CA-58 · CA
CA-58 over Tehachapi Pass: road conditions right now
Bakersfield, CA to Mojave, CA
CA-58 climbs from Bakersfield through the Tehachapi Mountains to Tehachapi, then drops to Mojave on the desert side. Caltrans describes the stretch between Bakersfield and Tehachapi as a steep grade, and its Grapevine closure guide lists SR-58 as the first detour when I-5 over Tejon Pass closes.
Conditions at Mon, 1:02 AM PST
Highest risk along CA-58: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Clear driving for the whole 1 h 11 min.
Conditions: Clear, Partly cloudy, Clear with periodic clouds
Checkpoints along CA-58
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | Mon 2:00 AM | 52°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Bear Valley Springs, CA | Mon 2:30 AM | 46°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Mojave, CA | Mon 3:00 AM – 3:10 AM | 46°F | low | Nothing flagged |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- Caltrans says commercial trucks are more than a third of the traffic on this corridor, and on the steeper sections truck speeds often drop 30 mph or more below the limit, slowing eastbound traffic behind them.
- Heavy rain closes it too: on December 24, 2025, flash flooding and debris fully closed westbound SR-58 from Exit 172 near Mojave to Cameron Canyon Road east of Tehachapi, and Caltrans said no direct westbound route to Tehachapi was available from Mojave.
- Because SR-58 is a Caltrans detour for Grapevine closures, a storm that closes I-5 can also send extra traffic onto it.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about CA-58
- Is CA-58 the alternative when the Grapevine closes?
- Caltrans lists SR-58 (with SR-166) as the first detour when I-5 over Tejon Pass closes. In the worst storms Caltrans lists no detour at all, so check both roads on QuickMap and compare the forecast for the hour you would cross.
- Can rain close Highway 58?
- Yes. In December 2025 Caltrans fully closed westbound SR-58 between Mojave and Tehachapi for flash flooding and debris, with no reopening time given until crews could assess the road.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Alternative route: I-5 over the Grapevine (Tejon Pass)
Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · all corridors