Desert Trip Part II

<p>I have decided to drive across the northern US from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, to Portland, Oregon leaving in a few days. I will be in a well equipped camper van.<br>

I would like to hear your thoughts on driving south from there to San Francisco. The best route, driving times, points of interest, etc. I'm a landscape photographer by nature so would enjoy the most scenic routes, ocean vistas, etc. <br>

From there I need to be in Las Vegas on October 11. Is driving south on #101 in Oregon too ambitious? I haven't calculated any driving times. What is the best route to Las Vegas from San Francisco area?<br>

Any input on camping locations will be appreciated, too.<br>

Thanks.</p>

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<p>Go West young man :>)....well, West of Portland and rip the Oregon Coast - you'll never regret it. Mass of distractions and cooler drive than via I-5. The heat is suppose to dissipate (ha ha), but I still see Redding, Calif to be in mid 90F deg....well, considering that this area gets over 100F normally.<br>

I've camped at Nehalem Bay St PK and Harris Beach St PK in Brookings....and can vouch for both of these places to be real nice. When things get bit cooler, Harris Beach may close, so it's a good idea to call ahead....to avoid camping at Wallymart :>). You might consider (close to sunset) to visit Thor's Well (So. of Yachats)...and you probably be there with some other photographers. Also, the coast has dunes (if you are into that) and stacks popping out of the ocean at Cannon Beach and Bandon. There are several places to stop and camp in Calif....close to the ocean. Mendocino would be one, but there are many places you could anchor. Samuel Taylor St PK is not far from SF....I've camped there like 25+yrs ago (good experience). Then you have Pt Reyes to explore. I could easily take 2 weeks just to do those two states on the coast (many many distractions).</p>

<p>Since I used to live on the Central Coast, I would always prefer to take the cooler route...at least part of the way. Anyway, out of SF (there several ways to get to Vegas) I'd go on Rte 101 South...to Paso Robles. From there you'd go East on 46/41/46...drop down to Bakersfield and take 58 and continue E. till Barstow. There you pick up I-15, which will take you all the way to Vegas. By the way, while on 41 (Chelome) you might spot the monument to James Dean...if you are interested in this sort of thing. Also, if you have any play time, you may want to stop at Pinnacles Natl PK (not far from Soledad). It's almost 570 miles....so you might want to break this chunk of a trip into two days....spoken from a retired pov.<br>

Les</p>

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<p> And my territory starts at the Oregon border. There’s good camping at Jed Smith State Park, about 15 minutes inland from Crescent City—it’s in the redwoods on the Smith River, which rewards some exploration if you have extra time. About an hour south of Crescent City you’ll be in the Redwood National Park area. Take the turnoff to the Nelson Drury Parkway, and that’ll get you into the main part of the park through the less travelled “back door,” along the old highway that follows Prairie Creek. There’s camping at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (the state and national parks are all the same thing here—managed pretty much as a single unit), where there’s an interpretive center and some good trails among the old-growth redwoods, and there are often elk in the meadows nearby. I highly recommend spending a half day to drive out to the coast to visit Fern Canyon—it’s about a 40 minute drive on a very well-maintained gravel road. There’s camping also out at the beach nearby (Gold Bluffs campground)—depending on your timing, that might be the best place to camp to have Fern Canyon all to yourself for awhile in the morning. [sudden thought—you might check out getting a season pass for the California State Park system if you’re planning to camp at a lot of parks.] </p>

<p> About a half hour south of the park is what may be the nicest place to camp on the coast: Patrick’s Point State Park. It’s a beautiful stretch of coastline, and worth walking at least parts of the Rim Trail, but it might be a bit of an anticlimax after the Oregon coast. The little town of Trinidad just south of there also has a beautiful beach (Trinidad Beach State Park—but no camping there), and some good cafes. From there south it’s more populated. Arcata is a university town and is a good place for restaurants; it also has a food co-op, and the Arcata Marsh attracts a lot of birders. </p>

<p> From there you drive south through Eureka (our big city; the old-town district is picturesque, with some show-piece Victorian architecture and some good used bookstores), and a couple of hours south of there—away from the coast but with options to turn onto the “Avenue of the Giants,” which will take you through more old-growth redwoods—you get to Leggett and the turnoff to Highway 1. [addendum: I forgot to mention the town of Ferndale—a pretty little town with a lot of Victorian architecture that’s about 15 minutes off Highway 101] That will take you along a VERY winding road back out to the coast—very beautiful when you get there. But take it slowly. Travel time from Arcata to Fort Bragg is about 3.5 hr, and Mendocino is about 15 minutes south of Fort Bragg. There’s good camping at Russian Gulch State Park north of Mendocino, and the town of Mendocino is definitely worth taking some time to explore, as are the Mendocino Headlands to the west. </p>

<p> From there south you follow the coast for about 20 minutes, then either head inland toward Booneville and the wine country, or continue to follow Highway 1 south toward Pt. Arena. Someone else is going to have to pick up the itinerary from there. </p>

<p> And do check on line to make sure that the State Park campgrounds are still open for the season, and you may need to get reservations to ensure there's a space. I think you're going to enjoy the trip, and I'm looking forward very much to seeing your photos! [and if you want inland options, I've got ideas for those, too--just ask]</p>

<p>Some excellent suggestions above.</p>

<p>Do drive the 101 and the State Highway 1 all the way down to just north of San Francisco. If you think you don't have the time then simply make the time - a stretch of coastline and hinterland of absolute world class standard (speaking as an Australian)</p>

<p>I recommend you head inland after Point Reyes National Seashore onto the Interstate 5 and straight down to LA. if you are pressed for time.</p>

<p>I'd add to the above list that you stop and walk the trails and stops along the truly wonderful Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Reserve which is just north of the CA border in Oregon - simply magical with <em>the</em> most spectacular coastal scenic compositions I have ever seen.</p>

<p>Thanks all. Departure is just a few days off. I'm taking all your suggestions on advisement.<br>

Matthew, I appreciate your words, as I've seen some of the beauty your country has to offer.<br>

This is a trip I have wanted to do for 40 years. I hitched to Vancouver as a teenager and should have turned left back then when I had the chance. ;) <br>

I've explored the Atlantic seaboard from Newfoundland to Florida several times and love being in the presence of the ocean. Maybe I should have lived somewhere on the shore.<br>

I'll be monitoring this thread during the journey, too, so any help is appreciated.</p>

<p>Think you have enough good info on Pacific Coast so I'll just throw in thoughts on Montana. If you go across MT on northern route (Hwy2) (which I have not done except in western MT), be sure to allocate a day or two for Glacier NP, particularly the road that cuts thru the park (it has a name that escapes me). This would position you to head for a drive through N. Cascades NP which is also dramatic. OTOH, if you go I-90, Bozeman/Livingston is a beautiful area but you would have to overcome the urge to spend a week in Yellowstone. Teddy Roosevelt NP in western N. Dakota has some nice plains landscapes but it has been a long time since I have been there so I short on specific recommendations. NPS website has good info on all the aforementioned NPs. Whatever you decide, this is a trip that will not disappoint. There are even a couple of nice state parks just outside of Vegas. And, as long as you are in Vegas, you might as well drop down to the Grand Canyon and the five NPs in southern Utah!</p>

<p>Thanks Jim. As it turns out I am now near Wyoming about to leave Montana for Yellowstone. Apparently I am facing a weather window, too, so no time to spare.<br>

I am ahead of schedule so will have lots of leisure driving down the coast and need to be in Vegas by Oct 11, that's my only commitment at this point. <br>

Thanks again for all the input folks. I'm always open to any suggestions. I'm just driving and camping with my dog at this point so any and all human interaction is welcome! <br>

Internet isn't readily available as I'm using free WIFI whenever possible (no phone) so my response time may be sporadic. That and it has taken me literally days to finally 'log in' here as I couldn't remember my password from 14 years ago, my email on file is now in little use and I couldn't recall any of my other three email passwords as my computer remembers them all for me! (this isn't my computer) <br>

Again, first world problems!</p>