CA 253

[Max Rockatansky]

Continuing with the series of Northern California State Highways this week we look into the history of CA 253.  CA 253 has a surprisingly old origin as the Anderson Valley Trail which opened in 1851.  The Anderson Valley Trail became the Gsehwind Toll Road in 1868 and was converted primarily to a lumber road.  The Gsehwind Toll Road was added to the Mendocino County inventory of roads in 1896 as Boonville-Ukiah Road which led to some improvements to better facilitate travel.  In 1952 Boonville-Ukiah Road was upgraded with Federal Aid Secondary funds which modernized the highway.  CA 253 was added to the State Highway System in 1963 but was originally was planned for a new alignment north of Boonville-Ukiah Road.  The plans for a new alignment for CA 253 were dropped and Boonville-Ukiah Road was turned over to the State upon completion of improvement contracts in March 1966.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2020/08/california-state-route-253.html

[kkt]

Nice historical essay!  I drove CA 253 for the first and only time about four years ago.  Heading north after a tiring trip to the Bay Area, I stopped at Gowan's Oak Tree near Philo.  253 was a fun new way to go back in the direction of I-5 north.  Gowan's Oak Tree has perhaps the best apple cider anywhere, and 253 was very pretty, almost no traffic, and lots of curves.  Fun to drive.

[Max Rockatansky]

I went back and updated the blog on the original post with an entirely new photo set I took in January.  My wife and I doubled up CA 253 with almost all of CA 128 for a full day of back road driving.