Highway 96, Happy Camp, CA
- Tim Mayhew
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
Highway 96, near the CA-OR border, is the longest continuous motorcycle road in California, offering 146 miles of uninterrupted mountain curves.
Starting in Willow Creek and running all the way to the I-5 junction north of Yreka (and just south of Ashland, OR), Highway 96 follows the rugged contours of the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. This ride is a steady, rhythmic curvation through the mountains of the Northern California "Motorcycle Wonderland." The pavement is a mix of broad, high-speed sweepers and tight, technical river-bluff curves that keep you focused and leaning. Unlike the crowded coastal routes, traffic here is almost non-existent—it’s just you, the river, and the towering canopy of the Klamath National Forest.
If you want to disappear into the most remote corner of the California map, point your front tire toward Hwy 96. Known as the Klamath River Highway, this stretch is more than just a road; it is a journey through the heart of the State of Jefferson. This movement started in 1941 to separate Northern California and Southern Oregon into the 51st state. Today, you will see the "Double X" flag and "State of Jefferson" signs frequently along Highway 96, Highway 3, and Highway 299.
The scenery is rugged and unapologetic. You’ll pass through remote towns like Hoopa, Weitchpec, and Happy Camp—places where cell service can be spotty and the legend of Bigfoot comes alive. Just north of Orleans is where the "discovery" of Sasquatch really exploded; the town is only about 20 miles southeast of the site where the famous 1967 Patterson–Gimlin film was shot at Bluff Creek. Remember that grainy clip of Bigfoot walking along the creek? That happened just up the road from here.
Highway 96 is different. It’s not a "knee-drag" road; rather, it’s a hand-on-hip marathon where you find yourself constantly looking up at the towering ridges, down at the river far below the pavement and always headed into the next curve. It’s a total sensory experience: the cool dampness of the river canyons, the scent of pine, and the sheer scale of the wilderness. Hwy 96 isn’t a road you just ride; it’s a road you plan to spend half a day on just to soak it all in—a definitive bucket-list trek for the serious California tourer.
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