Driving North on Pacific Coast

[Nomad518]

I’ve driven these routes numerous times. I’ll start with the fastest route for your return to SF from Corvallis. Straight down 1-5 to 505 north of Sacramento to I-80 and into the city.

Now for the fun part.
Day One: Hwy 101 out of the Bay Area. Cut over to Hwy 1 at Petaluma. Then on to Ft. Bragg. Stay at Pomo RV Park or MacKerricher State Park.

Day Two: continue north on Hwy 1 to Hwy 101 at Leggett. Yes, it’s curvy but nothing worse than you saw on the previous day. Stay in the Crescent City area. Several beautiful State Parks in the CA redwoods to choose from. Check out Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP.

Day Three: Jam it up the coast and on to Corvallis or spend one more night at Beverly Beach SP or Honeyman Dunes SP on Hwy 101 on the Oregon coast.

Make reservations even for this slow time of the year. And, as others have said, watch the weather reports.

[Pat Pierce]

Highway 1 is beautiful indeed. The road from Rockport, CA to Leggett, CA is a narrow, dark, winding affair, but may not have much traffic.

Before we bought our 27' AS two years ago, while we were still van tent camping, we drove more of Highway 1 (from Ferndale, CA to Garberville) - known as the "Lost Coast". It was lonely, remote with no real services or gas. The road was mostly paved but rather rough, and some tight hairpins at times. Very beautiful along the ocean portion and scenic views. I wouldn't take my trailer on it, so in case you are considering it - a caution that you'll be worn out driving it. I was getting worn out turning the steering wheel, braking, accelerating almost the entire way....in the van!

There is a KOA at Manchester that isn't bad, assuming they are open.

The road from the Crescent City, CA to Grants Pass should be no problem, but Grants Pass over the Siskyous mountains can be very dicey in snowstorms. A long haul before getting out of the mountains near Redding, CA.

Have fun.

[Sealrocker]

California 1 is beautiful but I prefer US101. There's plenty to occupy a week on 101 and its far easier driving. The redwood parks are fabulous and worth some time walking, especially the park on the 101 bypass north of Orick. Lots of short walks among the giants.
Lots of nice beaches especially the dunes south of florence and Bob creek south of Yachats. Dont miss the Devils punchbowl at Cape Perpetua.

Say Hi to Scott for me!
Robert v

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by scarletbison

Have any of you driven North or South on Route 1 from San Francisco to Oregon?

We’re headed to Corvallis Oregon for Thanksgiving and have the week so we thought take the coastal route north and take our time, taking 2 or 3 nights to get there, staying in RV parks near Mendocino, crescent city, and coos bay(if needed).

We plan on arriving in Corvallis on Tuesday, and leaving on Friday or Saturday with hopefully a speedy return down I-5 for School and work on Monday morning.

Any hints or concerns would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by scarletbison

Have any of you driven North or South on Route 1 from San Francisco to Oregon?

We’re headed to Corvallis Oregon for Thanksgiving and have the week so we thought take the coastal route north and take our time, taking 2 or 3 nights to get there, staying in RV parks near Mendocino, crescent city, and coos bay(if needed).

We plan on arriving in Corvallis on Tuesday, and leaving on Friday or Saturday with hopefully a speedy return down I-5 for School and work on Monday morning.

Any hints or concerns would be appreciated.

To clarify since you only mentioned 3 cities, the week includes Thanksgiving stay and the trip back..correct? I presume you mean Hwy 101 to Petaluma, then connecting to Hwy 1 your side of Bodega Bay. If you’re planning on Hwy 1 over Mt. Tam/Stinson Beach/Tamales you could easily add another 4 hours or more depending on traffic and fog.

As for the Hwy 1 to FB and Leggett I don’t think you’re allowing enough time to do it justice and IMO best left for a trip in itself. (Stop and smell the roses at Gerstle Cove/Salt Point SP…the best hike on all the CA coast IMO). I lived on the Sonoma coast for many years and have driven NB/SB often including both the Hwy 1 FB/Leggett and Hwy 20 FB/Willits sections. Hwy 1 FB/Leggett is a bear…even driving our Volvo XC. Hwy 20 at least is a truck route so while a bit curvy, at least they’re not as tight as the Leggett section.

101 NB is very doable on your schedule. Jed Smith NP just E of Crescent City is awesome (watch for poison oak if you have dogs). Also Harris Beach SP in Brookings, OR just across the border is a great CG. Coos bay has Sunset Bay SP (a little bit of backtracking) and Bastendorff Cty Park + some private RV parks. I believe someone mentioned Winchester Bay…(Umpqua Lighthouse SP and some privates too). Any along that section will give you a very reasonable drive to Corvallis. Hwy 126 to Eugene to 99 & Corvallis is a good road and easy drive. Hwy 34 from Waldport (about 75 minutes N of Florence and Hwy 126) >Alsea> Corvallis is a bit curvy, but a beautiful drive. If you have the time I highly recommend it.

SB on I-5…Redding is a good target and many RV resorts between Redding to about Cottonwood. The Casino in Corning is another hour or less and can be busy with truck traffic. No TV or wireless if that matters but level pads. WE generally don’t even unhitch. Cheap gas in Cottonwood much cheaper than Redding.

Hope this helps. Have a great trip and enjoy.

Bob

Go Ducks



PS as Peter (OTRA15) mentioned no chain issues NB but SB you have both Siskyou Pass at the border and BlackButte at Weed to deal with. Regardless of your arrangements if there’s any question, carry chains. They’re cheap and you don’t need to have a second set for a TT like me. It’s an expensive ticket to not have them on hand.

Tripcheck.com https://tripcheck.com/Pages/Road-Conditions?curRegion=8# will get you cameras to the border and to Weed if you drag the map a bit.


PSS Note, there are some 2K passes between Roseburg & Medford that sometimes have chain controls. They have camera's in Tripcheck.

[NWRVR]

Gorgeous drive, we do it at least once a year to San Francisco and back. Headed that way for Christmas and New Years (we never take I-5) to see our son and we have family in Mendocino so generally take Hwy 1 also. Take your time and enjoy!

[amirm]

Originally Posted by unifreck

Oregon has a law requiring gas station attendants to pump
any GAS but does not include DIESEL, so you can pump your own diesel or wait for attendant, I find that an interesting " make work law".

We go to Oregon very frequently and this is one thing I look forward to: having them deal with the dirty diesel handle, etc. Also, their prices can be a bit cheaper than here in Washington so I try to fill up before returning home.

I am fascinated by how they have managed to maintain that law after full service stations went away everywhere else.

[21Airstream]

It would be hard to find a more beautiful route in this country. We returned home (to WA) last year from our trip to TX via the Oregon Coast due to it’s beauty.

FWIW, dining at Mo’s (seafood restaurant) in Lincoln City is mandatory for us when we visit...

[Air99]

Originally Posted by 21Airstream

It would be hard to find a more beautiful route in this country. We returned home (to WA) last year from our trip to TX via the Oregon Coast due to it’s beauty.

FWIW, dining at Mo’s (seafood restaurant) in Lincoln City is mandatory for us when we visit...

Try also The Fish Peddlers restaurant just north of Tillamook on hwy 101 and pickup a bushel of fresh petite oysters afterward, it’s easy to miss because it’s out on a working dock and behind huge mounds of oyster shells!

[WestieHouse]

A stop at the Tillamook Cheese factory is well worth the time. The free tour and history of the coop is interesting, but the ice cream is incredible! And there are excellent full service restaurants. Good rv/trailer parking.

[CruizinDux]

when on 101 N of Eureka, there is a great lunch stop down at the wharf in Trinidad. We've been going there for yearrrrs.

http://www.seascape-trinidad.com/

It's often sunny there and has great fish and chips. Talk about fresh fish! Also plenty of parking for the TV/TT's as there is a boat ramp with an adjacent parking lot sized for TV/fishing boat trailers."

Also in Winchester on OR PCH 1, at the marina, there is a (another) great fish and chips place. Seems it is Unger's Bay http://www.winchesterbay.org/restaurants.html

as I recollect it was floating, moored at a pier??


As an aside 101 at Santa Rosa, there are two very worthwhile stops and the North Bay can use those tourist dollars.

The Charles M. Schultz Museum (Creator of Peanuts). https://schulzmuseum.org/museum-rese...closed-notice/

Apparently the adjacent family home burned in the recent fires but it sounds like the museum will open soon.

The other is the Luther Burbank Home & Garden
http://www.lutherburbank.org/

It is a fascinating tour and history. Thank you for those wonderful Santa Rosa Plums and my wife's favorite, Shasta Daises.


Bob

[amirm]

Originally Posted by WestieHouse

A stop at the Tillamook Cheese factory is well worth the time. The free tour and history of the coop is interesting, but the ice cream is incredible! And there are excellent full service restaurants. Good rv/trailer parking.

Indeed. We bought some really nice local jam from there. And there is also free cheese samples. Did I say they were free?

[NWRVR]

Mo’s is a bit over rated, good basic seafood chain, but not great. Try Local Ocean near Embarkadero in Newport and Tidal Raves on the North side of Depoe Bay.

[OTRA15]

Additional questions from the OP here:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ns-174778.html

[KellyAndersson]

DAMMIT. I had a longgggggg list of tips underway and unclicked myself. Crap. Will re-try. [sigh] Meanwhile: https://tripcheck.com is one of the finest uses of government funding ever. You can sign up for text alerts now too.

stay tuned. [snarl]

[KellyAndersson]

Couple more:
* If you do I-5 take chains!
* Either route, get fresh virgin windshield wipers the day before you leave.
* Fill up on windshield washer fluid and add Rain-X to it.
* MacKerricher State Park is a fine,fine place to overnight.
* If you do do I-5, stop and eat at Maxwell Inn south of Willows CA.
* There are two lovely FWS wildlife refuges near there, both worth the drive-through.
* WATCH OUT for fire areas; landslides and mudflows and road collapses likely.
* Keep up to speed on tripcheck.com

[GayandDan]

If you find yourself in Florence, Oregon, check out Port of Siuslaw Campground. It is a few blocks up the river from Old Town Florence. Have dinner after 4pm at Waterfront Depot Restaurant. Their signature dish is crab encrusted halibut.

Safe travels.

[KellyAndersson]

ALSO, Saturday the 25th is the Civil War football game between Oregon (Eugene) and Oregon State (Corvallis) and I-5 will be wall-to-wall on Friday and Saturday both. Avoid the freeway!! You can head west from Corvallis to the coast, 101 south, and pick a route back to I-5 (but NOT the one between Grants Pass and Gold Beach!!!)

[Gene]

You maybe on the road along the coast by now. I call it the coast highway since the numbers change. In an extended van, the many tight curves may be challenging, especially when someone in a sport car is trying out their car coming the other way, or a big MH is over the yellow line. The first part of the road north of San Francisco is busy and has lots of overhanging trees and rocks on the east side. We took a trailer there some years ago and it was challenging (especially since we had little experience towing then), but doable. I don't know how long your rig is, but at least ours was articulated and that can help on switchbacks and tight curves.

As noted, the road between Leggett and the coast is very curvy. You go over two spines of the Coast Range and it is slow and exhausting. Watch for logging trucks. They drive fast and nasty.

We stayed at a commercial campground near Mendocino years ago and it was very disappointing. Can't remember any others around there except for state parks. If I return for a stopover, I will try the state park. Bandon is nice. Newport has a municipal campground on the water that is nice. The Lost Coast is also a challenging ride over the Coast Range, but is very different and remote feeling. Most people love Cannon Beach, but I find it touristy and crowded and expensive. There is a very good campground there, just off the coast highway—RV Resort at Cannon Beach I believe. My wife says the laundry is one of the best at CG's. Lincoln City is very, very busy and slow, but has businesses you may need for supplies. It has a discount Pendleton store, but the RV's spaces at the mall it is in were gone last summer, so we didn't stop. There is also a large discount Pendleton store near Portland in Washington in a small town along the Columbia River—look it up. We've gotten some amazing bargains there some times.

How you approach the coast highway depends on your driving experiences. We live in mountains and have travelled all over North America, so the coast is just another curvy road to us. If you are a flatlander (i.e., from Kansas, for ex.) you might find the roads scary. There's a lot of sheer drops down to the ocean, but though I don't enjoy heights, I survived it. Living in the desert, we are annually attracted to go to an ocean, usually the Pacific.

Gene

[PKI]

Our experience was same as Gene's in reverse. After a costal shake down trip, Colorado mountain highways were no problem, except for those roundabouts. Pat

[EmilyWendell]

Originally Posted by scarletbison

Have any of you driven North or South on Route 1 from San Francisco to Oregon?

We’re headed to Corvallis Oregon for Thanksgiving and have the week so we thought take the coastal route north and take our time, taking 2 or 3 nights to get there, staying in RV parks near Mendocino, crescent city, and coos bay(if needed).

We plan on arriving in Corvallis on Tuesday, and leaving on Friday or Saturday with hopefully a speedy return down I-5 for School and work on Monday morning.

Any hints or concerns would be appreciated.

Hi,
We are full timers and just drove down the 101 and 1 from Vancouver Island to Paso Robles, CA. You can check out our blog at sallyandbetty.blogspot.com for perhaps mild entertainment and lots of pictures of the coast. Some sections are one lane in CA due to slides, but are well managed and we had no problem. South of San Fran, the 1 is still closed just south of Big Sur, but if you start in SF, you will be fine. We have a 25' that we pull with a Porsche Cayenne - so about 40 feet total. In an Interstate, you will be fine. The Oregon coast is amazing as you will see in the blog. There was only one section of CA SR1 that was closed right at Stinson Beach just north of the Golden Gate. We did not have our AS with us when we drove that section and the detour was beautiful and should not be a problem for you.
If you have any specific questions, please don't hesitate to ask,
Emily