It being planning season, and having seen the usual requests for info about California, especially for "hidden gems," I thought I'd contribute this. I hate that "hidden gems" cliche, but I realize lots of people do road tripping because they like encountering the unexpected, and finding places that are memorable to them, if not to every other tourist. And given that travel in CA from now until the Fall is hideously crowded, campgrounds and other lodging full, and the place just overrun, perhaps some alternative routes will be appreciated.

I camp, and I tend to have a bias for more outdoorsy places, so that flavors this info. Note that most of these routes are east/west, and that's because they get traveled less. State route 1 (PCH), 101, and 395 have lots of info. Good routes, but you can get more info elsewhere.

NorCal

• The River Routes: 96, 299: these follow the big rivers of the north, and head through old logging country and a lot of terrain even Californians don't visit often. Generally between Central CA and the coast. Rafting and other boating opportunities, lots of camping, and a mountain chain that gets FAR less traffic than the Sierra: the Marble Mountains and Trinity Alps. Small towns with a lot of character, many with either old time residents or back to nature folks. State of Jefferson terrain.

• Highway 36: Interesting road, quite remote. Runs from near the coast (101) to Red Bluff up Susanville and 395. Quite a cross section of CA. The western section is very popular with folks that like driving the twisties: lots of swoops, sharp turns, elevation changes, etc—kind of the Sears Point of NorCal highways. Not tons of services. Bonus points for veering off for say Lassen, maybe one of the least visited CA Nat Parks. More bonus points for crossing 101 and visiting Ferndale, Petrolia, and the Lost Coast.

• Highway 20: again, starts on the coast at Ft Bragg and crosses the coastal mountains via a very twisty road to 101, and then to the Sacramento Valley passing by Clear Lake in an area you might have read about because of the fires. Clear Lake is an old school kind of resorty place not visited by the posh folks that of course head to Tahoe; you won't find Sonny's estate on this lake. For bonus points in late fall, winter visit the best wildlife show in the west: one of the refuges right alongside I-5. The road then climbs up the Yuba River drainage into the Sierra through interesting Gold Rush area towns and sites, including Nevada City (if you like bike racing you know of it).

SF Bay Area

• Highway 4 I won't mention much near the Bay Area since it's so populated, but there is an overlooked roadtripper road. Hwy 4 starts near the Bay in Hercules (of dynamite fame...check out Pt Pinole) and runs as freeway through the home of the martini to Antioch, and then east through suburbs. This section can be TONS of traffic in the PM. But east of here it collapses down to non-freeway, and travels into the Delta to Stockton. A more interesting city than you might think. Most everyone but locals skips the Delta, unless one boats, fishes, or sails, but it's a fantastic spot to visit. Veering up 12 gives you even more River flavor, with small gold rush town and an old Chinese settlement. Hwy 4 then crosses the San Joaquin Valley and climbs up into the Sierra and over Ebbetts Pass. Probably the least traveled way across, it ends down near Markleeville, a rather fun spot, with hot springs nearby.

Central CA

• Hwys 25, 198 Going to say Sequoia from the Bay Area? try 25 south past Hollister and Gilroy to say Pinnacles National Park, a very fun drive. Gets even less crowded south of Pinnacles, twisty, and very old school California. A very remote trip over 198 to Coalinga and on up to the Sierra gives you a very non-freeway and less traveled route. For even more remote, go south of 198 on some of the one-lane and even unpaved roads down towards Parkfield and Cholame.

• Hwys 41,46 and 58 I love the Cental CA coast, and these roads all start there. They go east through small ranches, farms, and vineyards. Gorgeous CA oak savannah terrain. 46 is the fastest, 58 slow, especially as it drops into the lower San Joaquin Valley near the north end of Carrizo Plain, a wild place that looks more like it ought to be in another state. I've seen antelope and been stopped by herds of sheep in the highway. The eastern end puts you into CA's version of the TX oilfields. Think No Country for Old Men. Lots of little ag and oil towns. Then into Bakersfield, which is another of those CA cities that might be better than you think. 58 trucks over the mountains, and it can have hideous traffic on the way to Las Vegas as it cuts east to Barstow. But there's Mojave; CA's space center.

• Hwy 33 The old west side highway. It now runs from up near Tracy all the way to Ventura, and skips back and forth across I-5. If you get bored with the traffic on I-5, give it a shot. Lots of little tons with great Mexican food. Those oil fields in the south. Some very cool obscure sidetrips, like west to Panoche or to the Mercey Hot Springs. Or to a very odd ghost town at New Idria. The section that drops through the mountains to Ventura is pretty empty until you get near Ojai. I once heard the state was considering closing it.

• *Hwy 166 I find this a fun road to drive, from Santa Maria to 99; faster than 58 and lets you access the south end of Carrizo.

SoCal

• Hwys 74, 78 Much of SoCal has seen freeway pave over the old two lanes. But two good routes from the coast into the Sonoran Desert and Anza Borrego remain, 74 and 78. 74 will get you near the San Jacinto Mountains, 78 will get you all the way to near Salton Sea, the huge dune areas near Glamis, and to the Colorado River. I see lots of folks coming to CA and wanting to see desert, but many visit say Joshua Tree, which is HUGELY overcrowded. Try Anza and the Sonoran Desert instead. I love the Mojave, but the southern deserts are more diverse and interesting IMHO. At least try some.

I'm sure I missed some folks favorite routes, but gotta start somewhere. Happy roadtripping!