WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Santa Clarita to Havasu

Lumpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,892
Reaction score
4,073
What are the roads like and which way do ya go? I live close to Pismo Beach and have been rolling the 166 to Old River Rd. 223, Arvin and eventually the 58 through Tehachapi and so on. That route really sucks, road condition and grades are terrible. So I was looking at an alternative hence my question. It adds about twenty miles but if its an easier drive I'd think its worth it. So anyone run from Santa Clarita to Havasu? What's the best route and how are the road conditions?
 

Runs2rch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
9,456
Reaction score
9,445
14 to Pearblossom which sucks, or the 210 to the 15 which is better, but also sucks.
 

H20 Toie

Party on Garth
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
5,740
Reaction score
21,946
Coming south to santa clarita is going to add way more than 20 miles.
I live in santa clarita and usually take the 14 to mojave then take the 58 to Barstow, we can do Pearblossom hwy but it just sucks with so many stop lights in Victorville now
 

zbudman

Coors Light Strong
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
704
Reaction score
1,886
Lumpy, I'm in Santa Maria. The route you described is the quickest. I avoid 223 by going around Arvin on the back side. Many years ago, it would take a good 8 hours traveling this route. With all the road changes I can now do it in 6 hours.
 

boatdoc55

Rest Easy Retired Boat Mechanic 😢🚤
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
7,814
Reaction score
11,272
Coming south to santa clarita is going to add way more than 20 miles.
I live in santa clarita and usually take the 14 to mojave then take the 58 to Barstow, we can do Pearblossom hwy but it just sucks with so many stop lights in Victorville now
This is the way good friend comes out to Havasu now. He had been using Pearblossom and said his new way is MUCH easier from SC.
 

Kbach

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
993
Reaction score
1,767
Coming south to santa clarita is going to add way more than 20 miles.
I live in santa clarita and usually take the 14 to mojave then take the 58 to Barstow, we can do Pearblossom hwy but it just sucks with so many stop lights in Victorville now
I do the same from Simi. Used to always go pearblossom but with the increased housing and traffic it sucks. We’ll worth the extra few miles to go 14/58 since it’s usually wide open all the way to the 40.
 

Tank

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
19,909
Reaction score
44,987
The 58 is closed!! LOL


We started using the 58 again right after the project to widen it was completed a couple years ago. There was NO ONE on the 58 when the project was just completed but I've noticed more people are catching on.

I was coming back from havasu last year and as I merged onto the 15 I immediately noticed this BAD ASS 64 rag impala low low on a trailer heading west. I cruised by it checking it out and yelling at my wife how cool it was (her rolling her eyes the whole time). I merged onto the 58, dude with impala kept on the 15. I get on the 14 and as I'm passing pear blossom highway, he's merging onto the 14. 58 is a bit longer but such a nicer drive.

Except in Palmdale, always crowded and people drive like DICKS on the freeway there. never fails someone is doing 100 zig zagging through traffic in an 02 nissan sentra, hyundai or toyota corolla :rolleyes: And of course then we have to start singing the Palmdale song from Afroman without fail...every time. 😄
 

schweeng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
825
Reaction score
721
when entering Victorville off of pearblossom (heading to the 15) make a left at Aster.... then a right on Mohave... way less stop and go... I've tested it and it saves 5 minutes...
 
Last edited:

schweeng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
825
Reaction score
721
14 to Pearblossom which sucks, or the 210 to the 15 which is better, but also sucks.
love the 210 to 15 but has to be way early or way late.... always seems to have a accident or traffic when I need it.
 

Hammer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2010
Messages
21,915
Reaction score
12,825
Coming south to santa clarita is going to add way more than 20 miles.
I live in santa clarita and usually take the 14 to mojave then take the 58 to Barstow, we can do Pearblossom hwy but it just sucks with so many stop lights in Victorville now
Coming south to santa clarita is going to add way more than 20 miles.

I do the same from Simi. Used to always go pearblossom but with the increased housing and traffic it sucks. We’ll worth the extra few miles to go 14/58 since it’s usually wide open all the way to the 40.

good to know! I hate pearblossom. Seems like 58 would be waaaay longer?
 

Kbach

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
993
Reaction score
1,767
good to know! I hate pearblossom. Seems like 58 would be waaaay longer?
I want to say it was about 15-20 miles but the reduced stress level of dealing with dipshits on pearblossom make up for it. We don’t make a ton of trips to the river but when we do it’s usually in our pusher towing the boat so it’s way easier.
 

Hammer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2010
Messages
21,915
Reaction score
12,825
I want to say it was about 15-20 miles but the reduced stress level of dealing with dipshits on pearblossom make up for it. We don’t make a ton of trips to the river but when we do it’s usually in our pusher towing the boat so it’s way easier.
I'll take the 20 miles. The stop and go on Pearblossom and hitting Victorville is a mess.
 

H20 Toie

Party on Garth
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
5,740
Reaction score
21,946
good to know! I hate pearblossom. Seems like 58 would be waaaay longer?
GPS says 10 minutes longer
But no lights
If you have bad timing or get behind a slow truck on pear blossom it will take longer


Way less aggravating on 58
 

Rayson1971

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2017
Messages
1,265
Reaction score
2,086
We went out on DS and GPS said 1 min slower taking 58. It's +- 25 miles longer. But worth not hitting lights on 138/18
 

jbird

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Messages
669
Reaction score
975
We were doing the trip from Pismo once or twice a month for quite awhile and tried all the routes mentioned both empty and towing.
Time and traffic wise 166, Old River, 58, 40 is the best route IMO. The 166 sucks but the rest of the drive is not so bad.
Second choice would be to go 46 to the 5. It’s not much longer if any and the 46 is a better road than the 166.
 

HALLETT BOY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2007
Messages
6,753
Reaction score
9,909
I read somewhere that they are planing a highway / freeway from S Lancaster to Victorville. They want to make Victorville a POE . The environmental impact report has supposedly been done already .
 

idk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Messages
514
Reaction score
354
14-58 is 27 miles longer I've checked it a few time questioning myself it's a way nicer drive but way longer I think its a push, depending on what time you drive pearblossom is still faster. The big plus for the wife is the rest stops on the 58 make it easier. The fastest way I've gone with the least amount of hassle is through El Mirage rd and coming out by the old Geoge AFB
 
Last edited:

Runs2rch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
9,456
Reaction score
9,445
when entering Victorville off of pearblossom (heading to the 15) make a left at Aster.... then a right on Mohave... way less stop and go... I've tested it and it saves 5 minutes...
We turn on Verbina to Mohave. Years ago it was even faster.
 

schweeng

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
825
Reaction score
721
ummmm left on aster and right on Mohave.... you miss tons of the Victorville shit and no added miles...
 

Runs2rch

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
9,456
Reaction score
9,445
ummmm left on aster and right on Mohave.... you miss tons of the Victorville shit and no added miles...
Aster is the turn before Verbena. Like 100 yards difference haha
 

Lumpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,892
Reaction score
4,073
Thanks for the replies gents!
I was playing around with google maps thinking there has got be a better way. Couldn't agree more about the 58 now...huge improvement! I remember sitting
in traffic for an hour at the Boron crossing years ago. It's the 166 that pisses me off the most especially between Maricopa and the 58.
Lumpy, I'm in Santa Maria. The route you described is the quickest. I avoid 223 by going around Arvin on the back side. Many years ago, it would take a good 8 hours traveling this route. With all the road changes I can now do it in 6 hours.
Kinda figured this was the case...I can do it in roughly 7 1/2 hours towing my 270 but 6 hours sounds about right not towing. That straight away out of Maricopa is a killer on everything...the earth has got to be constantly moving on that stretch of Hwy. So which way are you going exactly? 166, 99 then 58?
 

zbudman

Coors Light Strong
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
704
Reaction score
1,886
Thanks for the replies gents!
I was playing around with google maps thinking there has got be a better way. Couldn't agree more about the 58 now...huge improvement! I remember sitting
in traffic for an hour at the Boron crossing years ago. It's the 166 that pisses me off the most especially between Maricopa and the 58.

Kinda figured this was the case...I can do it in roughly 7 1/2 hours towing my 270 but 6 hours sounds about right not towing. That straight away out of Maricopa is a killer on everything...the earth has got to be constantly moving on that stretch of Hwy. So which way are you going exactly? 166, 99 then 58?
After turning onto Old River Rd, I turn right at the first stop sign, Copus Rd. Take that straight for several miles and you pass over the 5 and 99. Copus turns into David Rd. Stay straight on David to left on Rancho Rd to Right on Herring. You're now on the southside of Arvin. Turn left onto Tejon to the 223 and up the hill to the 58. It's all two lane farm lane. Very light traffic and you by-pass most of Arvin and those stinky dairies. As always, watch for pot holes.
 

Lumpy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,892
Reaction score
4,073
After turning onto Old River Rd, I turn right at the first stop sign, Copus Rd. Take that straight for several miles and you pass over the 5 and 99. Copus turns into David Rd. Stay straight on David to left on Rancho Rd to Right on Herring. You're now on the southside of Arvin. Turn left onto Tejon to the 223 and up the hill to the 58. It's all two lane farm lane. Very light traffic and you by-pass most of Arvin and those stinky dairies. As always, watch for pot holes.
Got it...man those roads are jacked up in that area...thats what I was mostly trying to avoid. That and the straight away outa Maricopa. I take it you store your boat in Havasu. Really wish I still had my unit out there...makes the trip a lot easier and faster.
 

zbudman

Coors Light Strong
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Messages
704
Reaction score
1,886
Got it...man those roads are jacked up in that area...thats what I was mostly trying to avoid. That and the straight away outa Maricopa. I take it you store your boat in Havasu. Really wish I still had my unit out there...makes the trip a lot easier and faster.
I do store it Havasu
1C85267F-FA2B-4B21-A9C1-F71B554F25D5.jpeg

Got it...man those roads are jacked up in that area...thats what I was mostly trying to avoid. That and the straight away outa Maricopa. I take it you store your boat in Havasu. Really wish I still had my unit out there...makes the trip a lot easier and faster.
I do store it there. We’re out there twice a month. Flag me down when you’re there.
 

HALLETT BOY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2007
Messages
6,753
Reaction score
9,909
Hwy 138 isn’t called Death Highway for no reason , it’s fun to pass slow moving trucks and pissed off locals with inches to spare …
 
Top