State Route 197 (SR 197) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California in Del Norte County near Crescent City. It is a bypass connecting U.S. Highways 199 and 101. It runs along the north bank of the Smith River.

SR 197 begins with an intersection at U.S. Route 199 in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Moving northward, the road quickly exits the park, roughly paralleling the Smith River located to the west side of the road. The road then follows the river northward and then northwestward with several local roads meeting SR 197 along the evergreen forest area. The road meets its northern terminus at U.S. Route 101 just south of the Oregon border.

Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. The entire route is in Del Norte County.