Eastern Mojave Vegetation US Highway 26  
 

Tom Schweich  

Home Page  U.S. Route 26 is an east-west United States highway. It started in Ogallala, Nebraska, and gradually grew to reach the West Coast in Oregon. When the U.S. highway system was first defined, it was limited to Nebraska and Wyoming; by the 1950s, it continued into Idaho and Oregon. The highway's eastern terminus is in Ogallala, Nebraska at an intersection with Interstate 80. Its western terminus is south of Seaside, Oregon at an intersection with U.S. Route 101. Prior to 2004, the route's last 20 miles (32 km) were co-signed with U.S. Route 101 from the highways' junction south of Seaside north to Astoria where its intersection with U.S. Route 30 was also U.S. 30's western terminus.

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 101:   at US Hwy 26;  

Junction: US Highway 101

 

 

Other articles:
• US I-405:   at US Hwy 26W;  

Portland

Junction: US Interstate 405

Other articles:
• US I-405:   at US Hwy 26E;  

Junction: US Interstate 405, south.
  Pass under US Interstate 5.
  Cross Willamette River on Ross Island Bridge.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   2 Sept 2018;
Full Size ImageFirst good view of Mount Hood along US Highway 26.  

 

 

Locations: Government Camp.  

Government Camp

High point of US Hwy 26 near Mt. Hood.

Other articles:
• Oregon Highway 126:   at US Hwy 26;  

Junction: Oregon Highway 126, west to Redmond, Eugene, and ending at US Highway 101 at Florence Oregon.

 

   

Prineville

 

Other articles:
• Oregon Highway 380:   at US Hwy26;  

Junction: Oregon Highway 380, "SE Paulina Highway." SE Combs Flat Road

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   2 Oct 2022;

Locations: Painted Hills.
Full Size ImagePainted Hills.  

Junction: Burnt Ranch Road, to Painted Hills.

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Painted Hills.
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Purple beds of rhyolite at Painted Cove.
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Painted Cove, rhyolite at left, overlain by lake beds.

Other articles:
• Oregon Highway 19:   at US 26;  

Junction: Oregon Highway 19: to Thomas Condon Paleontological Center.

 

Junction: County Road 21, to Cedar Grove Botanical Area.

The Cedar Grove Botanical Area covers about 26 acres and contains the only isolated stand of Alaska yellow cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis (D. Don) Oerst. ex D.P. Little) east of the Cascades in the United States. This grove, is located on the northeast slope of Aldrich Mountain at the head of Buck Cabin Creek.

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 395:   at US 26 E;

Locations: Mount Vernon.  

Junction: US Highway 395, north to Pendleton.

 

 

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 395:   at US 26 E;

Locations: John Day.  

John Day

Junction: US Highway 395, south to Burns.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   3 Sept 2018;
Full Size ImageJohn Day in the morning.  

Intersection: Dayton Street

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   3 Sept 2018;
Full Size ImageValley of John Day River  

 
  Oregon above …
Idaho below …

Other articles:
• US I-84:   at Exit 26;  

Junction: US Interstate 84, at its Exit 26.

The routes of US Highways 20 and 26 follow I-84 for three miles, then exit east into Boise.

Other articles:
• US I-84:   at Exit 29;  

Junction: US Interstate 84, at its Exit 29 “Franklin Road.”

The routes of US Highways 20 and 26 go east roughly upstream along the Boise River, before going through downtown Boise.

Other articles:
• US I-84:  Exit 54;  

Junction: US Interstate 84

 

Other articles:
• US I-84:   at Exit 141;  

Bliss

Junction: US Interstate 84 at its Exit 140.

 

 

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 93:  Arco;  

Shoshone

Junction: US Highway 93, north to Challis.

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 20:  149998;  

Junction: US Highway 20, west across the Camas Prairie.

US Highway 26 is concurrent with US Highway 20 from this point east through Arco to near Atomic City. See US Highway 20 for commentary.

 

   

Carey

 

 

   

Arco

 

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 20:  157000;  

US Highway 26 is concurrent with US Highway 20 from here west to Carey. See US Highway 20 for commentary.

Junction: US Highway 20, east, directly to Idaho Falls.

Other articles:
• Interstate 15:   at Exit 93;  

Junction: US Interstate 15

US Highway 26 runs concurrent with US Interstate 15 from this junction near the town near Blackfoot northeast to the US I-15 Exit 116 which is at the south edge of Idaho Falls.

Other articles:
• Interstate 15:   at Exit 116;  

US Highway 26 runs concurrent with US I 15 from this exit, near Idaho Falls, southwest to Exit 93, near Blackfoot, Idaho.

Junction: US Interstate 15

 

 

Locations: Idaho Falls.  

Idaho Falls

 

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  20180904010;

Locations: Snake River.
Full Size ImageSnake River at Clark Hill Rest Area.  

Clark Hill Rest Area

 
  Idaho above …
Wyoming below ..

 

Other articles:
• U. S. Hwy 89:  31000;  

Alpine Junction

Junction: US Highway 89, south through Montpelier to Logan.

 

Other articles:
• US Highway 191:   at U 26, 89;  

Hoback Junction

Junction: US Highway 189, US Highway 191

US Highway 189 goes south through Kemmerer to US I-80 pretty much nowhere. US Highway 191 goes south through Rock Springs on US I-80 to Vernal and Price.

 

 

Locations: Jackson.  

Jackson

 

Other articles:
• Teton Park Road:   at visitor center;
Full Size ImageGrand Teton National Park.  

Grand Teton National Park Scenic View


Grand Teton National Park below …

Other articles:
• Teton Park Road:   at south end;  

Junction: Teton Park Road

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   4 Sept 2018;
• US Highway 287:   at Oxbow Bend;
• U. S. Hwy 89:   at Oxbow Bend;

Locations: Oxbow Bend.
Full Size ImageThe view from Oxbow Bend Turnout  

Oxbow Bend

Full Size Image
Mount Moran behind The Oxbow
 

 

Other articles:
• US Highway 287:   at US 89;
• U. S. Hwy 89:   at US Hwy 287;  

Moran Junction

Junction: US Highway 89, US Highway 191, north through Yellowstone National Park.

At Moran Junction, US Highways 89, 191, and 287 go north through Yellowstone National Park. US Highways 26, 89, and 191 go south through Jackson and along the Snake River. US Highways 26 and 287 go southeast through the Wind River Range.

  Grand Teton National Park above …

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   4 Sept 2018;

Locations: Togwotee Pass.
Full Size ImageA Chestwig of Corvettes on Togwotee Pass.  

Togwotee Pass

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Breccia Peak and Cliffs from Togwotee Pass.
 

Other articles:
• US Highway 287:   at US 26;  

Junction: US Highway 287, south to Lander, and then US I-80 at Rawlins.

 

 

Other articles:
• Wyoming Highway 789:  in Riverton;  

Riverton

Junction: Wyoming Highway 789, southwest to Lander, or jointly with US Hwy 26 northeast to Shoshoni.

 

 

Other articles:
• U. S. Highway 20:   in Shoshoni;  

Shoshoni

Junction: US Highway 20, north to Thermopolis, or east to Caspar.

Other articles:
• US Interstate 25:   at Exit 189;  

Junction: US Interstate 25, at its Exit 189. US Highway 26 diverges from I-25 slightly along the North Platte River past Glenrock, then permanently at Dwyer Junction to Guernsey.

Other articles:
• US Interstate 25:   at Exit 92;  

Dwyer Junction

Junction: US Interstate 25 at its Exit 92.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   13 Aug 2018;
Full Size ImageOne of many signs along the highway showing where a historic trail crosses.  

One of many signs that show places that a historic trail crosses a modern road.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   13 Aug 2018;
Full Size ImageInterpretive panel for Rifle Pit Hill along US Highway 26.  

Rifle Pit Hill

This location is indicated on the USGS 7.5" quadrangle names Guernsey Reservoir as “Oregon Trail Marker.”

Locations: North Platte River.  

Cross North Platte River.

 

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:   13 Aug 2018;   13 Aug 2018;

Locations: Guernsey. Oregon Trail. Register Cliff.
Full Size ImageRegister Cliff State Historic Site.  

Guernsey

The Oregon Trail Ruts and Register Cliff are just south of town.

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Interpretive panel at Register Cliff
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Local ranchers dug this tunnel into Register Cliff to store their crops.
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Oregon Trail Ruts interpretive site.
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Oregon Trail Ruts through a sandstone ridge.
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Oregon Trail Ruts interpretive panel.
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View of Gurnsey from the nearby Oregon Trail Ruts.
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Oregon Trail Ruts through a sandstone ridge.
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Encampments in the Guernsey Area.
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Registrations at Register Cliff; mostly modern.

 

   

Fort Laramie

 

 

Other articles:
• US Hwy 85:   at US 26W;  

Lingle

Junction: US Highway 85

  Wyoming above …
Nebraska below …
  Junction: US Interstate 80.
If you have a question or a comment you may write to me at: tomas@schweich.com I sometimes post interesting questions in my FAQ, but I never disclose your full name or address.  


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Date and time this article was prepared: 11/3/2024 5:34:13 PM