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California 178 East - Death Valley

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California 178 east

After a route break in Death Valley National Park, eastbound California 178 begins anew at the former Death Valley National Monument boundary. When the national park was created by President Bill Clinton during the 1990s, the original national monument was incorporated into a much larger national park. The western terminus of the eastern California 178 used to be at the original national monument boundary, but it was not changed when the national park was created. Photo taken 01/19/02.

		Continuing east, California 178 eventually meets California 127 near Shoshone. Turn left on California 127 north to Death Valley Junction, California 190, and Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Turn right to follow California 127 south and California 178 east to Shoshone. Photos taken 11/11/08.
			Eastbound California 178 meets California 127 at this T intersection. The intersection was revised between 2002 and 2008 to eliminate a fork in the road (see the 2002 photos below). Photos taken 11/11/08.
			Eastbound California 178 meets California 127 at this point. Back in 2002, the intersection was forked; the fork was gone by 2008. Note that Death Valley Junction is shown on the mileage sign as "California 190" in 2002, but that was changed to U.S. 95 by 2012. Photos taken 01/19/02 and 01/15/12 by Martin Grahl.
California 178 east and California 127 south
			This mileage sign along California 127 south and California 178 east is posted after the junction with California 178 west. The reassurance shields changed position between 2002 and 2008, but the mileage sign remained the same (still button copy). Photos taken 11/11/08 and 01/20/02.

	Only a half-mile or so south of the mileage sign, the routes divide. California 127 will continue south into the Mojave Desert en route to Interstate 15 and Baker, while California 178 will turn east to Pahrump and Las Vegas. Photo taken 11/11/08.
	California 127 and California 178 enter the unincorporated community of Shoshone (population 52 as of the 2000 Census and elevation 1,572 feet). Located on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, Shoshone is known for being the only services for a long stretch of California 127, and it is the last services for visitors entering Death Valley National Park until reaching Furnace Creek near the center of the park. The community was founded in 1910 by Ralph Jacobus "Dad" Fairbanks.1 Photo taken 11/11/08.
	These are the final motorist services until reaching Baker off Interstate 15. Photo taken 11/11/08.
	California 127 and California 178 split just south of Shoshone. California 178 travels northeast through the Chicago Valley toward the California-Nevada state line. Upon crossing into Nevada, California 127 changes into Nevada 372, which travels a bit further east before culminating at Nevada 160 in Pahrump. This is part of the fastest route from Death Valley to Las Vegas. Nevada 160 continues east from Pahrump into the Las Vegas Valley by skirting the south side of Mount Charleston and Red Rock. Photo taken 11/11/08.

California 178 east
	Leaving Shoshone and the intersection with California 127, eastbound California 178 becomes known as the Charles Brown Highway. The highway will travel northeast into the Chicago Valley, skirting the eastern edge of Resting Spring Range and the north end of the Nopah Range. Photo taken 11/11/08.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to Pahrump (27 miles via Nevada 372) and Las Vegas (84 miles via Nevada 372 and Nevada 160). Photo taken 11/11/08.
	The next services along California 178-Nevada 372 are available in 27 miles northeast of here in Pahrump. Photo taken 11/11/08.
	Resting Spring Range comes into view along eastbound California 178, and then the highway turns northeast into Chicago Valley. Photo taken 11/11/08.

California 178 meets its eastern terminus at the California-Nevada state line between Shoshone and Pahrump. Continue ahead for the connection to Nevada 160 east to Las Vegas. Photos taken 01/21/02.

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Page Updated January 23, 2012.