Northern NorCal suggestions?

kcowyo

kcowyo

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
732
Location
Lander, Wyoming
My next big trip is starting to take shape and I'm looking for suggestions for a route through northern California. Here's the scenario -

November 9th - 25th

Part I -
Lander, WY to Las Vegas, NV via southern Utah (Escalante, Zion & Bryce NP's)
- spending a week in Vegas for a business convention

Part II -
Las Vegas, NV to Brookings, Oregon - will spend 3 days in Death Valley then to....?

Part III -
Tillamook, Oregon (Thanksgiving w/ the family) across Idaho, back to Lander, WY

I have roughly 3-4 days to get from Death Valley to the southern Oregon Coast. I'm looking for a different route than my previous trips in NorCal and places to see along the way. I am interested in seeing the far northeast section of California, but I don't really know why or what's up there.

Considerations that I am and that I'm not considering -
  • Yosemite NP - I'm sure the Tioga Pass will be closed, so I'll skip the park
  • Lake Tahoe - seen it but my co-pilot hasn't. We're likely to head this way.
  • Lassen Volcano NP - never seen it, worth the drive up from Tahoe?
  • Rt 299 from Redding to Eureka - driven it twice already, looking for something different
  • Sacramento -over from Tahoe, to ATC, meet Ben & the ATC crew, then out to Mendocino and up the coast
  • Lost Coast - very tempting and I've never been there. In November though? And it's a loooong way over from Tahoe or Lassen NP...
  • Rt 89 from Lassen NP to Mt Shasta - The Cascades and Redwood Country? I'd love to see the big trees but could snow & road closures in late November be possible?
Other than our time in Utah & Death Valley, I won't be doing a lot of off-road side trips due to time constraints, unfamiliarity with the area, travelling solo, possible bad weather, etc. So if you're still reading this and you're a well traveled map loving geek like myself, how would you get from Death Valley to the southern Oregon coast in 3-4 days?

As always, I'm grateful for any help.

- K.C.
 
3 days...hmmm...coming up 395 from DV you pass close by mammoth lakes area, devils postpile.......also there is manzanar (internment camp) , whitney portal is there as well. june lakes, twin lakes, bridgeport, bodie etc are all on the way up 395.


lost coast is best tho....

getting to USAL road at hwy 1 would be the first day.

USAL road to to shelter cove 2nd day.

... then continue the kings range up to eureka on the 3rd day and up to...

awwww its too tight

might be ....muddy too.
 
Wow, free time to travel. Gotta love it.

I would also vote for the 395. Such a scenic drive. You can do much in the sierra nevada....depends what you like. I love the White mountains across the valley, though. Lots of old mining roads....less rain and weather, but they do get snow. You'll have to watch the weather. Of course, this is so close to Death Valley......

I am sure others could help you as well, but there are a lot of neat places in those little towns all the way up 395....

You could then go through Reno (good eats, cheap hotels) then head up to Lassen....one of my favorite least crowded parks....


All depends on how much time you have......I really love the 395 early in the morning. Sweet sunrise and beautiful alpenglow......Makes me want to drive it now.....let us know what you think... photos, photos, photos...

Dave in Seattle
 
The signs on the 395 last week said Tioga was closed already.

We were heading that way for Yosemite and cancelled

Can anyone verify Tioga is closed????

Sounds like a well rounded trip KC! Have fun!

We had a little run through Alabama Hills last week that was pretty cool. Up the Whitney Portal road a couple of miles and hang a right. It will spit you back out on Hwy 395 about 8 miles north of where you started.

Again close to DV but a cool circuit.
 
Tomas, can't post too much now....

Tioga pass is open and Sonora. This time of the year it opens and closes depending on what snow the storm brings. In the morning it will be closed than later it will open in the day. Hit and miss this time of year.
 
Thanks for all of the tips gentlemen.

A quick peak at the Lassen NP website shows the main park road is already closed due to snow. It also sounds like Sonora, Tioga, Ebbetts and Luther passes off of 395, are sure to be closed by mid/late November. Same for CA3 around the Trinity Mountains in Redwood Country which apparently doesn't get plowed in the winter.

Northern California in November may not have been my best idea. I'm starting to see why so many people travel in the summer.....

So maybe I should strongly consider one of these alternate itineraries? -
A) Death Valley to Tahoe to Sacramento to Mendocino and up the coast.
Or.....
:cool: DV to Bakersfield to Morro Bay and travel Hwy 1 north, through the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary and up the coast to Oregon

I'm still open to suggestions, including any that say, "Blow off the family holiday in Oregon and spend the week in Death Valley and then run the Mojave Road." ;)
 
If you've never done PCH through Big Sur I'd highly recommend it. From there North through SF, Bodega Bay, and Point Arena is mighty spectacular too...and by then, shoot, your almost to the Redwoods and then on to Oregon. Not a bad road trip at all.
 
Thanks SunMan -

I've only done PCH from the CA/OR state line down to San Francisco. I've never been south of San Francisco on Hwy 1.

Pismo and Oceano Dunes is where you can drive and camp on the beach, right? And isn't there a place where beach driving and camping is allowed up in Eureka?

Oh, this is sounding much better than fighting ski traffic to Tahoe, over the holiday week....
 
tioga pass open

Kcowyo, sorry to jump in on your post.

Tomas Tierra, we spent Friday night at about 9000' on Rock Creek south of Mammoth and got about 4-5 inches of snow. We were planning on going to Saddlebag Lake Saturday night but, as you noted, the pass closed. Ended up staying in one of the campgrounds on Lee Vining Creek just a couple of miles up from Lee Vining. The pass opened again later Saturday. We came home over Monitor pass on Sunday. The closure was temporary. With the weather we are getting right now, it is really hit and miss. No telling this time of year if you can make it. We plan to go to Yosemite again next week so hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Ted
 
KCowyo

Boy, that 395 is still pretty in the winter.. Nothing like snow capped peaks while on the way to bishop......

I'd vote for the drive up 395 then across anywhere open. Never know, Tioga pass might be open. If not, up to Tahoe then across to the coast. This would miss Big sur, but you can do Marin County and some wine country......If you get across the Tioga, you can run across to Big sur and still do the coast.

You can not go wrong either way. I'm almost jealous.

Dave in Seattle
 
Pismo and Oceano Dunes is where you can drive and camp on the beach, right? And isn't there a place where beach driving and camping is allowed up in Eureka?




Yes, you can camp there in Pismo & Oceano though I don't know how peaceful it would be, lots of ATV action there, I suppose there must be a hideaway or two around there. As for Eureka, I don't know, spent all my time in the Redwoods when I was up that way.
 
Pismo and Oceano Dunes is where you can drive and camp on the beach, right? And isn't there a place where beach driving and camping is allowed up in Eureka?

Clam Beach north of Arcata has camping and beach driving.

Have some fun out there.

G.
 
So many choices and great suggestions.

I've heard Pismo can be a madhouse. I have a real desire to drive and camp in my truck on the beach. Arcata or the Oregon Dunes would satisfy that need as well. It's been years since I've seen the ocean but I grew up on the NC Outerbanks. So I'm really pumped for this trip.

The Lost Coast should probably be saved for when I have more time. My new concern with a northern route through the mountains is due to possible delays. I don't want to set myself up for being late by trying to squeeze too much in on the way. Finding the most scenic and direct route is the goal. It's a long way to go and I don't want to be late for the big turkey dinner.

I'll have a friend travelling with me and I don't want her to miss a family holiday because we got caught in a storm in Mt. Shasta en route. This will be our second week on the road together and I want everything to go very smooth. I think my prior plans A & B are doable in the time frame. I should give her the choice, Lake Tahoe or Big Sur.

I had hoped for a more well rounded trip of the red canyons of Utah, the desert beauty in DV, the Sierras in California and then the perfect coast of Oregon. But I guess we could live without seeing the snow covered mountains, we have some of those here. :)

I'm still taking recommendations and I'll see what the lady says tomorrow.
 
As far as I know the only area in Pismo you can camp on the beach is an OHV area, and yes it is a complete madhouse. Monster trucks, beer, loud music, if that's what your into then I guess it would be good.
 
If you did the Sierra route, I'd take a few extra minutes after leaving Lake Tahoe and come down 89. Its a really beautiful drive after is snows (and even before) then take the mormon immigrant trail (if its open) back to highway 50. Too bad you'll be too late for Lassen VNP. Theres a lot of other scenic stuff up in that neck of the woods but it would slow you down a lot.

Or just stay on 395 after tahoe (though the northern part is no where near as scenic as the southern part) up to Alturas, take 299 over to 139 and up to the Lava Beds National Monument. http://www.nps.gov/labe/
Well worth the visit. Then on into Oregon.
 
First Post

Hello, I'm a brand-newbie. Been mining the forum for the wealth of good information for several weeks, and finally ordered a Grandby so decided to join. Will post photos and more info once I figure out how to 'operate the controls'.

Kcowyo, I was raised in that part of the country, though been gone a few decades. Some good tips in previous posts. Craig333 is right about Lava Beds; a nice, little-visited place that you should hit sometime. Lassen area, including Lake Almanor ditto though more visitors. The Alturas plateau is the least-populated area of CA, but probably better for spring or earlier fall. Try the Warner mountains in far NE corner if you get up there on another trip.

Farther south, highway 36 from Red Bluff to the coast is a nice, windy paved backroad through some very nice country. A good alternative to 299 since you've done that several times; same if you've already been across to Mendocino/Fort Bragg. Shouldn't be any snow there. The Lost Coast is well worth the day-trip if you can spare the time, and weather won't be a factor (it's either raining or not). As far as I know you can still drive on Clam Beach, though when I was in Arcata during August a young couple tried to drive their nice Tacoma across the river that empties there and ruined it; didn't have gills for that deep of water. I'm not fluent in the south-of-SF areas; generally guaranteed to be more folks by a good margin than farther north.

Enough talk from me. Have a great trip, whichever route.
 
Newbie...

I second Tomas' welcome. Sounds like you are setting up well and look forward to more posts from you. You will be some happy campers now!
Brian in NM
 
Welcome KngBee!

Question about your signature2007 Tundra DblCab 4x4
FWC Grandby on order

I also have a 2007 Tundra, and a 2008 ATC Cougar on order.

The ATC Cougar and FWC Grandy are equivalent.

It has been suggested to me that I probably should add air bags before I pick up my Cougar.

Do you already have air bags?

Mike
 
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