PNW Summer 2014 trip, CG/boondock advice needed - Page 5

MKRyan · 04-24-2014, 09:47 PM

Eric, Sounds like a great trip. Lots of good suggestions have been posted.

The entire Oregon Coast has spectacular scenery and beaches and just inland are old growth forests. You can't go wrong anywhere on the coast in my opinion. I've stayed in several State Parks along highway 101 and they all have been good.

We have a time share in Pacific City and stay there several times a year and love the area and the beach. We will be there the second week of June if you are passing through. There are tide pools and a large dune on Cape Kiawanda to explore. Ben and Jeff's is a must stop for fish tacos if you go. Pacific City is a small fishing village 3 miles off 101 that sits on the Nestucca River. There is an RV park, with showers I think, across the road from the beach. The Pelican Brew Pub and Ben and Jeff's are within a block of the RV Park. Not too touristy as there are many small towns on the beach further north, closer to Portland.

And....just 20 miles up the road, as you head north, is the Tillamook Cheese Factory....great ice cream!!! Maybe you can get Aldercrest to give you a tour!

Have fun and safe travels,

Mike

larrie · 04-24-2014, 10:04 PM

Will probably get hammered for saying this but it does not rain that much in the summer months. If it did we would not have to water the garden.

Most of the rain comes in after October and is gone by the end of May. Summer in Oregon is beautiful. The only exception is that you can expect rain the third week in August.

86Scotty · 04-25-2014, 07:44 AM

Thanks guys.

Larrie, it doesn't rain much here either.........unless I plan something outdoors.

86Scotty · 05-22-2014, 05:24 PM

HWY 50 advice needed. I've PM'd daveb about the Sonora Pass area but would love to gather a little more info. We'll be leaving Moab and headed across 70, then jumping on 50 at I-15. We have decided to skip I-70 and take 50 all the way across. Our next destination is San Fran for a couple of days later. My question for Dave, and others of course, is should we drop down 395 at Carson City and go across Sonora Pass? It looks like 12 solid hours from Moab to Sonora Pass via this route, and I was thinking of breaking that up. I'm looking for some boondock, CG or other general advice about that run across 50. Looks like the Toriyabi Nat'l Forest area looks like about halfway, but I've never even heard of it.

Thanks

REF · 05-22-2014, 07:57 PM

We've driven 50 a few times out to Tahoe, nothing very redeeming, although we never explored toiyabe or Great Basin but both have camping. Watch out for the town of Ely, it's one of those small town speed traps, goes from 65-30 or something like that in like 50 ft, always a cop there to pull you over and hand you a $200 ticket.

**daveb** · 05-22-2014, 08:39 PM

Well, I'm not sure if you want to do the campground thing but Great Basin NP is a good 1/2 way point to stop at. They have a better than average cave tour. Not too sure how packed it gets there this time of the year as far as the camping goes. Just outside of Ely Nevada are some nice camps tucked up in the hills but there is also a lot of desert type camping. From GBNP I can get home in about 10 hours provided I go through Tonopah and over Tioga Pass. Same if you go through Carson to 395 and up 108.

yvrr · 05-23-2014, 09:05 AM

We spent a night at Great Basin one time and it was fine. I've also camped a couple of times at the Forest Service Bob Scott campground just east of Austin. One time it was vacant and the other time every campsite was taken so I just parked on a dirt spur out of everyone's way. No campground host and nothing fancy. It would make a long day from Moab but a shorter run the next day.

Google "Bob Scott campground" and click on Images to get an idea what the campsite looks like...

86Scotty · 05-23-2014, 06:01 PM

Thanks guys, it looks like Great Basin is probably a good halfway point. We won't leave Moab super early, and it's about 6 hour run to Great Basin, which will give us a little time to explore in the afternoon, then Sonora Pass is about 7 hours the next day.
I finding lots of great campgrounds on the Ultimate CG Project app and website. I found Bob Scott there YVRR, but I don't know that we'll get as far as the Toriyabe area in one day from Moab, and the next we may be motivated to get on further west. Thanks for the heads up though. All the info I can gather is helpful.

larrie · 05-26-2014, 11:24 AM

The north entrance to Crater Lake is now open. Highway 97 north to left on 138 Volcanic
Legacy Scenic Byway, then left on North Entrance Road.

**BroncoHauler** · 05-26-2014, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larrie

Another alternative route would be to go north from Crater Lake up highway 97 to Bend. This is some interesting country with lots of geologic sites to see and some good boon docking sites as well. Head west from Bend on HWY 20 to Corvallis/Albany and then Newport. There are lots of places to camp in the forest on that route.

Quick thread hijack (I hope). How do you like the Newport area? I just applied on a job there, though I know it's a long-shot at best. Seems like a nice area, though maybe a little small, and a bit of a drive to a town of any size (that could be good or bad).

Herb