I-5 and California

Imperial Valley
Just as I-5 hits California's agriculture belt, the great Imperial Valley, US-99 - now renamed California 99, splits off to follow the route is has for almost a century. I-5 slices up the valley missing all the big cities (and they complain about driving across Nebraska!).

Stockton and Sacramento
Near Los Banos I-5 intersects CA-152 which connects CA-99, I-5 and US-101. Now I-5 is bounded by increasingly urban areas, bisects Stockton, does almost the same with Sacramento but seems to have a last minute change of heart.

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Mountains, Trees and Lakes
Continuing on through Williams, Willows, Corning and Red Bluff - where many travelers turn onto CA-36 to view Lassen Volcanic National Park. At Redding, it intersects CA-44 - the northern route into Lassen Volcanic National Park - and CA-299, the so very scenic road which winds through a series of almost-connected mountain passes thus crossing California's Coastal Range.

Mount Shasta
I-5 continues its northward journey, slipping by the 14,000+ tall Mount Shasta (you're even in its shadow in the early mornings ), finally crossing the Oregon border some 60 miles later.

You'll definitely want to avoid all unpaved roads in this volcanic terrain. The pumice dust can penetrate almost anything. You'll really regret it when it's time to clean up.

• California
• Oregon
• Washington

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