pacific northwest

[RIstream'n]

We are planning a trip from RI to the pacific northwest for next summer (2011). Wish it was this summer but a new business and a surgery prevent that sooooo lots of research will have to do for now. Any suggestions on the route we should take? We have already been to Badlands/Yellowstone/Tetons so no need to route us there. We want to spend as much time as possible in the oregon, seattle, northern california areas. We have about a month to do this. Definitely would like to hit Crater Lake, Redwoods, Olympic NP, and would love to fit San Francisco in but don't know if there would be time. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Blue Pearl]

What part of Summer are you looking at? I know here on the Oregon Coast, Aug (the busiest) and Sept are the best weather wise. The Oregon Unit's Pendleton round-up is the 2nd week in Sept. Lots of fun. We are also doing a 3 week caravan around Oregon Summer 2011, just in the beginning planning but members will be able to do a couple of weekends, a week, or the whole caravan. we'll be glad to put you on the list for updates.

[Ahzmyrah]

Just did a very similar trip this last summer in August and September. We took two months and visited family as well. The best and quickest route from RI to the west is I90/I80 so you can quickly pass through some of the areas you already visited which is ok. The trip gets interesting in Idaho and I wouldn't pass up Washington State. The North Cascades are beautiful as well as along the Columbia river dropping down into Oregon. We stayed off the interstates as much as possible and had a great time. Our families live on the east side of the Cascades in Washington and on the coast in Oregon and we are both from the area. Crater Lake is always great but we stayed at Diamond Lake just a short distance away in a Forest Service Campground right on the Lake, beautiful! A month is way to short to see everything considering the travel time coast to coast. I'd pick an area and spend sometime because when you drop down into California your route back home will take you past some really fantastic places in Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Colorado. Bryce, Zion, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, etc., etc. Have a great time planning and then changing plans when you get there. We always do!

[RIstream'n]

thanks for the replies....i think we will probably be looking at the middle to end of june to leave and then be back in july sometime. luckily we did a trip to the southwest (grand canyon, bryce, zion, arches, and some of colorado) two years ago so we won't have to spend time there either this trip. we definitely would like to go back to that area when it is not HOT!!

[Ahzmyrah]

June and July on the coast of Washington and Oregon can be pretty wet and cool. There is a reason why Olympic NP is a rain forest. The weather window for an enjoyable time is sometimes pretty short. You do have some pretty good alternatives though if the weather does not cooperate on the coast. The east slope of the Cascade Mountains in WA and OR generally is dry and unfortunately if you don't like hot weather HOT in July. Plenty to see and enjoy either side of the mountains.

[Stefrobrts]

Be sure to put Mt St Helens on your 'must see' list. Seriously, even 30 years after the eruption, it is still mind blowing to see what happened. Lots of volcanoes and evidence of volcanic activity mark the landscape out here. A little understanding of geology will make your trip considerably more fascinating

If you come in 90 you can take it straight to Seattle, with a stop at Spokane and a side trip to Grand Coulee Dam. From Seattle maybe head to the North Cascades NP, south to Mt Rainier NP, or east to Olympics NP. Is there anywhere else that has three NPs within one days drive?

Then head south to Portland, stopping at Mt St Helens. Don't miss the Columbia River Gorge, you could drive down one side and come back up the other, or head out to eastern Oregon and take 97 down towards Bend and Sisters (the hot side of the state). Cut back over to the west side to visit the Willamette Valley, maybe swing through wine country. Head to the beach. Back over to Crater Lake, down to Ashland, catch a couple plays (we prefer Emmigrant Lake, county park with a nice RV park overlooking the reservoir), then west to Oregon Caves if you like that sort of thing (I do!), and south to the Redwoods.

And you'll still have plenty to see next time you make it out here. OR and WA alone have enough stuff to keep you busy the whole summer I love it here!

Gosh sake, I think I'd like to hook up and go make that trip myself right now!

[Jim Foster]

We spend two weeks every August in Long Beach, Washington for the Washington State International Kite Festival. When we leave there, we head south down the Oregon coast. This is one of the most beautiful drives in the country. it is best done from north to south, as that puts the coast on your right, making it easy to pull off at the many view areas along the road. The trip from Astoria, OR to Brookings OR can be done in two days towing. However, we have spent as much as two weeks along that road. We have made that drive every year since 2000 and still love it.

There are many privately owned RV parks along the way, as well as Oregon State Parks, many of which offer hookups and nice views.

Get yourself a reservation at a site on the bluff at Harris Beach
State Park just north of Brookings, or at the Marina RV facility at Brookings Harbor.

I could go on and on about the Oregon coast, but I won't.

[Stefrobrts]

Jim, what's your favorite OR coast park with a view? All the ones we have stayed in have been deep in the cozy woods - I'd love to have an ocean view!

[Mike Leary]

All the Oregon SP campsites seem to be hidden, because of the winds, I imagine. We have gotten Bess into a facing west site at Cape Blanco with a great view, but, I'm not sure a trailer could back in. Harris Beach SP
down at Brookings has some nice ocean view sites, but they are almost always occupied.