Longview Washington... to central cal... Columbia gorge?

The gorge is beautiful this time of year! The weather man said on tonight's news that we will be 65-70 for the next week-10 days. 84 (freeway) is much easier drive than the 14 (2 lane)on the WASH side of the Columbia. Stop at Multnomah Falls and take a walk. So many things to see. We forget how beautiful the area we live in is! Turn off at The Dalles and head south towards Bend. It is a 2 lane road, but so pretty this time of year. Hope you have time to enjoy our area!

If you have done the coast, take another road just to see the other side of the world. 97 is beautiful as is 395 which we took last June. 395 goes thru John Day and you really need to stop there to check out the Chinese Museum and the Fossil beds, (both have parking for a 40'er.) 97 by-passes Crater Lake and if you haven't seen it, its worth the short detour. There may be issues with high elevations and snow depending when your going.

Don't cross the Columbia River at the Hood River Bridge. It is very narrow and there is not much room for an error.

I tried it once in our RV last month and it was a $3800 ride. Don't ask how I know.

It can be done but it's very tight.

Grew up in the Gorge have been to Longview many times. If I understand you are staring there seems to me only reasonable approach (to see gorge and coast is to go down to Vancover and go east on the WA on 14 to Maryville, cross over at to The Dalles and head back west on 84 avoid old Highway not big rig friendly, to Astoria or go down and crossover south of Portland and do the Oregon coast. The Gorge is in my mind a must see and would only add maybe 200 miles and both sides are worth seeing. Hope I didn't misunderstand your question.

After 67 years on the planet and having driven in 44 of the 50 states it is my biased opinion there is no better place to live than Bend Oregon on US Hiway 97 .
The drive from the Columbia River Gorge via 197 and 97 is generally around 4000 ' ASL after climbing out of THE GORGE . Sunny ,dry and gorgeous .
Having said that we love to take our trailer to the Oregon Coast and have camped from Astoria to Brookings . Cloudy , wet and gorgeous .
You cannot go wrong either way .
Further , I love Morro Bay in the winter and we have pulled our trailer down that California Coast stretch several times also .
If you can take an extra day or two right now is some of the best camping time in Oregon , whichever route you choose .
Although we mainly boondock , you cannot beat Oregon State Parks for quality and the current winter rates .
Tumalo State Park is near Bend .
Favorite Oregon Coast campsite is Bullard's Beach , Harris , Beachside , South Beach S.P. , Honeyman ,...........

enblethen wrote:
There is no mountain. There is a climb out of the gorge onto the eastern Oregon Plateau. Then it is fairly level.
It is about 2500 foot climb out of the gorge over about 10-15 miles.

That's the one, thanks.

Your in Longview? Cross the bridge and head west. When you hit US101 turn south. Depending on how much time you have plan on a lot of stops. Any of the Oregon State Parks, plus winchester bay RV park, netarts bay rv park are great places to stop with fantastic views.

As you go east on I84, you have several options for turning south:

OR35 at Hood River climbs gradually pass orchards and then forest, meeting US26 on the SE flank of Mt Hood. Just a bit west of that junction is the turn off to Timberline Lodge, well up on Mt Hood. US26 then drops gradually to the Deschutes River and US97.

At The Dalles, I84 enters the dry side of Oregon. US197 runs south to US97. It has a drop and climb a Maupin.

US97 is further along, and has a gradual climb to uplands of central Oregon.

One way or other you have to climb from sealevel along the Gorge to 5000' around Bend (and points south). But for the most part the climbs are gradual.

There is no mountain. There is a climb out of the gorge onto the eastern Oregon Plateau. Then it is fairly level.
It is about 2500 foot climb out of the gorge over about 10-15 miles.

Couple years ago we went from the Central Coast (Morro Bay) to Anacordes via Klamath Falls, Bend, and Gig Harbor. I enjoyed the ecenery, DW wasn't as impressed. Took 97 most of the way to 84 and west along the Columbia River. Don't remember the town or route but south of 84 Hwy 97 goes over a mountain. I was told the road is pretty windy and steep in spots. Pulling a 38' 5th wheel so I took the longer eastern route. There was a turnout I missed with a large parking lot that had markers that when you stood facing the marker the mountains in the distance were described with all relevent data.