Hwy 101 from Washington to California

[twogypsies]

101 is a very pleasant drive with a big RV. Go for it!!

[rodekyll]

I just did Sequim to Florence and back over Christmas. I left 101/E/S near Shelton and ran the minor highways to 12 at McCleary to Montesano. You could run clear to Olympia and then turn west, but why would you? From Montesano I used 107 to join up with 101 again at Raymond. From Raymond to Florence was all 101.

The only bad spot for an RV on the WA 101 route is highway 107. A few miles outside of Montesano there's a long-term construction area over a bridge that is optimistically a single lane in either direction, controlled by a timed light. Through the zone it's a narrow chute between jersey barriers. I'm guessing it's just short of 9' wide. It's the only puckery part of the Washington side.

I don't know where the comment came from about no place to pull off with a long vehicle on 101. No, you can't pull off randomly like I would with my motorcycle, but there will be something within a few minutes of when you first think about stopping.

There were *many* RVs both on the road and in the pullouts/parks/parking lots for the entire Oregon part of the trip. You will have a lot of company in both directions. The RV camps and parks were open and lively, and the tourist-oriented concessions are mostly open for whale watching or whatever.

So I think that at least through Oregon, your only consideration will be weather. The Oregon coastal passes can be icy even when it's 42º on the beaches. I encountered that north of Lincoln City and north of Newport. The wind can be dangerous. There was evidence of many trees down across the highway. I saw shredded toppers and a crushed slide-in along the road, and there were places along the beach cliffs where surf was blowing over the railing. At times the rain was heavy enough to obscure vision and make the roadbeds a river. A couple of days ago two children died when a sneaker wave sucked them off a trail that was well away from the tidal wash.

I had the option of taking I5 to Eugene and then cutting West to the coast. I think 101 is more interesting and more RV friendly. If you play the weather cards right, you can have a heck of a lot of fun doing the coast this time of year. If you play a card wrong, you can always climb in the back and take a nap until the roads clear. Either way you can't lose.

[jorygun]

Take your time to enjoy the scenery, hopefully starting in Washington's Olympic NP. There's lots of narrow twisty sections along the way. In Oregon, there are a lot of state parks, and they have great facilities, but nearly always require reservations to get into. I echo the other commenter who recommended the Marina in Newport. You can dry camp there very inexpensively and enjoy Rogue ales and distilled spirits, as well as the downtown restaurants. In Northern Cal you will be going through the magnificent redwoods. Take the Drury parkway (old 101) south of Klamath and go for a hike.

[Hangfive]

Coos Bay has a great RV park at the casino. It is central to the area, and has not showers.

[Duner]

I love this drive in the summer. But it's whole different story in the winter when you can have 3.5 days of rain and 1/2 day of sunshine.

I have made the trip south in November and another trip north in March when we had a flexible schedule to adjust for bad weather. Several times we delayed our travel days or left a day or two early. Our plans were roughly one or two weeks at each campground ...... 4 stops in Oregon and 3 in NoCal.

While in Newport, Or we knew a storm was coming and I saw my neighbor stowing everything away and he said it was going to be a bad one. He was a local guy and turns out he was very right .... 65 mph blowing rain. Next morning there was not a single sat dish standing upright no matter how they were anchored down and I'm glad I had my slideouts pulled in.
So plan on some flexibility for your travel days.

[Kountry_star]

Beautiful trip! Have done it three times. South to North in a new 1979 Chevy Van. Ventura to Leggett CA on hwy 1 Leggett to Olympic park on 101. San Fransisco was still a beautifull city back then. Did it again North to South in a 29 ft Gasser MH (no toad). Starting at the Columbia river down 101 to Leggett, CA then hwy 1 to Ventura beach with one detour near Carmel due to rock slide. Beautiful trip no problems finding turn turn outs. Wife / copilot wasn't real fond of the width of Hwy 1. San Franisco was still nice but in decline. Last time was again South to North (mandated by copilot) this time in a 36' DP with a Jeep GC toad. Beautiful trip, third time we still didn't see everything. About 40 miles of hwy 1 had to be bypassed due to rock slides. Common I guess. Had a few less pullouts with this combination but still found plenty. Took our toad into San Fransisco to "relive" our first trip. The city has completely changed and not for the better. It is now a place to be bypassed. Had some narrow roads on hwy 1 north of San Fransisco but still safely doable with our combination. If your not comfortable with winding narrow "mountian" roads do hwy 1 in your toad. Beautiful trip one post card view after another, should be on every ones bucket list. Oh yes, buy gas or diesel anywhere BUT hwy 1.

[Duner]

Just checked weather forecast for Newport, Or for the rest of this month...kind of wet to say the least. You can always head south on 101 and detour east to I-5 if it gets too bad.

[Wildwoods22]

We haven't done all of 101, but we love the Oregon coast. The state parks are great. Starting in North Oregon: Ft. Stevens Park is great and Lewis and Clark National Historic Park is nearby. Don't miss the lighthouses all along the coast (Cape Mears, Heceta Head, and Umpqua are among our favorites). Don't miss the Tillamook Creamery for cheese and ice cream. The Tillamook Air Museum is ok (it's in an old blimp hanger). Depot Bay is a must see (narrow sea entry makes boating exciting to watch), but it's hard to park an RV or trailer. We enjoyed William Tugman State Park with partial hookups. Wish we had more time to explore Sunset Bay and surroundings near Coos Bay. Don't forget all the good fish and chips along the way (my favorite was at Homegrown Public House and Brewery in Florence). That's as far south in Oregon that we've been. Be sure to fill up with fuel before entering high priced California.

In California, Jedediah Smith State Park is beautiful. We stayed at Redwood Meadows RV Park across the street. The Redwoods State and National Parks is also a must see, but RV length is very limited so you need to be strategic in finding an RV Park. Eureka and Fortuna have some nice Victorian mansions. Humbold Redwoods is beautiful too and Avenue of the Giants is a nice scenic drive alternative to 101. The visitor center is on that route and a nice stop. If you don't want to do the whole Avenue, then wait and get off 101 at exit 663. Willits is the eastern terminous of the Skunk Train if you like old steam engines.

Farther south is Sonoma Valley and wine country. If you want to totally avoid SF, we took 128 over to Napa Valley then to 12 east to 80 east to 12 east and then 5 south to 128 and then back over to 101. It avoids all the bay area traffic mess. On I-5, Kit Fox RV in Patterson is close to the freeway but we didn't think the noise was bad at all. 101 south of Salinas is very windy but going south is the right direction. Not all that scenic. Hwy 1 is much more scenic but in the winter there could be landslides and it will be slow going. But you get to see Big Sur. And before that the Monterey peninsula has so much to see: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Pacific Beach, Pebble Beach, and Carmel.

Hope you have a great trip.

[2Yung2 Quit]

Originally Posted by Duner

Just checked weather forecast for Newport, Or for the rest of this month...kind of wet to say the least. You can always head south on 101 and detour east to I-5 if it gets too bad.

Looks kinda wet.

[jimc99999]

We loved the Oregon coast when we were out west. We covered most of 101 in our 38' DP from Redwood Valley, CA to Newport, OR. For a few miles south of Crescent City, CA, 101 is in terrible shape, very rough and wavy. Parts of 101 on the Oregon coast are pretty slow, but not bad and generally very smooth.

We stayed in South Beach State Park in Newport, OR. It's next to the beach but protected from much of the wind. Easy to get in and out, clean and a nice place to stay.

Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, OR is beautiful too, with a few spots overlooking the ocean.

We lived in Redwood Meadows park outside of Crescent City, CA for 4 months, it's a very nice park, lots of room. If you go there, take 101 to 199, don't follow the GPS down 197. It's a couple miles shorter, faster by car but slower with the coach. 199 through the redwoods from 101 is slow but only for a couple miles.


I highly recommend a couple days in Avenue of the Giants. We stayed in Giant Redwoods RV in Myers Flat, CA, and would stay there again. Make sure you've stocked up on food, there are no grocery stores nearby.

Pic is from a pullout on 101 south of Newport.

[Jdub75]

Add significant time to what you think it will take. There is town after town, and tons of other rv’ers that dont pull over even with a mile of traffic building up behind them.

[Jdub75]

But please pull over when the cars que up behind!!!

[Mhom]

I have travel it up from Sacramento, it’s hard and winding and some area is one lane. Pulling a 31 foot trailer isn’t fun, lots of car following you. When coming back took Highway 5 South , much better and faster. Good luck in your travels.

[mak1]

Don't know where you going but I'm with Fred and Bonnie. Cut off at hyway 20 to williams if you are going farther south. Don't go farther south on 101 (1) than that.