Here it is: the dividing line between central California and southern California. It alternates between fun, scenic, historic, dramatic, and scary. Hmm, scary? Yes, the northern part is scary. Really, the northern part is what kept the two Californias separate for so long. There are no foothills here. Within five miles, I-5 goes from elevation 100 to elevation 4,000. Far too steep for a railroad, and 100 years ago, nearly too steep for an automobile road. It was an engineering marvel to build a 2-lane road up this steep mountain. Two widenings later, it's now an 8-lane freeway. But going south, the far right lane slows 18-wheelers down to 20 mph and causes older cars to overheat. Going north, there are two runaway truck ramps that are heavily used, and when I owned a BMW, it was so easy to get it up to 100 because the road is so steep. CalTrans has many big signs warning of the 6% 5-mile grade for good reason. History buffs will find it easy to find the old road in many places. One volunteer organization is working to reopen the Ridge Route between the Templin Highway and 138. Road #2, the 4-lane US99, is mostly under I-5 now, but there are places where you can drive on 99 just as you could in the 1950s. Fun can be those swoops the freeway takes near Pyramid Lake. And there's that one part just outside Castaic where 99 is now the 4 northbound lanes . . . and the southbound lanes switch sides and go down the left side of Violin Canyon, British style (99 south was too steep for trucks). Technically, the Grapevine is only the northernmost five miles, and the settlement at the bottom is called Grapevine. But the entire stretch from Grapevine to Castaic is popularly called "the Grapevine" all the way. Stops include the Hungry Valley off-road area, Pyramid Lake, the old restaurant in Gorman, Fort Tejon, and the rest area near Tejon Pass. Now for the dramatic part: when you leave Castaic driving north, that long drive up says "goodbye, SoCal". And driving south from Bakersfield, the mountains loom in front of you for 15 dry miles, signalling the end of the Central Valley. Entering the Central Valley, the hills ahead of you disappear and all you see is the huge, long expanse of desert that will soon become orchards, welcoming you to the most productive farmland in the world. Entering Castaic is uneventful, but several miles later, when there are four freeways stacked on top of each other, you KNOW you're in LA. So that's it. The Grapevine, a freeway for those who say that the journey is as important as the destination. read more

"The Grapevine" I-5 North - I-5 in the official Grapevine section. From this location on Peace Valley Road, you can also see the first road to LA. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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Back to NorCal... Love it or hate it this stretch of mountain pass is a necessary part of any NorCal to SoCal (and vice versa) road trip. It is the fastest route between LA and Sacramento... a mountain route that is steep, busy, curvy with lots of big rigs driving along with you. Sometimes the travel conditions here are so bad including construction, closures, delays, traffic flow, accidents and even weather conditions. Yes! Sometimes there are closures due to snow. We've experienced all in our travels in the past except traveling in the snow. This past weekend we've experienced gusty winds in the mountains and a high wind advisory was in effect. There is a place I've been wanting to visit each time we travel through the Grapevine. Often we tend to overlook the Fort Tejon State Park as it is usually at the beginning of our road trip... maybe one day we will actually stop by here. When we pass through the Grapevine it's usually in the daytime and it tells me that we have officially left SoCal and onto a long stretch of boring highway heading back to Sacramento. It usually takes us an average of 5-1/2 hours with no stops to get home to Roseville but knowing my husband there will be one or two bathroom breaks... and maybe even a petrol stop. No food stops because we usually load up with Porto's before heading home. LoL Drive safe California! Review #1278 read more

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[Review #247] 2018 Yelp 100 Challenge (10/100) My first trip through The Grapevine was in the late 1970s when my uncle would drive down from Fresno to pick up my family for a visit either during the summer or holidays. I remember sitting in the back of the station wagon rolling around in the back, or up front with my uncle being a backseat driver. ^-^ He used to tell me stories about his drives north & south... the perils of trying to drive through the mountain pass when the roads became icy & watching out for cars that overheat in certain sections of the hillside. Forward to present day, the roads have been repaved in certain sections, additional lanes have been added, newer technology in cars = less breakdowns. Driving through the pass during the holidays can be a nightmare when traffic just stops; careless drivers may misjudge the steep downgrades & sharp turns as well as steep inclines leading to the many accidents on the I-5. And heavy rain or winds, & fog are major weather hazards. :-( But after a good season of rain, the hillsides are lush & bright with vegetation & wildflowers. =) When you're driving through The Grapevine during the winter, rainy months, be sure to check The I-5 weather advisory for any intermittent road closures or the add snow chains if you attempt to drive the pass. The only thing you can still be sure of... you have to yawn, chew gum, or suck on a lollipop to relieve the pressure on your ears. Wish you happy & safe driving folks! read more

Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah I heard it through the grapevine Just about to lose my mind Honey, honey, yeah I heard it through the grapevine, Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah Its not really named after the classic Gladys Knight & the Pips song, but the Grapevine is very familiar to those who transit I-5. Home of eager CHP looking to give out the quota mandated ticket, to the sketchy services, and High Winds, it is an essential passage through the Heart of California. SInce it is an Odd numbered Interstate (#5) that tells you it runs North To South or Vice versa (Even number interstates run East to West) For those traveling Northbound, the Grapevine begins at Sulfur Springs. From there you go into one of those highway oddities only the engineers understand. You cross sides with the southbound traffic and then cross back over up the mountain WTF? You flow past Pyramid Lake, through the Tejon Pass and then begin your decent into the Central Valley Its multi lane and well paved however in the winter is is at risk for ice and high winds. Also, the CHP is usually out in force so be mindful of your speed lest you get caught up in revenue generation. As the major West Coast North To South artery its usually quite busy with travelers and big rigs. at the Southern entrance the traffic crosses over then crosses back for reasons only known to the highway engineers. There are services dotted periodically on its 43 mile length. (Note in the interest of full disclosure I bogarted much of this from the Southbound review. But hey its basically the same drive) read more

I've lived in California all my life and have been on the Grapevine countless times...but I've never seen the hillsides look this beautiful with color. Wildflowers making a spectacular appearance thanks to some much needed rain in this part of California. Oddly enough for all those times on that road I've never seen it covered in snow...I think that's a good thing because I've heard being stranded there is not fun, but it would be a treat to see it in glorious white. Must add that to my list of "must do's". I have been through it when parts were on fire, that's not pretty, but seeing the firefighters doing their thing is quite impressive. The drive through Gorman, Frasier mountain, Ft. Tejon and points in between is only 20-30 minutes, assuming traffic is moving. read more

"The Grapevine" I-5 North - Easter March 2016...looks like a painted canvas. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

"The Grapevine," also known as Grapevine Hill. (Truth be told, this 40 mile stretch of the I-5 HWY isn't technically called The Grapevine... 'Lucky for me, I never worked IT.) Photo - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-grapevine-i-5-north-castaic?select=HvIUfFy9wgEU6kqGFL-GHg Whether you're road trip'n, headed north or south, The Grapevine is always one of those landmark points on the drive. With me, if I'm headed north from South OC, it's my two hour mark out, Magic Mountain being 1 1/2 hr. When I hit the bottom of that hill, I'm about 4-5 hours out until I hit the SF Bay Area and visa versa. When I travel with the HAPA, my bully pit, you can easily add an extra 1-2 hours... 'And if I'm tired, add an extra 3-5 hours. (i.e. - Rest area sleepy time) Now, entering Grapevine Hil - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-grapevine-i-5-north-castaic?select=pLSs1PPG8EBHF3ARfoqnMQ I don't usually make regular stops while passing through Grapevine Hill but if I do, it's usually at the Tejon Pass Safety Roadside Rest Area on my BARTs. (Bay Area Road Trips - Northbound) Teton Pass Rest Area (Photo) - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-grapevine-i-5-north-castaic?select=d_31gMz8KAPhiHS5jY7suQ There are two stories that address how the name, The Grapevine, came about: 1. The route resembled that of an actual grapevine. 2. Back in the day, the route was thick with overgrown grapevines and travelers had to literally hack their way through. (I believe this one to be the more accurate of the two.) Photo - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-grapevine-i-5-north-castaic?select=DyBq_jopS6-PWZcUPDqkqw Whether you make the I-5 road trip once or twice a year or every two months, be safe. If you're feeling tired, pull over @ one of the rest areas. If you're too tired to reach a rest area, find a well lit gas station to stop at and get some sleep. I used to make this drive once every two months before I originally moved to Southern California. It would always sadden me along with a bit of anger whenever I would see a single car, auto accident which most of the time was due to driver fatigue. On a few occasions, there was a blue body bag alongside the totaled, overturned vehicle. (That's a few more than I ever wanted to see.) Idiots. Pull over, take a small nap, wake up, grab a cup of coffee and be on your way. Now, someone's wife, husband, children, or parents are going to get a call @ 3am with the bad news. (Sigh) Safe & smart travels my friends. Nearing the final stretch of The Grapevine - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-grapevine-i-5-north-castaic?select=N5kqzPLOSIz0MekjKmxpAQ I created two Yelp*, Grapevine check points, one for northbound travelers and another for southbound. Both are set up @ the relative entry points of Grapevine Hill depending on which direction you're headed. Whenever I would make the drive and attempt to check-in @ The Grapevine... (Insert buzzer sound here) 'Nada, nothing, zilch. - "Wrong answer, do not pass GO, do not collect $200, but thank you for playing." So, on this last quick trip to SoCal, I thought, "It is time." **Note: Be sure to check weather conditions if you're planning on driving through The Grapevine, severe rain/snow can create road closures not to mention mudslides as of late. (i.e. - Sh'tuck) The Grapevine (Source: Wikipedia) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapevine,_California - Big Aloha! Food: n/a Ambiance: 4 Service: 5+ Value: 5 read more

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Traffic is smooth today! Trying to beat that heavy rain fall and snow! A lot of military h3 out today! read more

"The Grapevine" I-5 North - Post card view! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

The grapevine has probably seen us all travel it as babies riding in back of our parents vehicle and as adults speeding watching out for CHP, lol. Everyone that has reviewed it is 100% on point. This place offers some gorgeous views depending on your angle and the time of year. You also have to be knowledgable of your vehicle. You will hit steep points on both directions. So if you have an older vehicle make sure you check your fluids. Coming down on both directions you have to watch your speed. Not only for tickets, but safety should be your main concern. You never know if your tire will pop because of the heat and you have to factor in the weather conditions. You are not the only one that wants to make it home. So be courteous to your fellow drivers and report careless ones. Also every time I hear grapevine, Gorman comes to mind. It is pretty much your one stop for all your traveling needs when going over the grapevine. The best time to cross the grapevine is when you are headed on a road trip! Stay safe out there! read more

"The Grapevine" I-5 North - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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I drive through here often. The mountain views are great and the freeway is well paved. If you are driving through here with an older vehicle (especially during the summer) make sure that both your radiator fluid and radiator reservoir tank fluid are topped off to avoid overheating. Drivers are constantly seen on the side of the road with their hoods open because of overheating engines. Due to steep inclines, steep downgrades, various sharp turns and at times windy conditions this is a great area to test your vehicles engine power, transmission shifts, brakes and handling. When descending through the downgrades note that CHP officers using radar hide in very clever areas to cite speeding drivers. They usually stop drivers who are traveling over 79mph. Heavy rain and/or fog makes this streach of highway extremely dangerous. Intermittent closures due to snow typically occur during the months of December and January. read more

"The Grapevine" I-5 North - This park is adjacent to the Grapevine if you're heading southbound. It's small with a few picnic tables. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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