The State Scenic Highway System in the U.S. state of California is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as scenic highways. They are marked by the state flower, a California poppy, inside either a rectangle for state-maintained highways or a pentagon for county highways.
The California State Legislature makes state highways eligible for designation as a scenic highway, listing them in the Article 2.5 of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of the California Streets and Highways Code. For a highway to then be declared scenic by Caltrans, the local government with jurisdiction over abutting land must adopt a "scenic corridor protection program" that limits development, outdoor advertising, and earthmoving, and Caltrans must agree that it meets the criteria. The desire to create such a designation has at times been in conflict with the property rights of abutters, for example on State Route 174.
Any county highway that is believed to have outstanding scenic qualities is considered eligible, and the county with jurisdiction must follow Caltrans' same approval process as state highways to be declared scenic.
- State Route 28
- SR 89 in Tahoe City to Nevada
- State Route 29
- SR 37 in Vallejo to SR 221 near Napa
- Trancas Street in Napa to SR 20 near Upper Lake
- State Route 33
- US 101 in Ventura to SR 166 near Cuyama<!--technicaly doesn't include the SR 150 overlap--><!--not including the SR 198 overlap here-->
- Jacinto Reyes Scenic Byway (also a National Forest Scenic Byway), scenic drive through Los Padres National Forest past pine forests and semi-desert landscapes
- Designated February 18, 1972, in Ventura County: Wheeler Springs to near Sespe Gorge
- Designated July 11, 1988, in Ventura County: near Sespe Gorge to near Pine Mountain Ridge Road
- Designated February 18, 1972, in Ventura County: near Pine Mountain Ridge Road to near Lockwood Valley Road
- Designated July 11, 1988, in Ventura County: near Lockwood Valley Road to Santa Barbara County
- State Route 35
- SR 17 near Redwood Estates to SR 1 in San Francisco
- Skyline Boulevard, runs along the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains
- Designated September 13, 1968, in San Mateo County: Santa Cruz County to near Page Mill Road
- Designated January 22, 1968, in San Mateo County: near Page Mill Road to SR 92 near Crystal Springs Reservoir
- State Route 36
- US 101 near Fortuna to SR 3 near Peanut<!--not including the SR 89 overlap here-->
- State Route 37 <!-- (partly unconstructed) -->
- SR 251 near Nicasio to SR 29 in Vallejo
- State Route 38
- I-10 in Redlands to SR 18 at Big Bear Dam
- Rim of the World Scenic Byway (also a National Forest Scenic Byway), drive through the San Bernardino Mountains with scenic views of forested mountains and desert areas
- Designated March 19, 1968, in San Bernardino County: Santa Ana River to State Lane near Sugarloaf
- State Route 39
- I-210 in Azusa to SR 2 at Islip Saddle
- Interstate 40
- Barstow to Needles
- State Route 41
- SR 1 in Morro Bay to US 101 in Atascadero
- SR 46 near Cholame to SR 33 at Reef Station
- SR 49 at Oakhurst to Yosemite National Park
- State Route 44
- I-5 in Redding to SR 89 near Old Station
- State Route 46
- SR 1 near Cambria to SR 41 near Cholame
- State Route 49
- SR 41 at Oakhurst to SR 89 at Sattley
- Part of the Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway (also a National Forest Scenic Byway), scenic drive through the Yuba River canyon past several historic mining communities of the California Gold Rush
- Designated July 14, 1971, in Sierra County: Yuba County to Yuba Pass
- U.S. Route 50
- SR 49 in Placerville to Nevada
- Route 50, crossing of the Sierra Nevada via the American River Canyon and Echo Summit towards Lake Tahoe
- Designated April 2, 1985, in El Dorado County: Placerville Drive in Placerville (west of SR 49) to Echo Summit
- Designated April 1, 1986, in El Dorado County: Echo Summit to South Lake Tahoe
- State Route 52
- I-5 in San Diego to SR 67 in Santee
- Route 52, runs along the northern boundary of Mission Trails Regional Park with scenic views of Cowles Mountain
- Designated February 2, 2016, in San Diego County: near Santo Road to near Mast Boulevard in San Diego
- State Route 75
- I-5 in southern San Diego to I-5 near downtown San Diego
- Silver Strand Highway, scenic drive along the Silver Strand and across the San Diego-Coronado Bridge
- Designated March 4, 1974, in San Diego County: Imperial Beach to Avenida del Sol in Coronado
- Designated February 17, 1969, in San Diego County: San Diego-Coronado Bridge
- State Route 76
- I-5 in Oceanside to SR 79 near Lake Henshaw
- State Route 78
- SR 79 at Santa Ysabel to SR 86 near Salton City
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Road, traverses the low desert landscapes of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Designated December 14, 1971, in San Diego County: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- State Route 79
- I-8 near Descanso to SR 371 at Aguanga
- Interstate 80
- I-280 <!-- (unconstructed) --> in San Francisco to SR 61 <!-- (unconstructed) --> in Oakland
- SR 20 near Emigrant Gap to Nevada
- State Route 84
- SR 238 in Fremont to I-680 near Sunol
- Niles Canyon Road, runs through Niles Canyon
- Designated July 27, 2007, in Alameda County: SR 238 in Fremont to I-680 near Sunol
- State Route 88
- SR 49 in Jackson to Nevada
- Carson Pass Highway, (also a National Forest Scenic Byway), crossing of the Sierra Nevada via Carson Pass
- Designated July 30, 1986, in Amador County: Dew Drop Ranger Station to Alpine County
- Designated September 14, 1970, in Alpine County: Amador County to Nevada
- State Route 89
- US 395 near Coleville to I-5 near Mount Shasta
- Monitor Pass and Luther Pass Highways, and Lake Tahoe Road, scenic drive through the forests of Sierra Nevada and along the southwestern side of Lake Tahoe
- Designated November 9, 1971, in Mono County: Slinkard Valley to Alpine County
- Designated 1970-09-14 in Alpine County: Mono County to El Dorado County
- Designated April 1, 1986, in El Dorado County: Alpine County to Placer County
- State Route 91
- SR 55 in Anaheim to I-15 in Corona
- Riverside Freeway, runs along the banks of the Santa Ana River past riparian areas and chaparral vegetation
- Designated Novembere 15, 1971, in Orange County: SR 55 in Anaheim to Anaheim east limit
- State Route 92
- SR 1 in Half Moon Bay to I-280 near Crystal Springs Reservoir
- State Route 94
- SR 125 near Spring Valley to I-8 near Jacumba
- State Route 96
- SR 299 at Willow Creek to I-5 near Yreka
- U.S. Route 97
- I-5 in Weed to Oregon
- U.S. Route 101
- SR 27 in Woodland Hills to SR 46 in Paso Robles<!--not including the SR 156 overlap here-->
- Gaviota Coast segment of the El Camino Real, scenic drive along the Pacific coast and through the Santa Ynez Mountains
- Designated December 13, 2016, in Santa Barbara County: Goleta west limit to SR 1 in Las Cruces
- County Route G14
- Nacimiento Lake Drive and Interlake Road, travels through the foothills of the Santa Lucia Range in the vicinity of Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio
- Designated 1981 in San Luis Obispo County: Chimney Rock Road near Paso Robles to Monterey County