SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 4, 2025 — Scenic America is thrilled to share that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has officially designated State Route 247 — the stretch from Barstow to Yucca Valley — as the state’s newest scenic byway.

As the nation’s only nonprofit dedicated solely to preserving and enhancing scenic beauty, Scenic America supports communities in protecting treasured roads and applauds the Scenic 247 Committee on its success. Scenic byways are more than transportation corridors — they are destinations in their own right, connecting travelers to the history, ecology, and identity of a region. By designating scenic byways, communities can ensure that unique landscapes remain protected from visual blight such as billboards and incompatible development.

State Route 247 serves as a vital link in a landscape already rich with iconic attractions. Barstow is a major destination for Route 66 travelers, and SR 247 connects the historic road with unparalleled parks and cultural gems, including Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs, Big Bear in the San Bernardino Mountains, and even the greater Los Angeles region. From Route 66 in Barstow to Yucca Valley, travelers will pass through the Ord Mountains, Lucerne Dry Lake, Homestead Valley, Black Lava Butte, and Flattop Mesa.

Southbound on California Highway 247, photo provided by Luke Jones under creative commons license.

State Route 247 boasts some of the most striking desert vistas in Southern California. Visitors can expect to encounter untouched Small Homestead Act communities from the 1950s, panoramic views of Johnson Valley, and a largely undeveloped landscape free of overhead transmission lines and billboards. Natural features include the Blackhawk landslide — a prehistoric mountain collapse — along with Joshua trees, creosote bush, cholla cacti, and yucca. The corridor also showcases mesas, sand washes, lava flows, cinder cones, mountain ranges, and bursts of spring wildflowers such as desert dandelions.

State Route 247 is equally rich in history. The road traces the paths of early settlers, cowboys, and miners traversing the San Bernardino Mountains. Old Woman Springs Road, one of the highway’s most storied segments, earned its name after the route’s first surveyor encountered an encampment of Native women. The corridor later carried miners and freight bound for the Dale District east of Twentynine Palms and eventually carried post‑World War II homesteaders seeking new opportunities in the high desert.

With its striking scenery, cultural legacy, and largely unspoiled vistas, State Route 247 is a deserving addition to California’s scenic byways and a victory for communities committed to preserving the state’s natural beauty.