Belle Mill Rd. on the east side of Red Bluff is former US 99 and crosses Samson Slough on this 1915 bridge heading east (US 99 SB). The road still has its original concrete lanes, augmented by asphalt for modern lane widths of 12 feet instead of 10 feet.


Shortly thereafter, Belle Mill Rd. crosses Paynes Creek Slough on a very similar 1915 bridge. It ends just shy of Antelope Blvd., which picks up the old US 99 alignment going east before curving south. Antelope Blvd., by the way, is CA 99 (see link at bottom).


Two views from the north side of the Samson Slough bridge, two from the north side of the Paynes Creek Slough bridge.


North of Bend, Snively Rd. SB does just that to get around a tree. I wonder if US 99 had the same problem. My guess is the tree is younger than the highway.


Heading south from Cottonwood, Floyd Ln. parallels I-5 SB for a little while, and as soon as it turns away, it turns into concrete US 99. This is 1920s (or earlier) state road, with a single lane down the middle and asphalt shoulders on either side in case someone's coming the other way. It goes past McAuliffe Rd. onto private property, which I did not do.


Back north until the old concrete is buried (or torn up) by I-5.


Closing out with a historical historical marker along Main St. south of Cottonwood. Click for a legible closeup.

Business I-5, Red Bluff
Continue south on old US 99 to CA 99
Continue north on old US 99 to Shasta County

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