State Route 177

Beginning at the Interstate 10 interchange in Desert Center, these signs for Interstate 10 west are posted on northbound California 177 for the connections to Interstate 10 east to Indio and Phoenix or west to Palm Springs, San Bernardino, Pomona, and Los Angeles.

01/17/05

California 177 is known as Rice Road, while unsigned Riverside County Route R-2 is known as Kaiser Road. The two routes split at the upcoming intersection. It appears that the newer signage no longer recognizes the county route designation.

01/17/05

Northbound California 177 and Riverside County Route R-2 (unsigned) split here. Riverside County Route R-2 travels northwest to Lake Tamarisk and Eagle Mountain, where the highway ends. California 177 travels northeast from here toward California 62 and Granite Pass. The control points for northbound California 177 are Rice and Parker, both of which actually lie on California 62. California 177 only travels about 28 miles from end to end; California 62 east continues to Rice and Parker. Both California 177 and California 62 were built primarily to support the Colorado River Aqueduct, which follows the two state routes from near Parker (in Arizona on the Colorado River) southwest to the Chuckwalla Valley, then west toward the Coachella Valley.

01/17/05

California 177 is only two lanes wide for its entire length, and the shoulders may be limited. However, the speed limit is 65 miles per hour, and passing is generally allowed.

01/17/05

Joshua Tree National Park, which includes the Coxcomb Mountains that are seen in the distance, encompasses much of the distant mountain skyline. While California 177 skirts the eastern edge of the national park at certain locations, it stays outside of the park. Use California 177 north to California 62 west to access Joshua Tree National Park.

01/17/05

All of California 177 lies in a valley, starting in the western edge of the Chuckwalla Valley and continuing northeast into the Palen Valley. The state route skirts the eastern edge of the Coxcomb Mountains and the western edge of Palen Dry Lake. As a result of these low-lying areas along California 177, nearly the entire route has been deemed a flash flood area.

01/17/05

The second turn-off after the Riverside County Route R-2/Kaiser Road intersection is for Oasis Road. Oasis Road travels west to Lake Tamarisk, where it meets Riverside County Route R-2.

01/17/05

After the 26.90-mile trip from Desert Center north, California 177 approaches its northern terminus at the junction with California 62. Follow California 62 west to Joshua Tree National Park, Twentynine Palms, and Yucca Valley. Continue straight ahead to follow California 62 east to Vidal Junction and Parker, Arizona.

02/25/06

At the northern end of California 177 is this end shield, which is posted at the intersection with California 62. Ahead, California 177 north transitions directly onto California 62 east.

02/25/06

As California 177 ends, California 62 west turns left toward Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley. Continue straight ahead to follow California 62 east toward Parker, Arizona.

02/25/06

A survey postmile is located along southbound California 177 after the California 62 intersection.

02/25/06

With the Coxcomb Mountains rising in the distance, California 177 briefly travels southwest before turning south generally to follow the Colorado River Aqueduct toward Desert Center and Interstate 10.

02/25/06

A power line spanning SR 177 follows the Colorado River Aqueduct, which conveys water to the millions of people who live in urbanized Southern California. It is owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and was erected as a transmission facility in 1936. The aqueduct follows SR 177 to the west for its entire length, then turns west to follow I-10 toward the Coachella Valley. The aqueduct brings water from the Colorado River west to greater Los Angeles.2

02/25/06

Skipping ahead, southbound California 177 approaches its southern terminus in Desert Center. The junction with Interstate 10 is a standard diamond interchange, and an end shield is posted on southbound underneath the twin bridges that carry Interstate 10 overhead.

01/17/05

California 177 is signed with an end shield, just as it is at the California 62 junction near Granite Pass west of Rice. A zero postmile is placed next to the end shield.

01/17/05