Route 66 End of the Trail

About

The “End of the Trail” sign on Santa Monica Pier has become the celebratory finish line for generations of modern Route 66 travelers. Although the highway’s historic official western terminus lies a short distance inland at Lincoln and Olympic Boulevards, travelers had long treated the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Pier as the natural conclusion to the journey. That tradition was formally recognized in 2009 when the now-famous sign was erected on the pier, creating a place where road trippers could mark the end—or beginning—of their Mother Road adventure.

Today, the sign is one of Santa Monica’s most recognizable Route 66 photo stops, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the historic pier and Pacific Park. Travelers can pose beneath the shield with the Pacific just beyond, explore nearby Route 66 attractions and souvenirs, or simply enjoy reaching the ocean after following the highway west. During Route 66’s 2026 centennial, Santa Monica continues to recognize the pier and its “End of the Trail” sign as the symbolic western endpoint, while clearly distinguishing it from the highway’s historic official terminus.

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