Site Navigation Arizona Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah Wyoming     U.S. Highway 395 South - California to Reno U.S. 395 runs from Interstate 15 near Victorville, California, north into Washington. It enters Nevada briefly near Lake Tahoe, Carson City, and Reno-Sparks. Through much of this area, U.S. 395 is either multi-lane divided highway or freeway. The section of U.S. 395 freeway south of Interstate 80 is designated as the "hidden" Interstate 580. U.S. 395 South U.S. 395 enters the state of Nevada at Bordertown from Sierra County, California. According to Robert Herron, "U.S. 395 interstate standards do not enter California. Some maps denote this, but right at the border it becomes expressway with an at-grade intersection only 1,000 feet into California. Interstate standards end at the Nevada/California state line and Interstate 580 certainly would not proceed into California even if extended northward." First photo taken by Mike Ballard (10/99); second photo taken by Andy Field (2000). U.S. 395 quickly encounters its first Nevada interchange, Exit 83 with Village Parkway at Bordertown. Village Parkway travels east from the adjacent Frontage Road (old U.S. 395) to the village of Cold Springs. Cold Springs and Bordertown to the south represent two bedroom communities of the Reno metropolitan area. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 follows the western edge of the dry White Lake between Exits 83 and 80. Bordertown lies along the parallel Frontage Road to the west. Cold Springs and the dry lake bed encompass the lands to the east and north. A check station exists one mile south of the Village Parkway diamond interchange along U.S. 395 otherwise. The facility requires all commercial vehicles and vehicles carrying livestock to stop for inspection. In the distance is the U.S. 395 climb over Granite Peak. Photos taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 begins its southward climb out of Cold Springs Valley toward the city of Reno. White Lake Parkway ties into the freeway on the incline at Exit 80. The north-south roadway links U.S. 395 and the parallel Frontage Road with Village Parkway and the village of Cold Springs. Photo taken 09/09/05. One half mile south of the Exit 80 diamond interchange with White Lake Parkway. Old U.S. 395 parallels the freeway along the southbound side from the state line through to north Reno. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 South Southbound at the Exit 80 ramp departure to White Lake Parkway. White Lake Parkway in conjunction with Village Parkway encircle White Lake between Exits 82 and 80. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 passes over Granite Peak ahead of the Red Rock interchange of Exit 78. Red Rock Road intersects the freeway ahead between old U.S. 395 and Silver Lake Road. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 sinks another one half mile toward the Exit 78 diamond interchange. Red Rock Road serves the growing residential community of Silver Knolls to the north. Photo taken 09/09/05. Continuing the descent toward the Red Rock interchange on U.S. 395 south. The freeway enters the city limits of Reno between Exits 78 and 76. Development in northwest Reno is prevalent toward the west of U.S. 395 in this scene. Photo taken 09/09/05. Southbound at the Red Rock off-ramp of U.S. 395 (Exit 78). Red Rock Road stems north from the nearby old U.S. 395 to the dry Silver Lake, Silver Knolls, and ranch areas north of Reno/Stead Airport. Photo taken 09/09/05. Stead Boulevard intersects U.S. 395 at the next southbound interchange (Exit 76). Stead Boulevard travels north-south from Virginia Street to the Stead neighborhood of north Reno. Photo taken 09/09/05. Stead Drive provides the most direct route to Reno/Stead Airport from U.S. 395 at Exit 76. Reno/Stead Airport lies east of Silver Knoll and west of the dry Swan Lake. Photo taken 09/09/05. Nearing the Exit 76 ramp departure for Stead Boulevard on U.S. 395 southbound. Stead Boulevard constitutes a surface arterial between U.S. 395 and Lear Boulevard. The highway meets Silver Lake Road in one half mile and Lear Boulevard in 1.7 miles. Photo taken 09/09/05. Lemmon Drive meets U.S. 395 at the Exit 74 diamond interchange at the Grand View Terrace section of north Reno. The north-south road ends 0.4 miles to the south at Virginia Street (old U.S. 395). Photo taken 09/09/05. Drawing to within one half mile of the Exit 74 off-ramp to Lemmon Drive. Lemmon Drive travels 3.5 miles north to the suburb of Lemmon Valley. Lemmon Valley lies north of the Reno city line adjacent to the dry Swan Lake. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 southbound at the Lemmon Drive interchange (Exit 74). Lemmon Drive splits with Military Drive in 0.9 miles. Military Drive stems northwest to the Stead part of Reno. Lemmon Drive meanwhile curves northeast to Lemmon Valley and than west again toward ranch areas north of Reno/Stead Airport. Photo taken 09/09/05. Continuing the suburban trend of U.S. 395, next in line for southbound travelers is the Exit 73 diamond interchange with Golden Valley Road. Golden Valley Road interchanges with the freeway adjacent to its west end at Virginia Street. Photo taken 09/09/05. Sound barriers appear on the U.S. 395 freeway for the first time on the southbound approach to Exit 73. Golden Valley Road serves the suburb of Golden Valley two miles to the east of Exit 73. Photo taken 09/09/05. Golden Valley Road meanders east from U.S. 395 and Raleigh Heights to O'Brien Pass and 7th Street in Sun Valley. The suburban road meets Sun Valley Parkway in 3.6 miles. U.S. 395 meanwhile continues southeast to Panther Valley. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 enters Panther Valley and splits with U.S. 395 Business (Virginia Street) at Exit 72. Virginia Street carries the business loop southward to the University of Nevada campus and downtown Reno. U.S. 395 remains on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Freeway east of downtown and west of Sparks. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 Business veers southwest from U.S. 395 toward Virginia Street and Panther Drive. U.S. 395 Business joins Virginia Street southward from Raleigh Heights into central Reno. Virginia Street passes through downtown and meets U.S. 395 again in 8.7 miles at Exit 63. The business route carries the designation of Nevada 430 through Reno. Note the older pull-through panel for U.S. 395 placed at the Exit 72 trumpet interchange. Photo taken 09/09/05. Continuing south on the one mile approach to Parr Boulevard west and Dandini Boulevard east (Exit 71) on U.S. 395. The east-east surface highways serve residential areas of north Reno. Photo taken 09/09/05. Use Dandini Boulevard east from U.S. 395 Exit 71 to Truckee Meadow Community College and Parr Boulevard west for the Desert Research Institute and Countess Angela Dandini Gardens. Photo taken 09/09/05. Southbound at the Exit 71 diamond interchange with Parr Boulevard west and Dandini Boulevard east. Parr Boulevard intersects U.S. 395 Business (Virginia Street) in 1.2 miles. Dandini Boulevard snakes its way east 1.8 miles to Cedar Acre Lane/Sun Valley Boulevard. Photo taken 09/09/05. Southbound Interstate 580 Milepost 29. The only hint that Interstate 580 really exists is shown by the white Nevada milepost markers, which show the "IR" designation above the "580." This means that the road is known by Nevada DOT as an Interstate Highway. Interstate 580 is only 4.99 miles long, but the milepost markers (such as those near the Interstate 80 junction) have numbers in the 20s because the mileposts count on a future extension of Interstate 580 south to Carson City. With all that stated, Interstate 580 mileposts are found north of Interstate 80 through to the junction with U.S. 395 Business (Virginia Street). Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 approaches the hearts of both Reno and Sparks between Exits 71 and junction Interstate 80 (Exit 68). Pictured here is an upcoming exits sign listing the distances to Clear Acre Lane / McCarran Boulevard (Exit 70) and Oddie Boulevard (Exit 69). Photo taken 09/09/05. 0.75 miles north of the Exit 70 diamond interchange with McCarran Boulevard. McCarran Boulevard constitutes a surface arterial encircling both the central business districts of Reno and Sparks. The divided highway carries the designation of Nevada 651 west of U.S. 395 and Nevada 650 east of U.S. 395. Clear Acre Lane enters the scene from Sun Valley north of the city. The north-south road intersects Nevada 651 (McCarran Boulevard) just west of Exit 70. Photo taken 09/09/05. Exit 70 leaves U.S. 395 southbound for McCarran Boulevard and Clear Acre Lane. McCarran Boulevard (Nevada 650) enters the city of Sparks on the 0.6 mile drive to El Rancho Drive. From there Nevada 650 continues another 1.5 miles east to junction Nevada 445 (Pyramid Way). The Nevada 651 element of McCarran Boulevard intersects U.S. 395 Business (Virginia Street) 1.9 miles west of U.S. 395 near the University of Nevada campus. Photo taken 09/09/05. The Exit 70 off-ramp partitions into separate ramps for Clear Acre Lane north and McCarran Boulevard (Nevada 650 east & 651 west). Clear Acre Lane / Sun Valley Road carry the designation of Nevada 443 for 3.550 miles between Wederkind Road and 7th Street in Sun Valley. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 travels one half mile south of McCarran Boulevard to junction Nevada 663 (Oddie Boulevard). Oddie Boulevard travels east-west between Wells Avenue and the Washoe County Fairgrounds to East Prater Highway in Sparks. Photo taken 09/09/05. U.S. 395 southbound at the Exit 69 partial-cloverleaf interchange with Oddie Boulevard (Nevada 663). Nevada 663 encompasses 2.481 miles of Oddie Boulevard between Suttro Street (former Nevada 666) and Nevada 445 (Pyramid Way). U.S. 395 meanwhile prepares to interchange with Interstate 80 (Exit 68) in one half mile. Photo taken 09/09/05. A temporary construction sign advises motorists of the Exit 68 ramp departures to Interstate 80 from U.S. 395 south. A directional-cloverleaf interchange facilitates the movements between the two highways. Both freeways serve the downtown Reno and Sparks area nearby. Photo taken 09/09/05. All traffic to Interstate 80 departs U.S. 395 southbound in unison. Interstate 80 skirts the northern edges of the Reno and Sparks central business districts within two miles of its junction with U.S. 395. Hidden Interstate 580 commences along U.S. 395 southbound from Interstate 80 to Neil Road (Exit 62). Interstate 80 replaced most of the U.S. 40 routing from Sacramento, California east to Salt Lake City, Utah. The freeway represents the only game in town between Reno-Sparks and points east such as Winnemucca and Elko. Photo taken 09/09/05. A look at the Exit 68 ramp split for Interstate 80 east to Sparks and Elko and west to Reno and Sacramento. Interstate 80 reaches Elko in 286 miles and Salt Lake City in 509 miles. Westbound travelers enter the state of California in 16 miles on the 127-mile drive to Sacramento. Photo taken 09/09/05. Page Updated October 11, 2005.