CA 199 from Crescent City, CA to Grants Pass, OR

Just don't attempt the Howland Hill shortcut through Jedidiah Smith Park. :)

GM streetview, Howland Hill Rd

US199, JSmith State Park

I do this route all the time, I love it compared to I-5. For many years I've done it with a 38' Bounder towing a Chrysler on a dolly with no problem. The road seems wider then it was 20 years ago when I used to do it with a Teton fiver. I now have a fiver again and still love this route, the only place I'm extra cautious is while going between the redwood trees at Jedidiah Smith State Park. You can see scrape marks on the trees from trucks getting to close. The drive is very scenic so just take it easy and enjoy the sights, just remember to pull over when folks build up behind you.

It's a beautiful drive. Just go slow.

Mike

If you are a freeway person driving the curves and roads of the Northwest can be pucker string country. If you are a back roads driver then roads like 199 are the norm. We drive lots around here that make 199 look like a wide easy road. I have driven 199 with a 35 footer pulling a trailer and thought it was nothing but then you should see where I was before that..

A couple of narrow spots and tight curves on 199...but a good rad otherwise. I have pulled on the road many times and never had a problem. 18 wheelers use that all the time also. Plenty of passing lanes.

I always liked the drive on 199, and used to live 7 miles west of Grants Pass, where 199 joins I5. I never was concerned with driving 199, and had a relaxing drive the last time I was on it, with a 30' motorhome towing a dune buggy.

But mountain driving never did un-nerve me, especially if you have the time. You probably don't want to top off the gas in California, or in Cave Junction, (will be a little less expensive than CA) wait to Grants Pass to top off with fuel.

If you are wondering what your RV weight is, outside of Grants Pass, there is a scale on the right had side of the road. It will widen up a lot just before the scale, and look on the right. There is a turn off to Wilderville just before the scale. Last time I was there, I drove the RV and buggy across it, got the weights for the front and rear axles, and buggy too. The scale weight portion is on most of the time. 2 miles east of the scale, the highway turns into 4 lanes, until you reach Grants Pass, so easy to pass then. If someone asks when you stop at the scale, tell them you wanted the cars to get past you, and saw the wide opening. Look at the scale readout as you pass by. They are actually checking the weight of the logging trucks, to estimate how many board feet of lumber they have on board. And of course looking for overweight trucks too. RV's don't normally have to stop at a scale, but it is a free way to check the RV weight, and make sure you are not exceeding your axle or tire limits.

Have fun camping! There are many great places to camp. Lake Selma is another. Or Schroder Park in Grants Pass, right on the Rouge River, you can see the jet boats go by on their way to Hellgate Canyon. Lots of fun.

Hellgate.com

Fred.

The alternative is continuing on up US101, and crossing the coast mountains on something like OR42 or OR38.

US199 (not CA) follows the Smith River until close to the OR border, at which point it passes through a tunnel. From there it follows broader valleys into Oregon.

We drove this in a 37' motorhome towing a small trailer. The part of this drive in California is narrow and twisty. We nicked the right side getting too close to a guard rail. Fun drive in a sports car or on a motorcycle.

We did it in my Corvette and had a ball....oh! wait! you've got a 35' motorhome...no you won't have a ball...that road is for motorcycles, Porsches and Vettes......just sayin....Dennis

I did it in my 36 foot class A with car in tow. It is narrow in parts and some tight turns but I found it to be enjoyable.