Driving up west coast, California North
I have a 40 foot 5th wheel and we want to drive up the western coast of USA. How is it? Is US 1 and the 101 workable for us? We aren't in any rush but want to see lots of things along the coast....
Forum Discussion
Highway 1 is doable unless you're a flatlander and afraid of heights and curves. The section of Highway 1 between Morro Bay and Monterey is easier than the northern section. At 40 feet on the 5er you are pushing the edge of the legal limit for the road as over 40 feet is prohibited. I probably would not do the northern section of Highway 1 with your rig as big as it is, but there are lots of things to see and do on the northern section of 101, where as the southern section of 101 is farmland and bugs.
The only recommendation I'd make if you do decide to take 1, is it is better to go from north to south on it. You'll be on the ocean side of the road, but that is where all the pullouts are. There are very few pullouts on the mountain side of the road and when you do find one you have to cross the highway to get to the ocean and you are often on steep curves to do that with nut balls driving way too fast around the curves. If you're going in the summer months, I would avoid highway 1 completely on the weekends. There will be a lot of traffic on summer weekends and I wouldn't want to deal with that pulling a 40 footer.
The only recommendation I'd make if you do decide to take 1, is it is better to go from north to south on it. You'll be on the ocean side of the road, but that is where all the pullouts are. There are very few pullouts on the mountain side of the road and when you do find one you have to cross the highway to get to the ocean and you are often on steep curves to do that with nut balls driving way too fast around the curves. If you're going in the summer months, I would avoid highway 1 completely on the weekends. There will be a lot of traffic on summer weekends and I wouldn't want to deal with that pulling a 40 footer.
