Hunt Road (Calaveras County)

Hunt Road is an approximately 15-mile rural highway located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County. This roadway begins at California State Route 4 near Angels Camp and extends westward through Salt Springs Valley to the near ghost town of Milton at County Route J14. The corridor of Hunt Road was originally developed to serve the Carmen City Mine near the namesake Carmen Peak. The road was eventually extended west of Carmen City to the Stockton and Copperopolis Railroad terminus in Milton.

Part 1; the history of Hunt Road

Much of Hunt Road passes through Salt Springs Valley. The valley was part of the Madam Felix Mining District which had sparse success for gold mining operators beginning in the 1850s. In 1857-1858 the valley would be first dammed by William H. Hanford as it was found it be more useful for cattle grazing.

The earliest part of what would become Hunt Road were established east from the Madam Felix Mine to serve the Carmen City Mine. Early Hunt Road continued east of the Carmen City Mine and met up with the Stockton Road which served Angels Camp. Carmen City is named after Carmen Peak (elevation 2,605 feet above level) which lies about a mile east of Hunt Road.

Early Hunt Road can be seen on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California. Carmen City was also connected to a stage road which branched northwest towards Campo Seco.

Hunt Road was eventually extended west to Milton where the terminus of the Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad. Said railroad was incorporated during October 1865. By 1871 what the line reached what was intended to be a temporary terminus in Milton. The railroad was planned to be extended to Copperopolis but never reached it.

Initially stages departing Milton the Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad in Milton would head east via Rock Creek Road towards Copperopolis. The extension of Hunt Road was constructed to allow traffic to travel more directly towards Angels Camp via Carmen City. The Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad operated as an independent entity until 1874 when it was leased to the Central Pacific Railroad. The line was fully acquired by the Central Pacific in 1885 and was consolidated into the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1888.

Hunt Road can be seen extended west from Carmen City to Milton on the 1889 Unites States Geological Survey map of Jackson. The blue pins below indicate the terminus points of Hunt Road. Carmen City is no longer displayed as of this map edition.

Hunt Road can be seen below on the 1914 C.F. Weber Map of Calaveras County.

Hunt Road can be seen as a major local highway between Milton and California State Route 4 on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Calaveras County.

The Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad would be abandoned by 1940 which would lead to a decline in Milton. Usage of Hunt Road would plummet as it became far practical to use California State Route 4 to reach Angels Camp. Post Office service in Milton closed in 1941 and the community has become a near ghost town.

Part 2; a drive on Hunt Road

Recently Hunt Road has been extended by approximately half a mile on along a recently bypassed portion of California State Route 4.

The portion of westbound Hunt Road comprised of former State Highway is easy to distinguish due to it being two lanes. Hunt Road narrows to a single lane where it once began at California State Route 4. The one lane portion is signed with a 7-ton weight limit.

Westbound Hunt Road travels through numerous ranch properties flanking Carmen Peak. The highway begins a descent facing towards the Salt Spring Valley Reservoir.

Hunt Road descends into Salt Spring Valley where it intersects Salt Spring Valley Road at a Y junction. This junction is where Carmen City once stood. Hunt Road makes a right hand turn where it continues towards Milton.