Have not made this voyage before. This will be in June-September. Not interested in the fastest route....just the easiest route. Minimum of curvy roads...lots of passing lanes....minimum of logging trucks, etc.Did some searches and my first thought is to drive south on I5 to Weed, CA and head north on Hwy 97 direct to Bend.Lots of alternative routes if I go north to Albany, Roseburg or Eugene and go east from there. Last possibility is I5 to 234/99 to 62 to 230 to 138 to 97.....Any comments will be appreciated, keeping in mind...no stress....no hurry....might even stop over at night. Thanks

I would recommend the OR62 route. It's the most direct. It gets higher than the other choices, but none of the grades are difficult. The grade on 138 to 97 is just long and straight. There are some curves as it follows the Rouge River, but nothing exceptional. There may be some logging traffic, but most of the traffic will be rvs taking in the sights on the way to/from Crater Lake.I5 north or south will have more truck traffic. US97 is also a major truck route. The one time I took I5 over the pass (in a car) it felt like I was playing hopscotch with the trucks. It might have been different if I was in an RV and stuck to the slow lane (but trucks tend to speed up on the downgrades, even in the slow lane).138 from Roseburn is also pretty, and not too steep or curvy, but a little more out your way. OR58 is one of the easier Cascade routes. The climb from US97 to the pass is barely discernible. But it is also busier.Diamond Lake and Lemolo Lake at the top of 138 is a nice area to stop and camp, with lakes and waterfalls.

"Not interested in the fastest route....just the easiest route. Minimum of curvy roads...lots of passing lanes....minimum of logging trucks, etc."I would say down to Weed, then up 97. Seems like the easiest. But it sure is a round about way to get there.

Noel wrote:Have not made this voyage before. This will be in June-September. Not interested in the fastest route....just the easiest route. Minimum of curvy roads...lots of passing lanes....minimum of logging trucks, etc.Did some searches and my first thought is to drive south on I5 to Weed, CA and head north on Hwy 97 direct to Bend.NO ON I5 to Weed as you have to go over the Siskyou with a lot of trucks and it's a long way around. Lots of alternative routes if I go north to Albany, Roseburg or Eugene and go east from there.Same thing going north. Last possibility is I5 to 234/99 to 62 to 230 to 138 to 97.....Lots of people take this way,I would if I lived on the other side of Blackwell Hill Any comments will be appreciated, keeping in mind...no stress....no hurry....might even stop over at night. The easy way for you would be I5 to ext. 30 and go NE ( left ) their will be a lots of traffic for the next 6 miles or so, not bad after you get pass White City. You will be going Hwy 62 to Union Cr. than 230 to 138 Rt. to 97 left to Bend. This is a nice drive but you will have trucks,RVs and summer traffic, but if you leave early ( 6:00 am or after 9am ) it won't be to bad, don't go after 3:00 pm a lot of traffic after that time.I have lived in this area since 1965 and make the trip quit often, let me know if I can be of more help. Jay Thanks

J Herb - It's hard to identify your comments within the quote.Most of the traffic you refer to is local and commuter traffic out of Medford, right?

Easiest summertime drive - Grants Pass, OR to Bend, OR ?

9 Replies

johntank
Explorer
Dec 02, 2014
SteveAE wrote:
Noel,

I do this drive quite a bit.
I-5 South to Crater Lake exit.
Follow this "shortcut" through the little community of Gold Hill to hwy 234 (again signed for Crater Lake).
Take 234 to 62
Take 62 to 138 (Great places along the Rogue River to camp)
Take 138 to 97
Take 97 North to Bend.

Yes, straighter would be I5 South to Weed, then Hwy 97 North to Bend....but why???? May be straighter, but greater likelihood of hitting a deer.

Steve

Sorry but 62 does not go all the way to 138 one has to take 230 that goes between the two, maybe you forgot about the split with 64 going hard right and 230 just bearing left.
SteveAE
Explorer
Dec 01, 2014
Noel,

I do this drive quite a bit.
I-5 South to Crater Lake exit.
Follow this "shortcut" through the little community of Gold Hill to hwy 234 (again signed for Crater Lake).
Take 234 to 62
Take 62 to 138 (Great places along the Rogue River to camp)
Take 138 to 97
Take 97 North to Bend.

Yes, straighter would be I5 South to Weed, then Hwy 97 North to Bend....but why???? May be straighter, but greater likelihood of hitting a deer.

Steve
J_herb
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2014
paulj wrote:
J Herb - It's hard to identify your comments within the quote.

Most of the traffic you refer to is local and commuter traffic out of Medford, right?

Right about the local and commuter traffic.
I messed up on the first posting and hope that I fixed it.
J_herb
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2014
J herb wrote:
J herb wrote:
Noel wrote:
Have not made this voyage before. This will be in June-September. Not interested in the fastest route....just the easiest route. Minimum of curvy roads...lots of passing lanes....minimum of logging trucks, etc.

Did some searches and my first thought is to drive south on I5 to Weed, CA and head north on Hwy 97 direct to Bend.

NO ON I5 to Weed as you have to go over the Siskyou with a lot of trucks and it's a long way around.

Lots of alternative routes if I go north to Albany, Roseburg or Eugene and go east from there.
[COLOR=]Same thing going north.

Last possibility is I5 to 234/99 to 62 to 230 to 138 to 97.....

Lots of people take this way,
[COLOR=]I would if I lived on the other side of Blackwell Hill

Any comments will be appreciated, keeping in mind...no stress....no hurry....might even stop over at night.

[COLOR=#ff0000]The easy way for you would be I5 to ext. 30 and go NE ( left ) their will be a lots of traffic for the next 6 miles or so, not bad after you get pass White City. You will be going Hwy 62 to Union Cr. than 230 to 138 Rt. to 97 left to Bend.
This is a nice drive but you will have trucks,RVs and summer traffic, but if you leave early ( 6:00 am or after 9am ) it won't be to bad, don't go after 3:00 pm a lot of traffic after that time.
I have lived in this area since 1965 and make the trip quit often, let me know if I can be of more help. Jay

Thanks
paulj
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2014
J Herb - It's hard to identify your comments within the quote.

Most of the traffic you refer to is local and commuter traffic out of Medford, right?
J_herb
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2014
messed this up, try again
J_herb
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2014
Noel wrote:
Have not made this voyage before. This will be in June-September. Not interested in the fastest route....just the easiest route. Minimum of curvy roads...lots of passing lanes....minimum of logging trucks, etc.

Did some searches and my first thought is to drive south on I5 to Weed, CA and head north on Hwy 97 direct to Bend.
NO ON I5 to Weed as you have to go over the Siskyou with a lot of trucks and it's a long way around.

Lots of alternative routes if I go north to Albany, Roseburg or Eugene and go east from there.
Same thing going north.

Last possibility is I5 to 234/99 to 62 to 230 to 138 to 97.....
Lots of people take this way,
I would if I lived on the other side of Blackwell Hill

Any comments will be appreciated, keeping in mind...no stress....no hurry....might even stop over at night.

The easy way for you would be I5 to ext. 30 and go NE ( left ) their will be a lots of traffic for the next 6 miles or so, not bad after you get pass White City. You will be going Hwy 62 to Union Cr. than 230 to 138 Rt. to 97 left to Bend.
This is a nice drive but you will have trucks,RVs and summer traffic, but if you leave early ( 6:00 am or after 9am ) it won't be to bad, don't go after 3:00 pm a lot of traffic after that time.
I have lived in this area since 1965 and make the trip quit often, let me know if I can be of more help. Jay

Thanks
korbe
Explorer
Dec 01, 2014
"Not interested in the fastest route....just the easiest route. Minimum of curvy roads...lots of passing lanes....minimum of logging trucks, etc."
I would say down to Weed, then up 97. Seems like the easiest. But it sure is a round about way to get there.
paulj
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2014
I would recommend the OR62 route. It's the most direct. It gets higher than the other choices, but none of the grades are difficult. The grade on 138 to 97 is just long and straight. There are some curves as it follows the Rouge River, but nothing exceptional. There may be some logging traffic, but most of the traffic will be rvs taking in the sights on the way to/from Crater Lake.

I5 north or south will have more truck traffic. US97 is also a major truck route. The one time I took I5 over the pass (in a car) it felt like I was playing hopscotch with the trucks. It might have been different if I was in an RV and stuck to the slow lane (but trucks tend to speed up on the downgrades, even in the slow lane).

138 from Roseburn is also pretty, and not too steep or curvy, but a little more out your way. OR58 is one of the easier Cascade routes. The climb from US97 to the pass is barely discernible. But it is also busier.

Diamond Lake and Lemolo Lake at the top of 138 is a nice area to stop and camp, with lakes and waterfalls.

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Easiest summertime drive - Grants Pass, OR to Bend, OR ?

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