Merced Falls Road

Merced Falls Road is an approximately 18.3-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Tuolumne County, Mariposa County and Merced County. The roadway begins at California State Route 132 and terminates in the community of Snelling. At Hornitos Road the corridor of Merced Falls Road continues as part of County Route J16. From La Grange Road west to 2nd Street in Snelling the corridor carries a multiplex of California State Route 59 and County Route J16.

Merced Falls Road is named for the community of Merced Falls which was a major waypoint along the Stockton-Los Angeles Road at the Merced River. Much of modern Merced Falls Road was commissioned north of Merced Falls to the La Grange-Coulterville Road (now California State Route 132) by Mariposa County. During 1960-1961 portions of the Merced County portion of Merced Falls Road would become California State Route 59 and County Route J16.

Part 1; the history of Merced Falls Road

Merced Falls Road is named after the ghost town of Merced Falls which was located on the Merced River on the Stockton-Los Angeles Road. Merced Falls was located two miles downstream from rapids in the Merced River. The community was in the vicinity of Phillips' Ferry, Young's Ferry, Hempstead's Ferry and Murray's Bridge. Post Office service operated in Merced Falls circa 1856-1857.

The Stockton-Los Angeles Road came into use after the 1853 Kern River Gold Rush began. The Stockton-Los Angeles Road was a replacement of the earlier El Camino Viejo. Unlike El Camino Viejo the Stockton-Los Angeles Road avoided the dense Tule Marches in San Joaquin Valley. The Stockton-Los Angles Road stayed close to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to avoid flood prone terrain.

The Stockton-Los Angeles Road can be seen crossing the Merced River at the site of Merced Falls between Snelling and three above referenced ferries on the 1857 Britton & Reys Map of California.

Murray's Bridge at Merced Falls would be destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862. The structure was quickly rebuilt and eventually replaced the ferry routes as the favored crossing of the Merced River. On August 6, 1863, Mariposa County would select to petition for a road to be constructed from Nelson's Ferry near Merced Falls north to intersection of the La Grange-Coulterville Road (future California State Route 132). This roadway north of Nelson's Ferry would become the bulk of what is now Merced Falls Road.

During the late 1860s and 1870s the importance of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road would decline as the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a line through San Joaquin Valley. The railroad constructed frontage roads which permitted easy free travel and would later be incorporated into Legislative Route Number 4 upon the passage of the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act.

Modern Merced Falls Road can be seen on the 1893 United States Geological Survey map spanning from Snelling in Merced County through western Mariposa County to the vicinity of Don Pedro Bar in Tuolumne County. North of Merced Falls the roadway is shown passing through the community of Webb and through Fortynine Gap.

Despite the decline in the Stockton-Los Angeles Road the community of Merced Falls would remain viable to due to the presence of watermills installed on the Merced River during the 1890s. A large fire in 1895 would burn much of the original town site. During 1907 Merced Falls would become a stopping point and siding of the Yosemite Valley Railroad. Said railroad originated in the city of Merced and largely followed the Merced River to El Portal at the western boundary of Yosemite National Park.

Merced Falls Road and the Yosemite Valley Railroad can be seen passing through Merced Falls on the 1919 United States Geological Survey map.

Legislative Route Number 123 was defined as State Highway between Legislative Route Number 32 (future California State Route 152) and Snelling by 1933 Legislative Chapter 767. The corridor is shown to terminate (solid red line) at the beginning of Merced Falls Road on the 1935 Division of Highways map. Merced Falls Road is shown passing through Merced Falls and into Mariposa County as a major local highway.

The bulk of Merced Falls Road can be seen as a major local highway on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Mariposa County. Near the northern terminus of the roadway the majority of traffic is shown following Piney Creek Road towards Coulterville rather than dipping into Tuolumne County.

The Yosemite Valley Railroad would shutter in 1945 which led to a further decline in Merced Falls. In 1960 Merced Falls Road from Snelling east to Hornitos Road at Merced Falls became part of County Route J16. It isn't clear when Legislative Route Number 123 was extended a short distance from Snelling along Merced Falls Road to La Grange Road. However, the corridor became part of California State Route 59 in 1961 and can be seen on the 1962 Division of Highways map.

The community of Merced Falls was further impacted when the rapids in the Merced River were eliminated upon the completion of McSwain Dam in the late 1960s. Construction of McSwain Dam was part of the larger New Exchequer Dam project which expanded Lake McClure. New Exchequer Dam was completed by 1967 and flooded over the original Exchequer Dam (built circa 1924-1926).

Part 2; the segment of Merced Falls Road comprising California State Route 59 and County Route J16

Merced Falls Road begins in Snelling of Merced County at the intersection of 2nd Street and Emma Street. California State Route 59 and County Route J16 are concurrent a short distance east to La Grange Road. California State Route 59 terminates as County Route J59 follows La Grange Road northbound. County Route J16 continues east on Merced Falls Road towards Hornitos Road.

County Route J16 continues east on Merced Falls Road to the site of Merced Falls. County Route J16 makes a right-hand turn onto Hornitos Road towards the Merced River. Merced Falls Road continues straight in a northbound direction towards California State Route 132 (approximately 12 miles away). The ruins of a former Yosemite Lumber Company mill which operated circa 1912-1943 are visible a short distance from a historical plaque.

Part 3; Merced Falls Road from California State Route 132 south to Hornitos Road

Heading in a southbound direction Merced Falls Road begins in Tuolumne County at California State Route 132.

Merced Falls Road quickly enters Mariposa County and begins a climb to Fortynine Gap.

Merced Falls Road climbs over Fortnine Gap. Upon crossing the gap much of the terrain of the Sierra Nevada foothills towards the Merced River can be seen. As the roadway begins to descend towards the river it enters Merced County.