"The Slab" (former US 101 on the South Fork Eel River Viaduct)

[Max Rockatansky]

I just got back from a family trip up on the Redwood Highway.  I took the opportunity to see "The Slab" between Leggett and Confusion Hill.  There isn't much stopping anyone from accessing this abandoned/bypassed part of US 101 on foot:

IMG_8961 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_8963 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_8968 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_8971 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Borrowing what I wrote about The Slab on the Gribblenation Facebook page:

"Below the Eel River Viaduct (also known as "The Slab") can be seen near Leggett in northern Mendocino County in the January/February 1967 California Highways & Public Works. The Eel River Viaduct was constructed in 1923 as part of the Legislative Route 1 and Redwood Highway. The Eel River Viaduct became a famous narrow portion of US Route 101 which wasn't bypassed until 1982. The January/February 1967 issue also happened to be the last volume of California Highways & Public Works."

A by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[pderocco]

Gee, did they paint the fence black, or just stop painting it white?

[Max Rockatansky]

Mostly stripped away.  There is still some yellow lane marking visible in the second photo.

[Max Rockatansky]

Our blog on The Slab published today. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2026/07/the-slab-former-us-route-101-on-south.html?m=1

[The Ghostbuster]

Did anyone travel on "The Slab" before it closed? How traitorous would driving on "The Slab" have been?

[Max Rockatansky]

Did anyone travel on "The Slab" before it closed? How traitorous would driving on "The Slab" have been?

When I posted photos on our Facebook page it got shared to a Mendocino County history group.  Apparently it was one-way alternating for freight vehicles and rocks falling onto cars was common.  It would often close due to rockfall in the winter.

[The Ghostbuster]

I meant treacherous in my post, not traitorous.

[Max Rockatansky]

I meant treacherous in my post, not traitorous.

I felt like it might betray me at any moment this past December when I hiked it.  The rain was coming down quite a bit and those boulders were pretty big.