U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is a U.S. highway running north-south through the states of California, Oregon, an Washington, on the far West Coast of the United States. It is also known as El Camino Real (The Royal Road) where its route along the southern and central California coast approximates the old trail which linked the Spanish missions, pueblos and presidios. It merges at some points with California Route 1.