Barrel Springs Back Country Byway in California

Barrel Springs Back Country Byway

This 93-mile loop leaves Cedarville before traveling across the border into Nevada, up towards the Oregon border, and then back into California near Fort Bidwell.

Guide Sections

Use Barrel Springs Back Country Byway's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.

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Barrel Springs Back Country Byway Details

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Low

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This 93-mile loop leaves Cedarville before traveling across the border into Nevada, up towards the Oregon border, and then back into California near Fort Bidwell. There is a wild mix of things to see on the drive, including abandoned Ghost towns, juniper and aspen forests, and desolate deserts and dry lake beds. One of the highlights of the drive is the historic Applegate-Lassen Trail, which is known as being one of the main routes for western migration in the mid-1800s. The landscape has not changed much since then (albeit far fewer horse-drawn wagons and coaches).