Highway 88
Sunday 4 September 2005

By Eric Hulteen

The Sierra Nevada range is some of the most beautiful country on the continent and the experience of riding the twisting roads through it on a warm day in September is difficult to beat. There are a number of spectacular routes among the bare granite peaks and tree-covered passes, but one of the most pleasant to ride (if maybe slightly less spectacular) is highway 88 as it winds from Jackson up towards Lake Tahoe.

Highway 88 Scenic Vista: Eric stretches his legs

The road is well-constructed and maintained with plenty of passing lanes and places to pull off of the road to enjoy the views; but you won't want to pull off because the road is an endless series of long, graceful curves interspersed with nice, tight, adrenaline-raising
corners. This road is all the more fun to ride because there aren't a lot of cars on it (and very few, if any, trucks). Unlike the more traditional routes to Lake Tahoe, highway 88 seems forgotten or overlooked and that makes it a great road for motorcycles.

As you climb up out of Jackson, you'll pass a number of lakes, the most beautiful of which is Silver Lake. I wanted to stop and jump in, but I also wanted to keep riding -- the ride won. You'll also pass by the Kirkwood ski area and a few very small towns, but the point of this road is the long stretches of beautiful forest and mountain vistas and the feel of your bike as you sweep around the curves and on up into the clear blue sky of California.