinners you feature many times. I have been on the old route 66 through the pass in my 4X4 many times. The one thing I did not know about, was the toll road wagon trail, that is fascinating. Thank you so much.

[nautifella]

Man-o-man did you ever toss me deep into the _"Way Back Machine."_ I grew up (such that I did) in Victorville in the 70s and returned from the Navy in the late 80s to attend university at CSUSB in the 90s. I am very familiar with the area and you still taught me a great deal. You also broke my heart with all the history that is gone forever. I have many fond memories of the Summit Inn (the cheese burger was okay) We would take that 'cut from the SI to Cleghorn road to bypass the CHP road closures. If we just wanted to avoid them we would continue under the I15 and come out near Devore. I used to be able to get from Barstow to LA or San Diego with no interstates and few highways using mostly surface streets, going through Palmdale too. I can't even begin to tell you the memories this brings up. It also tells me there is no longer anything left for me in California. I left 16 years ago, but it is no longer the place I remember... it is no longer home. California is doomed she as has abandoned her history for unknown reasons.

I have it on good authority from a guy that did the dynamite work for I40 that that cut was indeed with pick, shovel and dynamite. He took me and another guy out on the Mormon trail and he wrote a book about that area. message me and I'll tell you his name and the name of his book. He has long since passed on.

[LechonPark]

I've been going up and down the pass for many years and didn't realize such history was hidden in plain sight. Great informative video!

[MrStrocube]

I love these videos. They remind me of family road trips in the 60s and 70s.

[Chuck_Carolina]

Grew up San Bernardino and have been all over those fire roads, but that is one I had never been on. I am shocked that I never heard of that old road. We used to drag race on route 66 between Muscoy and Palm Av. Kendall Dr. exit 50 off I-15. The starting line was right about where 5th Ave. is now, and Cimmeron was not there back then. The Highway Patrol was cool about it, they always came up from town with their red lights on warning us it was over.

[jimrossi]

I have completed 40+ years and over 2 million miles as a tractor trailer driver in part because of my love and fascination of travel via land ! Part of what I loved most was my travel on the Golden Road in northern Maine and gave me a tiny glimpse into what people dealt with 100 plus years ago ! Nice 👍🏼 work !

[scottrobbins]

Lived in Hesperia for 4 years. Up and down the Cajon everyday ... Thanks for the memories

[thoughtful_criticiser]

This is a fantastic demonstration of the vastness of the USA. Old abandoned roads allowed to decay. Over 40 years ago I used to spend every other weekend walking and camping in North Wales. We travelled the same road everytime. There are now newer larger roads serving that route up to halfway, the old route is still maintained and used because there isn't the space to leave it unused.

[billsmoot]

Great video. Plenty of layers of history here! It's interesting that the railroads have maintained the oldest tracks as well.

[elizabethbogle]

I miss the Summit Inn. We used to have breakfast there every weekend.

[JPatterson]

No more date shakes at the top of the pass.

I remember with Hilda was running the place still, may she rest in peace.

So much nostalgia, I grew up in Oak Hills and literally spent my early adulthood driving a lot of these off-highway routes.