West Coast Route Question - Montana Owners Club

MikeM · 03-27-2007, 03:28 AM

We will soon be setting out from Mesa, AZ headed for Salem, OR and plan to do some driving up the coast, probably on 101 in CA. Any suggestions for CGs along the way or particular routes we should take/avoid?

adelmoll · 03-27-2007, 04:20 AM

Don't miss the Redwoods and once in Oregon there are wonderful State Parks all along the coast. It is beautiful. Most of the parks have full hook ups for $20.00 a night. Enjoy your trip.

Helen

Debbie Asher · 03-27-2007, 06:03 AM

Winchester Bay RV Resort at Salmon Harbor in Oregon is a beautiful campground. It's located north of North Bend and south of Reedsport. The Website is http://www.marinarvresort.com/ Also Gold Beach Oregon has some campground's on the Rouge River, haven't stayed there but have taken a look at the campground.

Rocky2 · 04-02-2007, 05:52 PM

We are currently work camping here in Gold Beach Oregon at "Turtle Rock Resort". For a night or two this would be a great stop - nice pull thrus. Close to the beach for a walk - don't have to drive. Pricier than the state parks.

In Crescent City CA the "Village Camper Inn" is a very pretty park off the beaten path a bit and in the redwoods.

In Bandon OR there is a nice park called "Bandon by the Sea RV Park" we stayed there fall of 2005 and they were in the process of updating the park (fairly new owners). It is right off 101 south of Bandon.

Have a wonderful trip.
Laura

HamRad · 04-02-2007, 11:33 PM

MikeM,
What part of the coast do you want to drive?

The LA section is nice but the traffic is awful. There are several very nice state parks just north of Malibu. Not too many commercial parks but there are a few. Usually very expensive.

The Central Coast is nice. Not as much traffic and the roads are very good. Again several state parks. A couple just north of Santa Barbara. The Flying Flags park where the Spring National Rally is being held is very nice. Up around the Morro Bay area there are several state parks and a fair number of commercial ones too.

At or very near Morro Bay Hwy. 1 and 101 split and you must decide which route to take. The Hwy. 1 is right on the coast and gets to be very narrow is some places. I think it would be OK to take your rig that route but plan on taking it easy. There are a few state and commercial parks along the way but not a lot. There are also a few county parks along all these areas.

As you near the Monterey area there are some really nice state parks around the Big Sur area. But by this time you are back into more traffic.

Once you get to the San Francisco Bay area I'd get over on one of the eastern freeways and go around. Even then traffic will be heavy. There is a lot to see and do in the SF area so don't just write it off.

After you get north of the bay I'd drive thru the Napa Valley area and gently head over toward the coast. Again there are tons of things to see and do in the Napa area. Also just north of there you can start finding groves of redwoods. Get on 101 and enjoy the drive north. I'd head for the Fort Ross area on the coast. Beautiful country. I'd also make this the point I'd go back away from the coast road because it is very narrow and windy with little or no shoulders and some very tight turns. But if you go slow and enjoy that sort of thing it is awesome.

By all means you must do the Redwoods just south of Eureka. Burlington Redwoods is our favorite. Park is a bit tight but we managed to get our 3295 into and out of the park with no scrapes. We have some pictures posted on our PictureTrail site of this area.

From there on just stay on the 1 / 101 and you'll be running into more pretty Redwoods and just plain old awesome scenery.

Enjoy your trip and if you have specific questions drop me and email. I'll be glad to try to fill in any blank spots.

Happy travels.

HamRad

BirdingRVer · 04-03-2007, 07:11 AM

To add on to what HamRad has posted.

Just North of Monterey is Marina Dunes RV Park. It is 8 miles from Fishermen's wharf, 10 from Cannery Row and right next to a state beach park. Rates are $65 - $75 for full hookups and they only have back-ins.

A road to avoid with your Montana at all cost is highway 1 between Mill Valley and Stinson Beach. This is the narrowest and curviest part of highway 1. The stretch of highway 1 along Big Sur is not recommended for RVs. So give it some serious thought before you head up way. However, do stop at Hearst Castle it is an unbelievable place and it is right before the start to the curvy narrow section of to Big Sur.

MikeM · 04-03-2007, 03:14 PM

Wow - great info from everyone and will go into our book for future travels! We saw the redwoods today starting at Phillipsville, CA and north to Pepperwood on the Avenue of the Giants just off of 101 and south of Eureka per HamRad's suggestion. What a fantastic sight. Made reservations at Winchester Bay RV Resort per Debbie's recommendation and looks like a great spot (very reasonable also).

HamRad - already thru LA and San Francisco when I got your post. LA was not fun - went around via 10 and 210 to 101 so wasn't too bad. However - went thru San Fran and across the Golden Gate on 101 and what a mistake!!! Traffic was horrendous at 2:30 PM and I was definitely stressed out by the time we cleared the area. Never again....

Heading out tomorrow for Winchester Bay and then on to Salem, OR to sit for a couple of weeks. Thanks again for all the feedback!

HamRad · 04-04-2007, 06:21 PM

MikeM,
Sorry we didn't get to you sooner. Since you took the 210 around the LA area you did about as good as could be expected. My suggestion from there would have been to head north on the I-5 and then west on the 126 to take you into the Ventura area. Of course 101 all the way up to Bay area. Slip around the Bay area on the east side and eventually hook up with the 101 again. But you are doing great and already enjoying the Redwoods...... so keep on what you're doing.

HamRad

patodonn · 04-06-2007, 07:20 AM

Mike: Timing is EVERYTHING when transiting either the Bay area or LA. Between 10 and 2 during a weekday or before 5AM or after 7PM. Weekends are somewhat better, early AM best for them. We try to "hole up" just short of the metro areas the night before and make the run during the slack times (a relative term).

Our advice re Hwy 1 is the same as others...avoid Hwy 1 in the Big Sur area and south of San Francisco. Both make great "day trips" from a more convenient CG near 101.

Our recommendation for by-passing the Bay area coming south on 101, is Hwy 37 (east) from just south of Novato to Vallejo, join I-80 for a short distance to I-780, take I-780 to I-680 to join 101 South near San Jose.

Enjoy the Oregon Coast..lovely place.

HamRad · 04-07-2007, 11:18 PM

Nan and P.J.,
Enjoy your trip to Europe. I know you will have a lovely time. See you when you get home. We'll have a new restaurant to go to when you come back. My daughter is now manager for an outfit called "Famous Dave's". Lots of good BBQ stuff.

See you later. Say.... who did you leave your dog with? A friend or relative I hope. It would be a long time in a kennel. Asking for possible future usage if situation should arise.

Dennis and Mary Kay

adelmoll · 04-08-2007, 03:18 AM

Dennis you are making me hungry for Famous Daves Ribs. Dave started his business in the Metro Area of Minnesota and we have been enjoying them for several years. He has awards for just about everything including Employer of the Year so your daughter should be very happy having him as the Head Honcho.

Helen

sreigle · 04-08-2007, 05:15 AM

If you are ready to stop when a few miles south of Willits, CA, we recommend Golden Rule RV Park. It's an ok park but what's special about it is that it is ON the Ridgewood Ranch, which was the Home of Seabiscuit. The sign that was there in 1948 is now face down in a field. But what's really cool is if you walk over to the old ranch buildings, the ranch's logo, worn by Seabiscuit, can still be seen on the buildings. When we were there they were just beginning to restore the buildings in preparation for tours. That was three years ago. I don't know if they completed it or not.

We lived in Willits in 1948 (I was just a year old) and my folks took the picture of the sign. So finding this sign had special meaning for me. It was tough to find since 101 has been rerouted but the road to the rv park is the old 101 and that's where I found the sign face down. I could tell by the shape of the sign that that was it.

The sign in 1948--

and in 2004--

Another park we enjoyed was Giant Redwood RV and Camp near Meyers Flat, CA, on 101 in the redwoods.

There are many beautiful rv parks in that part of the country. These are just two we visited back in 2004.

You may also like: