Interstate 36

Is interstate 36 from Red Bluff CA, to get to Quincy CA driverable with a 53ft trailer??

Jacob, I’ve never been on that road so I don’t know anything about truck traffic.

But…… 36 is one of the most curvy roads there is. I got on Google satellite view and “drove” from Red Bluff to Chester, about 70 miles. I counted only 2 tractor trailers that appeared to have 53’ trailers. And I imagine it’s got ups and downs to numerous to count. I didn’t see one truck stop, but there was a location identified to get a COVID vaccine shot!

If I was a tourist in a car or light truck, I would love to drive that highway. In a 70’ tractor trailer? Absolutely not. (Unless I was being paid by the hour, not by the mile).

If you are considering taking your truck on 36, you need to find out from someone “in the know” if it is doable.

And if you broke down on 36? It would be badder than bad and worser than worst.

But thanks for the geography lesson!

First, it is NOT an Interstate.

Second, after viewing it on Google Maps, then reading the article above, it's not a route I'm going to be traveling. There are easier drives to keep a CDL.

I was a bit baffled when I read 'Interstate', but quickly figured out it is not an Interstate , but a State Highway. Since I was bored and did a little bit of clicking around in Google maps street view. It does appear that trucks are allowed on this highway, I did notice that all the trucks I could see look to be local, supporting local industry or mining or something. Very few places to pull out and stop. While it's a very beautiful view, not a place where I would want to be stuck broken down in a big truck. I couldn't even imagine the stress of being on this highway on a dark night!

3 miles of 6% grade on a two lane with NO emergency ramps !?! No thank you.....

From what I'm seeing it's not that bad, but that's all relative to your experience and comfort level on two lane roads in the mountains. I spend a considerable amount of time on them and our routes are almost always picked on shortest distance irrelevant of how technical and difficult the route is, so we get them as suggested a lot, or at least I do lol.

CA 139 from OR down to Susanville we regularly get routed on and it's like that. My garmin says it's not truck friendly but the Rand McNallys motor carriers says it is. It's better than 395 which gets old. But the hill coming in and out of Susanville is steep and narrow.

CA 299 from Alturas to Cedarville and the south to CR1 to NV 447 goes down to Gerlach NV and Fernley are really gnarly in the upper end. 2 lane, no shoulder, no guard rails, hairpins and some 7 percent and steeper grades but real short, just a few sections. Fun run to drive, preferably light though. No services from Cedarville to Gerlach I think on 447. No cell coverage too. Most the desert sections are rough with no shoulder. Lots of cows in the road too.

Some of the routes coming out of Sonora CA are pretty tight too, but beautiful drives.

Those back roads up there are beautiful scenery but definitely can be challenging, especially in the winter, CA 89 is an absolutely stunning drive and has some beautiful vista's to pull off in. Also McCloud CA is a neet little town to visit. Cedarville you can park on the street, or used to be able to.. cool diner there.