Carson Pass

Carson Pass is a mountain pass on the crest of the central Sierra Nevada, in the Eldorado National Forest and Alpine County, eastern California.

Carson Pass
Kit Carson Pass
The Carson Pass (foreground) overlooks Red Lake to the east.
Elevation8,574 ft (2,613 m)
Traversed by SR 88
LocationSierra Crest, Eldorado National Forest, Alpine County, California, United States
RangeSierra Nevada
Coordinates38°41′38″N 119°59′15″W
Location in California
Official nameKit Carson Marker
Reference no.315

The pass is traversed by California State Route 88. It lies on the Great Basin Divide, with the West Fork Carson River on the east and the South Fork American River on the west.

The historic pass was a point on the Carson Trail during the California Gold Rush and was used for American Civil War shipping to California until the completion of the First transcontinental railroad. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the Carson Pass summit, which has California Historical Landmark #315 at CA 88 postmile 6.09 where Kit Carson carved his name into a tree.

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