Headed North for 4 weeks.

[CJ-SMB]

My navigator and I are planning to head up the Cal coast into Oregon, Washington, Vancouver, and Victoria.

If time allows maybe up to Alaska or just return inland thru Montana, Wyoming :a1:

We will be starting in So Cal and have four weeks to wonder about.

We would appreciate any ideas, suggestions, campsites, 'must see' places, and 'Must do' fun things. We are looking for all things adventurous.

Thanks in advance for your any info.

:b5:

PS. feel free to PM any secret spots :b6:

 

[Aldercrest]

CJ - Are you looking to boondock or state/county park campgrounds?

 

[CJ-SMB]

A good mix of both. We normally shoot for the "campground' if we are getting in late in the day. Otherwise we like stopping at the end of a trail and Boondock.

:b5:

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

That doesn't seem like enough time to do Alaska. From the SF Bay area to the Alaska border on the Top of the World Highway was 3500 miles. A full week of 500 mile days - each way + you have to drive further.

On the other hand, Vancouver Island is spectacular! In Victoria, be sure to visit the Craigdarroch Castle, Butchart Gardens and Anne Hathaway's Cottages.

Mike

 

[CJ-SMB]

Mike, I agree with you about not being enough time to do any of Alaska. We’re making the plans for Vancouver and Victoria bigger. Thanks for the suggested points of interest, the Gardens were the only one of the three we had. My navigator will love me for adding the Castle and cottages to the plan. :a1:

Thanks


:b5:

 

[mjeffrey-SMB]

Out past Sooke (near Victoria) there's China Beach, French Beach, and many others:

http://www.sookeharbour.com/parks/juand ... _beach.htm

In Victoria itself, Pagliacci's really IS worth the 20-30+ minute wait for dinner (more if you don't show up before opening time) Not expensive, and truly incredible pasta.

If you're heading up past Nanaimo, let me know, and I can dig up a number of good hikes/walks around Qualicum Beach.

I personally found Anne Hathaway's cottages to be rather cheesy... Sorry, no disrespect intended, Mike! I've heard the gardens really are spectacular, though.

Enjoy your trip,
Mike.

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

The cottages are kind of touristy, but we found them quite interesting and informative. And the restaurant had great ham at a reasonable price.

Mike

 

[bitburger]

Our favorite spots along the coast are:

Redwoods: I like the Gold Bluffs campground because it has 24 foot vehicles as the ma size so it is less noisy in the evening.
http://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

Oregon Dunes:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/ohv/odnra/index.shtml

Manzanita Beach aka Nehelam State Park (OR)
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_201.php

In Washington, the towns of Winthrup and Twisp are nice and offer a lot of camping and hiking although the pass to get there is named Rainy Pass which gives you some idea of the weather.
The area to explore is the North Cascades http://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/index.htm There is a lot of great scenery and lonely forest roads although you may need to dodge the weather. Leavenworth and Chelan are tourist towns nearby if you are so inclined.

North of the border, we liked Tofino but it may be too far up there.

Have fun and bring your gortex.

-Mark

 

[mjeffrey-SMB]

The cottages are kind of touristy, but we found them quite interesting and informative. And the restaurant had great ham at a reasonable price.

Mike

Fair enough! It's also been quite a long time since I visited, and time plays havoc with my memories

 

[CJ-SMB]

Heh! My Navigator now thinks the forum is good for something other than buying cool stuff and talking about things that need to be fixed... :a5:



Got to love a forum like this............Thanks guys for the ideas/suggestions. I'm sure we will work some if not all of them into the plan, her plan!! I like to fly by the seat of my pants. :a1:



:b5:

 

[stevepar]

In northern WA be sure to check out Lake Quinault. One of my favorite spots on Earth. The campgrounds on the Lake dont open up for a few more weeks and you are guaranteed rain this time of year. The rain Forest is amazing and lots of great hikes.The Lake Quinault Lodge has several rustic rooms that are nice respite from camping in the rain. Take the Port Angeles ferry to Victoria unless you want to hit the San Juan Islands.

Oh yeah... near Ft Bragg CA to the south is Wrights Beach a great spot. North of Ft Bragg is Westport Beach KOA also great beach front sites. Southern Oregon try Humbug State park and take the hike to some beautiful views. Check out Cannon Beach in north OR, a great little town...but no camping.

Did the same trip last year and will be repeating it in late May. Have Fun.

 

[Aldercrest]

You can find some photos of Lake Quinault Lodge here:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4257

We stopped in Forks where the Twilight book series is set, but we didn't find any vampires or werewolves on our trip. Maybe you will be luckier!?

From south to north on 101 in Oregon, consider Carl G. Washburne SP north of Florence, OR. The Cape Perpetua area between Florence and Yachats (Yah-hots) is a beautiful area of the coast, and you can access some nice beach walks from Washburne SP.

Stop in Depoe Bay to see the tiny harbor, and get some clam chowder at Mo's and salt water taffy at the candy shop. You can sometimes spot whales from the roadside there, or take a whale watching tour from the harbor.

In Pacific City, consider lunch and local brews at the Pelican Pub. You can drive onto the beach there if you're feeling adventurous. Don't forget to climb the dune. Cape Lookout SP is a few miles north on the Three Capes Scenic Route.

Stop by the Tillamook Cheese Factory for some free samples and an ice cream cone, but the best lunch in Tillamook is at the Blue Heron French Cheese Company. Great salads and sandwiches and lots of character in an old barn on the north side of town. Eat lunch at the Blue Heron and stop at Tillamook Cheese for dessert. Nehalem Bay as a good spot as previously mentioned. The town of Manzanita has a very nice wine bar, Vino. The hike up Neah-kah-nie Mountain from the south side is not too long and offers beautiful views of the coast. Another great, short hike is Cape Falcon from the Oswald West parking area.

If you like boats, check out the wreck of the Peter Iredale at Ft. Stevens SP near Warrenton and the maritime museum in Astoria. If you like airplanes and military history, consider the World War II air museum and blimp hangar south of Tillamook, or Battery Russell at Ft. Stevens SP.

As for your concerns about having too much of a plan, I took the forum's input on US 395 and just put a bunch of post-its on my map. We hit some and didn't hit others, but all the options sure made the trip fun!

 

[GreyDawg]

As for your concerns about having too much of a plan, I took the forum's input on US 395 and just put a bunch of post-its on my map.

Did you literally put post-its on your paper map, or do you have mapping /trip planning software that allows you to use electronic post-its?

I'm looking to upgrade from Streets & Trips 2005, and e-notes on the map are a feature that would be very useful.

Of course, if one noted all the great information from members of this form, you wouldn't be able to see the map... :b1:

 

[Christopher Thwaites]

Wrights Beach is in Sonoma county just north of Bodega Bay.You will need a reservation to stay there in most cases. It is small and on the beach. From there as you head up Hwy 1 to Fort Bragg you might like Gualala. There is a small Sonoma county camp ground on the Gualala River. Above Fort Bragg you can venture a few miles out to Usall Beach on Usall Road. Oregon Coast is wonderful,lots of camping. In Port Orford you can drive out onto the beach and head south a 1/4 mile to boondock on the beach. Pay attention to to the high tide line and be sure to air down.
We visited Vancouver Island last summer. We came in at Sidney. Just north of Sidney you can head west to Nitnat Lake. Bad road about 30 miles of it, but it is an interesting area. The camp ground is on an Indian Reservation, costs $10/night. The lake is famous for windsurfing. We didn't have time to go further west but the countryside is beautiful.
If you are going up hwy 101 and find yourself near Santa Rosa at the end of the day. I can offer a a flat spot under the trees and a hot shower with coffee in the am.
Have a great trip!
Chris

 

[daveb-SMB]

Jedediah Smith State park is busy during peak times of the year but is a fairly nice campground that has showers if you need a one night pit stop to cleanup. At least some of the spots have a bit of privacy because of the thicker cover. There is a super drive through big trees close by. Pretty good food at the Grotto in Crescent city.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413

Usal beach is my favorite by Fort Bragg.

 

[CJ-SMB]

Thanks, thanks, and Thanks again everyone for all the suggestions. :a1:

Now back to the pen and maps. Only a month to finalize our plan. :a5:

:b5:

 

[daveb-SMB]

Thanks, thanks, and Thanks again everyone for all the suggestions. :a1:

Now back to the pen and maps. Only a month to finalize our plan. :a5:

:b5:

Hey CJ, if you plan to come through the central valley there is one state park that is a good pit stop close to Merced and below Yosemite. I was just down there yesterday and nobody was there. I suspect weekends are different but right now it's empty for the most part during weekdays. You can even probably sneak in for a shower W/O paying but I never said that :a1:

Here is the link:
http://autoramblings.com/sportsmobile/?p=325

 

[CJ-SMB]

Looks like a great find Dave. THANKS!! We are going to pin it as a nice lay over spot for the return trip. :a1:

Thanks Dave.


:b5:

 

[daveb-SMB]

I'd call to make sure what the status is. As the weather warms it gets busy and can be a nightmare. 20 or 25 bucks per night and I'm not sure when the reservation thing starts but weekdays are not a problem most of the time. I'll bet this weekend will be packed because the locals will be there for the 5th of May party.

Turlock Lake SRA has a nice CG and gets way less traffic. The campground is located in dense cover along the Tuolumne River http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=555

Another SRA close by is George Hatfield but the camping is kind of exposed and no showers.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=556

Los Banos Creek rec area off I-5 might be of interest to you as well but not so nice for camping at.

IMO all of these are alternatives to using highway rest stops and are not what I would call pristine. Just all places to stop for a night that are all located close to each other in the mid San Joaquin Valley. I'd rather stay at any SRA than a wal-mart parking lot :a1:

 

[CJ-SMB]

Excellent info thanks alot, Dave.

:b5: