State Hwy 33

State Hwy 33 - Maricopa Hwy

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Sweeper Heaven: A perfect 5 on everybody's 5 scale -

A favorite for every sports car club. Remote. Awesome, going either direction. One of the best drives in the world. We commonly depart Ojai, and use Lockwood Valley Road to link up to Cerro Noroeste before heading into the High Sierras. The Park & Ride at 500 East Ojai Blvd is quite handy for a rendezvous. The local Pantera guys run this road every year.

Ventura doesn't have much. What it does have is arguably 4 of the best canyon roads in North America (any order you like):

* Yerba Buena Road

* Hwy 33

* Lockwood Valley Rd

* Cerro Noroeste-Mil Potrero...

... none of which it owns exclusively (all of which are shared with other counties).

Accessible from the Fraizer Park off ramp via Interstate 5, Maricopa Hwy traverses 3 county lines as it ascends to over 8,000 ft in elevation to Ventura to justify an economic relationship to California's Great Central Valley, and the Cuyama River Valley. This road takes considerable snow in winter. From November through March, it's frequently closed to everything but snow cats.

This road is awesome. I always run across somebody going balls out on this road. Prone to closure from mud slides. Fair to moderate condition. Good to excellent visability. No Botz Dotts, or cattle bars. Many opportunities for second degree passing... Lots of sport bikes on weekends (especially holiday weekends). Oneza Station constitutes a nice shady place for a breather, but there are no facilities there. However, there is a facility a few more miles up 33... Half Way Station, I believe. We always go east across Lockwood Valley Road, so we never have reason to frequent the old Half Way Station.

Advisory: Avoid Hwy 150 (between Santa Paula and Ojai) like the plague. Way too much traffic; way too many bicycles. 20 years ago it was an awesome drive. It's too populated today... just not worth it anymore.

General Note: Don't be sucked in by that long straightaway going into Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Ponch and John like to dole out tickets there. Hwy 166 is aggressively patroled, as well. Lockwood Valley Rd is never patrolled.

~ Pashnit's Roadbook: Maricopa Hwy
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