Austin, TX to Portland, Oregon any suggestions?

Thanks for all the information, this is good stuff!

Bob Nestor said "hard driving" and I agree. My only question is what was he driving and how fast was he going? 3 1/2 days to do 2300 miles is to much for this old man. 2300 is going across 40 to Bakersfield and up I-5. That depends on the Dec. weather. We limit our driving to no more than 450 mi. but usually around 300 to 350 pulling a 37 ft 5er. Anyway have a good trip. I'm still shaking my head at 2300 mi in 3.5 days...WOW...John

MottissMT36RL wrote:
Any way you go it's 7 to 10 days to Portland depending on how far you want to drive.

I just returned from a 10 day trip from Dallas to Portland and back; northern route out, I-40 semi-southern route back. It's 3-1/2 days of hard driving one way from Dallas, and by hard driving I mean about 10 hrs per day. I've done the northern route in the winter too, but I wouldn't recommend it. Once got turned around by a whiteout and ended up doing the southern route. Like others have said, that time of year do the southern route. And unless you're really into long hours of driving plan on one way taking about 5 days.

All good answers.
THE CHP will sometimes close the Interstate 5 at Dunsmuir , CA or Yreka .
The weather will often be good at Redding .
Before leaving Redding check with the CHP regarding the stretch to Medford Oregon.
No point in spending an extra day in a snowstorm when you can be in 45 degree weather at Redding .

We travel from The Woodlands to Seattle WA every year. We go up in June and return around late Oct. We normally start our drive home at Woodburn OR, after visiting friends in the Portland area. It takes us at least 7 days to get to the Austin area. This is driving at least 1 or 2 days of 400 mi. We normally come down I-5 through CA. to Bakersfield, then CA-58 over to Barstow and I-40 then drop down at Needles CA. to I-10 and Pheonix. After that we take 10 to 290 and 290 into the north end of Houston. The CA trip is the usual way because of the weather at that time of year. We have come across I-40 through northern AZ and NM, but that all depends on the weather, as does coming across nortern OR on I-84 to I-80 in WY then down I-25 through CO. to Raton NM, then on US-87 to Amarillo and on southeast through Texas. The latter is the route we took to come up this Spring. Any way you go it's 7 to 10 days to Portland depending on how far you want to drive. On the I-10/I-5 route the only problem we have had was snow in the Siskyou's in Northern CA. and Southern OR. but we just waited an extra day and made the run on a day the highways and the skies were clear. There are lots of grades between Redding CA. and Roseburg OR., so the going is not like west Texas. Any of the routes I have mentioned are good drives and but different. I'll be headed the other way in late Oct./early Nov. If you want stops and RvPk's on any of the routes message me and I will give you our stops and favorite RvPk's. Have a great trip. Be safe...John...PS, You must carry tire chains in OR in the winter.

Thanks for the info everyone, yeah I started to think that 2 weeks may not be enough time for that trip. Either way I'd still like any info about it as we will still be doing it at some point as we have family up here.

Keep in mind that unless you are going to drive all day long every day it will take 5-6 days just to get there. And that is without side trips along the way. Many side trips and you will get there in time to turn around and head back.
Over 2,300 miles each way. Over 450 miles per day for 5 days, about 400 miles per day for 6 days.

Chances are you will run into snow or ice that time of year. As has been stated, you will be legally required to have chains on board through the Siskiyous. As has been recommended above, staying south all the way to I-5 is essential. If you are prepared to wait out a storm for a day or two you will probably be OK.

Stay South until you get to I5. North on I5 you really have only the Siskiyou's to worry about and in most cased the last two weeks of Dec are still a little early to be real concerned about a major snow storm. Not to say it can't happen it is just a little early for a real heavy snow storm and in most cases if you have to if you lay over for a day or two in Redding you can make it across. Carry chains, if you get stopped and don't have them it is a heavy fine.