Cooks Station

Cooks Station is a historic roadside stop along State Route 88 in California's Sierra Nevada mountains at about 5,000 feet elevation. The location serves today as a navigation reference point where road conditions change and winter driving becomes significantly more challenging.

The station was established in 1863 as a stop on the Volcano section of the Carson Emigrant Trail. It remains one of just two original stations from that era still standing along this historic mountain passage route.

The station represents an essential part of California's transportation infrastructure, marking one of two remaining original stops from the 1860s Carson Pass highway.

The stop serves as a key reference point for drivers who need to understand winter road conditions and chain requirements on the mountain pass. It helps travelers gauge when driving conditions shift and what preparations they should make for the higher elevation stretch ahead.

This stop shares the mountain route with Ham's Station, another old waypoint situated about 5 kilometers to the east. Together these two locations represent a rare example of preserved pioneer-era infrastructure along this important mountain crossing.

Location: California

GPS coordinates: 38.52652,-120.43341

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:05