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the544man · 08-03-2010, 12:16 AM

NOTICE: when the weather is hot in the oregon valley--every single nice campground is usually completely full on the weekend. don't expect to pull up and find a spot--i was just out at cape lookout for a night and it took me some time to find a place for two more nights elsewhere. be sure to get on the "oregon state parks" website and reserve a place 4 or 6 months in advance so you're not disappointed. with the internet now--stuff get's filled up very fast. and note--becasue of the sometime wicked winds on the coast--the sites closest to the water are not always the best ones. Somtimes it's nice to have a little more cover 10-15 spaces in. it's sometimes blowing 20-30 mph all day on the coast in the summer-- higher in the winter. cannon beach seems to the most protected. and nehalem bay--does have a nice access to manzanita--a nicer beach town than most--and cannon beach is drivable. hope that helps--i live just 45 miles from the oregon coast. it's a beautifu l place! cheers--ted

Blue Pearl · 08-03-2010, 12:32 AM

We just got back from a Oregon Unit Rally at Nehalem Bay State Park, our Seafood festival Rally. Nehalem bay is my favorite on the North coast. Remember, you can just hook up your trailer for the day and spend it at a drop dead beautiful wayside next to the beach and after the sun sets take it back to the campsite for the night to recharge the batteries. We've done that.

cafediem · 08-03-2010, 11:06 PM

Jeez, it looks just like my back yard! . . . azzzzif. Looks like a keeper. nice pic.
P

howco · 08-04-2010, 01:01 AM

Ansel Adams, Famous outdoor photographer, said the Oregon Coast was the most beautiful coast in all of the world. He was a main photog for Life magazine for twenty years or more, he should know eh????

sharbours · 08-04-2010, 07:05 AM

We also love Nehalem Bay State Park! You can hear the ocean from the campground, but there are dunes that protect you from some of the wind. It's a nice walk to the beach, and is beautiful regardless of the weather. Do be prepared, though; temperatures can range from the 50's to the 70's, with the high 50's/low 60's and rain being more likely.

We were introduced to Ft. Stevens State Park at our first Airstream Rally earlier this year, and have been back several times. It's now on our list of favorites! As mentioned earlier, it isn't right on the beach, but you can get to it easily. There's an old shipwreck that's fun to see, and several historical sites nearby.

We're going to Beverly Beach soon; the beach is further away from the campground but we enjoy searching for fossils that have eroded out of the cliffs and fallen to the beach below.

Heading inland a bit you'll find Detroit Lake State Park east of Salem - what a beautiful area! Just be sure to find a spot away from the highway. Our site this past weekend backed up to the road, and the noise made it hard to carry on a conversation. There are a couple of swimming areas, and the weather couldn't have been better - sunny and 80 degrees. The weekends are already booked, but there are some spots available during the week.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Sharon

cafediem · 08-05-2010, 07:57 AM

Thanks for this - its a contest between Ft Stevens and Nehalem Bay - and I think I better get on the stick and make a decision, or it will be the parking lot at the local WalMar!
Peter

kingfisher24 · 08-05-2010, 12:43 PM

just arrived in montana...at the COE camp at THe Fort Peck Dam...great place...

will be winding our way to Olympia , Wa and then a trek down the 101 and will only have from near the end of Aug to the beginning of the last week in Sept to traverse....must be at the balloon festival Oct 1..

.so should i just plan to end the trip at the golden gate bridge and then head east or what routes would be the most scenic and not hazzardous as to mountain exposure.... and yet maximize the trip from olympia downward???plan to stay in state parks so i need to make plans ahead of time

thanks

Mike Leary · 08-05-2010, 05:00 PM

We've been down and up 101 hundreds of times and love it. Everyone is right about it being busy, but plenty of room, especially with reservations. We've stayed at KOA along the line to get their good showers, laundry and wi-fi. Unless San Francisco is really on your list, I'd avoid it, traffic is a mess. Instead, we cut over the hill south of Willits, CA and take a very scenic,easy cruise over State 20 to Williams. Down I-5, through Sacramento (go through in the early morning). Cut off I-5 at Los Banos, go east. There is a good AS dealer in that neck of the woods should you need service. Colonel Allensworth SP is a good stop-over off 99. Go east from Bakersfield on 58 over the Tehachapi pass and eventually you'll hit I-40 around Barstow. Happy travels!

kingfisher24 · 08-06-2010, 05:10 AM

So, I will be starting the 101 from Olympia on or about 1 Sept and will find my self...or is the trip north from Olympia and around the circle and back down south worth it???

or should one take 12 west from olympia and then down the 101...anyway i will find myself on the 101 needing refuge over the packed everywhere labor day weekend????

what to do...suggestions...

my goal, again is to be in Albuquerqe for the balloon liftoff and the 4CU gathering October 1...

Cap-N-Red · 08-09-2010, 08:04 AM

We've stay at several state parks in Oregon and as much as I hate to say it. They have my home state of Texas beaten as far as conditions of rest rooms , green space , ect. I really like the one just south of Florence.

kingfisher24 · 08-09-2010, 12:02 PM

so we will leave Olympia, Wa on Aug 29, after a stay at the LYH there and take 12 to 101 and head for our first stop in Oregon at their state parks.

..Fort Stevens for a two day stay, then to Beverly Beach for two days, then Sunset Bay for two days..prior to Labor Day...
then Sat and Sun of Labor Day we will be at the KOA? at Port Orford, then i thought lucked out for a two day sta of Sept 6-7 at Harris Beach...So have the Labor Day monster taken care of

then its off to the the Calif 101 and a stay at a KOA at Eureka to traverse the redwoods that we missed while at Harris Beach.....

plan ends there to be completed later for the trek east and south...headed for the balloon liftoff...Oct 1

JBinKC · 08-09-2010, 02:06 PM

Absolutely get to Depoe Bay and eat at Tidal Raves!

kingfisher24 · 09-05-2010, 04:14 PM

we continued our journey last Sunday morning leaving Olympia, after a stay at the Land Yacht Harbor

Our first stop was to be Fort Stevens...the journey up the 101 from Olympia was beautiful, driving thru South Bend, the Oyster capital of the world...and then the bridge at Astoria came into view...what a structure...beautiful bridge...and the Columbia river crashing and emptying into the Pacific...great sights ,

and then on to the state park...all 500 sites and thousands of campers, screaming kids, barking dogs and all..could not wait to leave...could not get a sat tv signal, which made it worse for one of the P's

but the highlight of the trip was a day trip east on US 30 to the bridge over the Columbia into Longview Wa and then the trip back west on WA 4...just a beautiful journey.... and as a side to this traveled up the WA103 to Long Beach and Ocean Park for another beautiful drive

then the journey to Beverly Beach and that is where the 101 started taking on unsurpassed beauty....The park there was ok...the spruce trees with their elepantine trunks was amazing...and the access to the beach was great....

as a day trip we traveled east on US 20 to Corvallis and then the turn around on OR 34 back to Waldport was just spectacular......

next stop...Sunset Beach...Charleston and Coos Bay and another spectacular bridge at North Bend...We are falling in love with the Oregon Coast.....Shore Acres, Cape Arago and Simpson Reef with its massive colony of otters, seals and sea lions...just amazing

all the while we are weaving our way around the Labor Day bash that is america...war vets with their signs wanting to know how this" war economy was working out for us"...???????

leaving Sunset Bay, we harbored at a KOA in or near Bandon...the Cranberry capital of america?? for yesterday and today....and more falling in love with the Oregon Coast...Cape Blanco...and Bandon its self........The Sixes River road!!!!!!!!

and tomorrow, Monday, the beloved labor day...we head for Harris Beach....finishing the Oregon Coast tour..(we are coming back next spring)...California, here we come for a slide down the 101 and Calif Hwy 1 bound for the Ballon festival in the AlbaQ Oct 1

kingfisher24 · 09-07-2010, 04:04 PM

The Oregon Coast from Port Orford to Harris Beach ...is as close to heaven that one might get on this planet...the state parks all along the way starting with Cape Blanco and its access to the beach..Humbug Mtn...the Gold Beach...the Rogue river, all the samuel boardman scenic corridors, the pistol river...rock beach @ Harris beach and all and in between.....

the climate, the agriculture, the fresh veggies and berries....

leaving for California tomorrow.

..but will return to the Oregon coast in the spring

wilkes711 · 09-07-2010, 05:40 PM

So excited to see your narrative on this trip - - we are actually leaving for Southern Oregon in 9 days! We will visit Ashland, fly fish near Glide and take the scenic drive (rte 138?) then head over to the coast to come back to California - where did you stay along the coast? We were thinking of Sunset Bay and Gold Beach - any thoughts?

kingfisher24 · 09-08-2010, 07:17 AM

thanks wilkes 711.
...we have made a hurried trip down the coast, but plan to return in the spring and explore the entire state of Oregon
...we came down the coast from Astoria and were amazed at all the state parks and recreational area, and the bridges

along the way..

.it is hard to say a favorite in this short stay...but Harris Beach for a place to stay...with Cape Blanco a second... and Coos Bay and Sunset Beach the entire coast is such a beautiful drive...and i am suprised at such little acces of roads going inland.

..and I guess I missed the Oregon Haystack at Cannon, but did not know of it until way passed

but to the untrained eye the coast around Bandon and south has as many beautiful haystacks as Cannon...Rock Beach at Harris Beach is a beautiful puzzle to me

Anyway there is one road from Gold Beach to Grants Pass that is unmarked as to a number, but marked scenic that may be the 138 you refer to, ...but did not get to it...

Anyway sad to leave,.. excited that I was here and can't wait to return

Gene · 09-08-2010, 01:18 PM

King',

There are more rocks off the coast in California too. And bridges—there are some beautiful concrete bridges along the Cal. coast.

Mendocino is a town perched on a high bluff with beautiful views of the Pacific. Very touristy and if you like recreational shopping, is a place to go, or just go for the view. Point Reyes National Seashore is an idyllic peninsula off the coast that is worth seeing.

Be sure to see the redwoods. There's a narrow drive through the forest off the highway. Not sure how towing would work there as we drove through long before there was a trailer. The scenic drive shows more how a redwood forest looks relatively undisturbed.

Cell service is spotty along the coast. For ex., in Gualala, we drove to the highest point closest to the ocean (west of the highway) in a residential area to get service.

California has a lot of very good restaurants and we like to go there just to eat since western Colorado has a lot of bad restaurants.

Gene

aturner4u · 12-01-2010, 12:08 PM

We are planning to head up the California coast and Oregon coast over our Christmas break. Can anyone give guidance as to what weather we can expect and any portions of 101 that will cause us issues this time of year?

Thanks,
Anne

Woosch · 12-01-2010, 12:41 PM

We stayed at the Cannon Beach RV resort a couple of months ago and enjoyed our stay. Walking distance to the beach and restaurants. Happy to recommend it.

whitelight · 12-01-2010, 01:25 PM

Anne,

You will be traveling some of the most beautiful country anywhere!
Along the coast in December & January, you can expect just about anything - rain, wind, some snow at higher elevations, and sun!
The closer to Oregon that you go, the more likelihood of rain. It's the kind of rain that doesn't seem to be raining yet everything gets wet!
We've been camping in Cape Mendocino around Christmas & had a low, misty cloud cover the entire trip. We've been in Newport OR when the winds clocked to 75 MPH whistling up Yaquina Bay. One year north of Lincoln City, we experience a minor snow storm. We've also been on the coast this time of year when it's been sunny & pleasant.

So, listen to the weather forecasts, don't get in a big hurry, take your fleecy, warm stuff & enjoy!

BTW, interesting that you quoted Hans Hofmann - he's a cousin of my 84 yr old mother's father.