Highway-36 is in northern California. Crossing Interstate-5 in an east-west orientation at Red Bluff. The western leg of HWY-36 terminates at Fortuna, CA at Highway 101 in the North Coast Region. This section of the road offers a diorama of California geology. Starting at valley level, the road winds, undulates and meanders, and slowly climbs into the Coast Range and on to the North Coast.
On the way, careful observers can view the evolution of the geology with views of cliffs cut by the Middle Fork of the Cottonwood River. The flora changes with the altitude and visitors soon find themselves climbing into the Coast Range Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
HWY-36 crosses US Forest Service Route #1 near the crest of the range. This is not a state highway; it is a fire, logging and Forest Service road that runs north-south on the crest of the mountain range. While USFS Rt. #1 offers magnificent Pacific Ocean views and isolation from people, it is advisable to check with the local USFS Ranger District office before using USFS Rt. #1.
