California 44 joins the Shasta County seat of Redding with Lassen Volcanic National Park and Susanville in Lassen County along a nearly 107 mile course. Beginning at the intersection of SR 273 (Market Street) and SR 299 (Eureka Way), SR 44 initially follows a couplet system of streets in downtown Redding. Market and Tehama Streets take SR 44 east toward I-5 while SR 44 westbound overlays a combination of Shasta and Pine Streets, along with two blocks of Eureka Way. The two one way segments of SR 44 converge east of Liberty Street onto the 5.6 mile long Richard "Dick" Dickerson Memorial Highway, a freeway leading southeast through eastern neighborhoods of Redding. Crossing the Sacramento River, SR 44 meets I-5 at a three quarter cloverleaf interchange (Exits 2 AB) near Mount Shasta Mall. The freeway portion of SR 44 continues until Airport Road (Exit 5) before reducing back to two lanes.
SR 44 continues eastward from Redding, entering the census designated place of Palo Cedro ahead of a diamond interchange with Deschutes Road. Leaving Palo Cedro, SR 44 stair steps southeast across farm fields and forested terrain to Shingletown. The state route continues on an eastward course to Viola and the northwest corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park, where SR 44 meets SR 89. While SR 89 leads south into the national park, SR 44 turns northeast with SR 89 to Old Station.
The two state routes overlap for 13.5 miles to Old Station, where SR 44 turns eastward once more for Susanville while SR 89 continues north to SR 299 at Four Corners. SR 44 stays north of Lassen Volcanic National Park, entering Lassen County ahead of Poison Lake. SR 44 angles southeast at Cal Mountain, bypassing Crater Mountain to the south on its final course to SR 36. The state route concludes at SR 36 five miles west of the limits of Susanville, seat of Lassen County.
The section of SR 44 between SR 89 at Old Station and its eastern end at SR 36 are part of the 500 mile long Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.
Connect with:
Interstate 5
Page Updated 06-16-2023.