Winnemucca to the Sea Highway

winnemucca to sea sign

The Winnemucca to the Sea Highway was developed with the idea to establish a continuous, improved route branching from I-80 in Winnemucca, Nevada through Medford, Oregon and on to the Pacific Coast to Crescent City, California. In the mid 1950’s there was no direct route linking these regions. Community leaders from points along this proposed highway formed an association. The association worked with state and local governments to obtain funding for the planning, construction and upgrade of the highway. The original proposal was to create one highway, number 140, applied to the complete route. However, this idea never came to fruition. The current traveler actually follows seven different highway numbers: US-95, State Route 140, US-395 State Route 62, I-5 US-199 and US-101. In 1962, the paving of 117 miles to Lakeview from Denio was completed. The Winnemucca to the Sea Highway was dedicated in September of 1962 at Doherty Slide, east of Lakeview.

Highway US-95 leaves north of Winnemucca connecting Nevada and Oregon. Before continuing on to Idaho, the route branches into State Route 140 into Denio, NV. Denio is the last stop for gas for over 100 miles. Rolling desert sage brush eventually transforms into rolling ocean surf at the end of the 494 miles of scenic western views.

Winnemucca displays a 13 foot diameter driftwood log that was washed ashore in Crescent City in a 1964 flood. It was dedicated as a highway marker in 1965.

The Historic Winnemucca to the Sea Highway (PDF)