Eugene, OR

[gamakai]

We're headed to Eugene in late March. I'm thinking about leaving I-40 in Kingman, AZ and taking highways 95 to 395 to 97 to 50. Anyone ever taken this route? Mountains? Bad roads? Being from SE Georgia I like flat land.

[Pams72]

Google Earth is your friend! There are some high passes on 395 all good roads though.Not sure where 50 is but if you take 20 off 97 not to bad through the Cascade range unless there is snow. This year so far very little snow if any.

[John&Vicki]

Watch the weather. Balmy here in Central Oregon right now as it almost always for a stretch in February. But it's usually just a break (one that fakes out a lot of new arrivals who think winter is over) between Winter 1 and Winter 2. We get some of our heaviest snowfall in Winter 2, which can run until May. It can be 65 degrees one day and a blizzard the next. Watch the weather and you will be fine. And welcome to Oregon, the last best place in America.

John
Been here 47 years

[TinShack]

Not sure where Hwy 50 is either. Did you maybe mean 58?

[gamakai]

Highway 58 it is--my mistake

[Phoenix]

Hwy-58 from Barstow to Buttonwillow (west of Bakersfield at junction with I-5) is scenic. Mostly desert except for Tehachapi, but that area is not bad. Very scenic. We use this route from Phoenix to San Francisco several times a year.

[MontyV]

I have driven that route between Salem, OR and Vegas. 58 would be work towing an AS but lots of people do it. check on the road construction before you go. delays on 58 can be lengthy. 95 is great. we don't like 395 in bad weather. there are lots of shady corners that can hide ice. you might consider taking the pass by reno over to sacramento and then up I5.

[CaddyGrn]

I highly recommend 395... but as was mentioned earlier watch the weather. It is a nice road with some great little forest service campgrounds close by. You will travel through some mountains, you need go cross the Sierra's or the Cascades if you want to get over to Eugene. i would suggest once you get to 395 and Reno, you travel and then veer off to Hwy 89 North. It will take you to Interstate 5 (which you don't have to drive on very far) if you don't want... On 89 you can go by Lake Almanor and there is nice camping there, or at Burney Falls State Park. Once you get to Interstate 5 you can either zoom up to Eugene (about 5 hours drive) or go Hwy 97 on the eastern side of Oregon a bit and then cross over maybe at Hwy 20 from Bend. It would be a bit longer, but is a nice drive. However, once you hit Interstate 5 at Mt Shasta City from Hwy 89 it is nice too. Both routes have mountains... you will go over mountain passes. If you go via 97 you can stop off at Crater Lake Nat'l Park. Probably won't be open for camping at that time of year, but some commercial areas might be. Oregon is beautiful any time of year, and the Oregon State Campgrounds are awesome.

Always so much to see and do, so little time...

[Mark Wiltrakis]

Another variation for you. I drive twice a year to visit my mother who lives west of Phoenix, and I've taken the trailer this route quite a few times. The route I would choose as my first choice would be:
Stay on I-40 beyond Kingman, to Barstow.
58 west from Barstow to 395.
395 north all the way thru CA to Lakeview, OR. Watch weather forecasts and road condition reports closely. This is the route with highest elevation, outstanding scenery along the E side of the Sierras, very tolerable traffic density, and road surfaces in good condition. If weather forces you on to I-5 in CA, watch conditions at the Siskiyou Summit, a few miles into OR past the CA-OR border.
North of Lakeview, 31 angles NW to meet 97 in LaPine.
From LaPine, go a bit south on 97 to catch 58 west to Eugene. 58 is scenic, slow due to curves, and also subject to winter weather. It's no problem for a trailer unless there is snow/ice.
If weather looks lousy or even marginal, Hwy 101 along the coast will almost always be acceptable. Cross over to 101 north of San Francisco, to avoid towing through the city. And I'd give Los Angeles wide berth too.
I may pass you going the opposite direction, as I'm going to be driving to AZ about this time.
Mark