AZ to OR- which route is flatter?

For some people traveling with an RV is for finding destinations like NP. Those locations are like pearls. I think the string in the pearls, the roads connecting them is just as important maybe more so. I love the road and have been a road warrior since the 1960s. There is nothing I love more than a great highway like US 395. I was there last week and travel it often.

2gypsies wrote:
It appears you have a small RV. Why are you looking for flattest? You're traveling in beautiful areas and hills are a part of it. Don't avoid major secondary highways. That's where you'll find the beauty. Forget about I-5 in California!

Here's my thinking. I'm leaving Monday and would like to arrive Wednesday. That means Tuesday will be a long travel day (prob 6AM-noon and 3-9PM). I can do that- I get in a groove and just 'iron butt' it. But it's a lot easier to do if I can basically put on the cruise and go. Concentrating on up and down grades and slowing or stopping through small towns tires me out.

I've done cross country on I-40 and I-10 that way a few times. It just works better for me to put my head down and not worry about the scenery. That's why I'm leaning towards I-5.

Where are you heading on the OR Coast?

2gypsies and I are on the same page with the 395....have driven it up and back essentially for 5 trips from Tucson.

Going up here is what we would do - sounds a little complicated but it is not.

10 to AZ95 to I40 to 58 to 395 to 299 to 139 which turns into 39 in OR to 97 and then wherever you are going.

Probably not the fastest but nice driving and beautiful.

I would not do the I-5 period.

All routes are pretty flat most of the time. Route 95 in Nevada is easy but boring. So is I-5 except for the Siskiyous in southern Oregon.
If you want to see the country, take US 395 in Owens Valley. There are a couple of grades, all are short except for Bishop to Mammoth.

Last summer, I took I-5 to the Oregon Coast and was pleasantly surprised that they had repaved some long stretches since I last drove on it. Wasn't a bad drive.

When I've taken 95 to the coast, I go 95 to Fallon, then 50/80/395/44/89 to I-5 by Mt Shasta.

Try this website:
www.flattestroute.com

Look at the graphs under the resulting map. If you pass your mouse pointer over the graph, it will pinpoint the position on the map.

I'd also recommending you avoid California unless you take 395 on the eastern Sierras. It's a gorgeous drive, nice wide highway with a few 'ups' but not serious. Or go up through Nevada.

It appears you have a small RV. Why are you looking for flattest? You're traveling in beautiful areas and hills are a part of it. Don't avoid major secondary highways. That's where you'll find the beauty. Forget about I-5 in California!

Have a good trip and a good gig!

This is a tough one.....both routes are flat for long distances. I have driven both many times. Not sure the 95 route you have in mind is the best for flat. The most extensive mountainous driving will be in Northern California above Redding, and Oregon. Because of that, and because I like to avoid California all together, I recommend 95 all the way north through Nevada - and north from Winnemucca to Oregon 78 - to Burns where you get on Oregon 20 West - to Oregon 126 which can take you west to Florence on the coast. The only mountains you would go over are the Cascades and 20/126 route over them is fairly quick and easy. An option in Nevada that will save some time is leave 95 at Tonopah and take 376 North to Austin and then 305 north to 80 and down to Winnemucca where you would pick up 95 north into Oregon again. This route is even flatter and more boring but perfectly acceptable for any RV.

My recommendation would be to learn Google Maps. Great route planning and with satellite and street views. You can see where the mountains and flatlands are in satellite view and in street view you can move down onto the street itself to see what the road looks like.

Where on the coast? Personally to avoid CA as much as possible, I would take 395 to just north of Lakeview, 31 NW to LaPine, 97 north to Bend, 20 toward Salem. There is one short climb on 31 and about 15 miles oit of Sisters. The rest is relatively flat. This will drop you onto the central coast at Lincoln City. South coast? Thats a different story. No matter what your going to have climbs and decents getting here.