U.S. Highway 26

United States Highway 26 is an east-west United States highway. It started in Ogallala, Nebraska and gradually grew to reach the west coast in Oregon. When the U.S. highway system was first defined, it was limited to Nebraska and Wyoming but by the 1950s, it continued into Idaho and Oregon.

Much of the highway follows the path of the historic Oregon Trail. At its peak, immediately before the establishment of the interstate highway system, US 26 was 1,557 miles in length, and terminated in Astoria, Oregon.

Table of contents

1 Termini
2 States Traversed

2.1 Nebraska
2.2 Wyoming
2.3 Idaho
2.4 Oregon

3 Related US Routes
4 See also
5 Sources

Termini

As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in Ogallala, Nebraska at an intersection with Interstate 80. Its western terminus is in Astoria, Oregon at an intersection with U.S. Highway 30. The route's last 20 miles are co-signed with U.S. Highway 101 from the highways' junction between Seaside and Cannon Beach near the Pacific Ocean.

States Traversed

The highway passes through the following states:

Nebraska

The eastern terminus of US 26 is in Ogallala, Nebraska at Interstate 80. From there, it runs northwestward parallel to the North Platte River and intersects with U.S. Highway 385 in Bridgeport, Nebraska. The largest city US 26 runs through in Nebraska is Scottsbluff, which is just 22 miles from the Wyoming border. All told, there are 145 miles of US 26 in the state of Nebraska.

Wyoming

Heading westward, the first city in Wyoming US 26 runs through is Torrington. About 50 miles further west, US 26 joins Interstate 25 and remains co-signed with it until reaching Casper, Wyoming. From Casper to Shoshoni US 26 is co-signed with U.S. Highway 20. After that, US 26 comes close to Yellowstone National Park before curving southwestward and eventually entering Idaho.

Idaho

(t.b.d.)

Oregon

The segment, starting at its intersection with U.S. Highway 35 near Government Camp, Oregon and continuing westward to Sandy, Oregon, which closely follows the route of the Barlow Road, has served to define was is sometimes called the Mt. Hood Corridor.

Its westernmost segment, in Oregon between Portland and the coast, is known as the Sunset Highway. While many people may think it received its name because it stretches towards the sunset from Portland, it was officially named January 17, 1946 for the US 41st Infantry Division of the United States Army, also known as the "Sunset Division." Some local historians think that it was more than a coincidence that a logging complex in western Washington County, near the path of US 26, was called Sunset Camp many years before the highway was built.

Related US Routes

U.S. Highway 126

Sources

Endpoints of US highways (used with permission)