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Hudson Ranch Road

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Hudson Ranch Road is an approximately 21.3-mile rural highway located mostly in the Transverse Ranges of Kern County.  This highway begins at Cerro Noroeste Road at Apache Saddle near Pine Mountain Club and extends west to California State Routes 166 and 33 near Soda Lake Road.  Despite small portions of Hudson Ranch Road dipping into Ventura County this corridor is fully maintained as Kern County Road 364.

Hudson Ranch Road was constructed as part of the Cerro Noroeste Road between 1934-1940.  The original purpose of this highway was to facilitate access to the ski resort the top of the peak of Cerro Noroeste (elevation 8,283 feet above sea level).  This ski resort would shutter during the 1970s and much of Cerro Noroeste Road would be renamed after Hudson Ranch.  Hudson Ranch Road carries a gentle winding grade which overlooks much of southern San Joaquin Valley and the surrounding terrain. 




Part 1; the history of Hudson Ranch Road

Hudson Ranch Road as a corridor is heavily tied historically to the Kern County mountain known as Cerro Noroeste.  Said peak lies in the San Emigdio Mountains of Los Padres National Forest and has a terminal elevation of 8,283 feet above sea level.  In Spanish the name Cerro Noroeste translates to "Northwest Mountain."  The peak lies within Township 9 North, Range 22 West.

Cerro Noroeste wasn't yet notable enough to be even displayed on the 1898 Official map of Kern County.  The closest road to the peak is shown to be El Camino Viejo along San Emigdio Creek north of what is now Mil Potrero Highway in Pine Mountain Club.  


Cerro Noroeste appears as an unnamed peak (marked via blue pin) on the 1903 United States Geological Survey map of Mount Pinos.  The elevation of the peak is shown to have been then surveyed at 8,312 feet above sea level. 


The same map edition displays part of what is now Hudson Ranch Road extending a short distance east of Klipstein Canyon Road (junction marked via blue pin) to the community of Pattiway.  Functionally this roadway was part of the larger corridor of Soda Lake Road out of Carrizo Plain. 


Cerro Noroeste would be added to the Santa Barbara Forest Reserve in 1905.  The reserve would be declared as Santa Barbara National Forest on March 4, 1907.  

During much of the early 20th century Cerro Noroeste was often referred to as "Mount Abel" in reference to former Kern County Fourth District Supervisor Stanley Abel.  Stanley Abel was based out of Taft and held office during 1916-1940.  Abel is known mostly in modern times for his infamous and unsavory connections to the Ku Klux Klan.  The attempt to rename Cerro Noroeste was never a formal endeavor but rather was pushed by western Kern County newspapers.

The construction of a roadway from Pattiway to Cerro Noroeste began in 1934 as a Civil Works Administration project.  What is now Hudson Ranch reportedly originated as a Kern County road construction camp.  The purpose of the Cerro Noroeste Road was to facilitate access to a planned ski resort.  

Santa Barbara National Forest would be renamed as Los Padres National Forest on December 3, 1936.  The name change was spurred by the numerous counties served by the forest which didn't feel an association with the city of Santa Barbara.  The name "Los Padres" was intended to be a reference to all the Spanish Missions which the coastal counties have generally been historically tied to.  

The Cerro Noroeste Road would be completed under the supervision of the Works Progress Administration.  The then new roadway was opened following a dedication ceremony held on July 28, 1940.  

Cerro Noroeste Road first appears on the 1943 United States Geological survey maps of Sawmill Mountain, Apache Canyon, Santiago Creek and Ballinger Canyon.  







During 1971 the resort community of Pine Mountain Club was developed by the Tennaco corporation.  As part of the development a Forest Service Road between Cerro Noroeste Road and Cuddy Valley Road was modernized.  This corridor was turned over to Kern County as a public highway in 1972 and now known as Mil Potrero Highway.  

The Cerro Noroeste Ski Resort would close during the mid-1970s.  Conjecture has it that the Forest Service revoked the permit to operate the facility following an incident during which a non-paying skier was threatened with a shotgun.  

In 1985 much of the lands through which Cerro Noroeste Road passed through north of the Los Padres National Forest boundary were designated as the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge.  This refuge is managed by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service.


Since the closure of the Cerro Noroeste Ski Resort the peak since has become far more associated with the Tumamait Trail and nearby Chumash Wilderness.  Said wilderness area was designated in 1992 and comprises 38,150 acres of Los Padres National Forest mostly south of Cerro Noroeste. 

During the 21st century Cerro Noroeste Road north of Apache Saddle was renamed as "Hudson Ranch Road."  This name change reportedly was made following a request by Hudson Ranch to the Kern County board of Supervisors.  Modern Hudson Ranch Road is 21.3 miles and is maintained as Kern County Road 364.  Despite some small portions of Hudson Ranch Road dipping into Ventura County the entire corridor is Kern County maintained.  



Part 2; a drive on Hudson Ranch Road

Westbound Hudson Ranch Road begins at the intersection of Mil Potrero Highway and Cerro Noroeste Road.  What remain signed as Cerro Noroeste Road is maintained as Los Padres National Forest Route 95. 


Westbound Hudson Ranch Road departs the Pine Mountain Club area and intersects Quatal Canyon Road.  





Westbound Hudson Ranch Road begins to descend through the mountains and opens onto a vista of San Emigdio Canyon.  This canyon was the original Spanish roadway to San Joaquin Valley known as El Camino Viejo.















Hudson Ranch Road passes by the namesake Hudson Ranch.  Just west of the ranch the roadway opens onto a wide vista of San Joaquin Valley and San Emigdio Canyon. 




















Hudson Ranch Road has small pullouts which overlook the snaking roadway.  




Westbound Hudson Ranch Road departs Los Padres National Forest and enters the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge. 











Hudson Ranch Road begins a rapid descent.  The corridor intersects Klipstein Canyon Road near the former community of Pattiway.  















Hudson Ranch Road terminates at California State Route 166 and 33 near the turnoff for Soda Lake Road.  






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