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Hogback Drive (Fresno County and Tulare County)

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Hogback Drive is an approximately 4.6-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada range of Fresno County and Tulare County.  This corridor begins at California State Route 245 near Pinehurst in Fresno County.  From the Pinehurst area the roadway heads south onto Hogback Ridge in Tulare County and terminates after approximately 4.6 miles at Whitaker Forest Road.  The Tulare County portion is maintained as Mountain Road 254.  Hogback Drive was constructed in the 1890s to facilitate travel between Camp Badger and the Hume-Bennett Logging Company town of Noble (now Pinehurst). 




Part 1; the history of Hogback Drive

Hogback Drive was constructed in the 1890s as one of two roads which connected Camp Badger in Tulare County to the Hume-Bennett Logging Company town of Noble (alternatively known as Neff Mills) in Fresno County.  The road to between Camp Badger and Noble was constructed mostly just outside the boundary of the Sierra Forest Reserve which was established during February 1893.  The portion of the reserve which Hogback Drive now traverses was spun off as part of Sequoia National Forest during July 1908. 

Hogback Drive is named after Hogback Ridge which is mostly located in Tulare County.  Hogback Drive can be seen branching northeast from Camp Badger towards the Fresno County line on the 1892 Thompson Atlas of Tulare County in Township 15S, Range 27E.  The road directly north of Badger eventually became known as Pinehurst Road.  Pinehurst Road would later become California State Routes 65, 69 and currently 245.   


Hogback Drive can be seen connecting Badger and Neff Mills (now Pinehurst) on the 1924 United States Geological Survey map of Dinuba.  The corridor is shown to be fully east of Badger Creek atop Hogback Ridge. 


Hogback Drive can be seen beginning at California State Route 180 near Pinehurst on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Fresno County.  The corridor is shown terminate on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Tulare County at Whitaker Forest Road near Badger and California State Route 65.  During summer 1941 California State Route 180 would be relocated north of Mill Creek which led to California State Route 65 being extended through the Pinehurst area.  





Part 2; traversing Hogback Drive

Southbound Hogback Drive begins in Sequoia National Forest at California State Route 245 near Pinehurst in Fresno County.  


Hogback Drive descends via a series of switchbacks from the Pinehurst area and enters Tulare County at Hogback Ridge.  Upon entering Tulare County, the roadway departs Sequoia National Forest.  Hogback Drive within Tulare County is assigned as Mountain Road 254 and has Postmile paddles.  
































Hogback Drive passes numerous residents and rural ranches.  The corridor terminates at Whitaker Forest Road near Badger.  








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