Hi,Looking for suggestions on what to do in Oegon, on our way to Olympic national Park. Like to see Mount Rainer also, then head north thru Canada to. Idaho or direct to the Sand Point area?We prefer camping in national park, forest cwmpgrounds, boondocking. We will take a class c and Jeep, street legal KTM motorcycle.Any rides I should see is helpful too, street and dirt!Thanks,Chuck

cbigham wrote:Hi,Looking for suggestions on what to do in Oegon, on our way to Olympic national Park. Like to see Mount Rainer also, then head north thru Canada to. Idaho or direct to the Sand Point area?We prefer camping in national park, forest cwmpgrounds, boondocking. We will take a class c and Jeep, street legal KTM motorcycle.Any rides I should see is helpful too, street and dirt!Thanks,ChuckI could have let you borrow my trip plan, lol.What I got from the natives is to hug the coastline.I have travelled the whole length of H-1 CA and continuing the next chapter to 101 with final destination at Olympic.Like you I will be taking national, state, country and city parks, when available, for my campsites.There was a similar thread on this where I was the OP if you care to learn from the answers as I did.

The Oregon coast is awesome, and is littered with wonderful State Parks. Just start looking for reservations now as they fill up for the summer. Some of the must sees are the lighthouses which also dot the coast, Cannon Beach, Tillamook Cheese Factory, and then in Austoria, the Lewis and Clark exhibits. (A cool side trip would be to see the Spruce Goose in McMinnville.

Kalaloch is a great campground to stay at on the coast near the Olympic National Park. I would drive up north from there around Lake Crescent and make my way through Sequim to Port Townsend. Very quaint Victorian style town on the water with an excellent Saturday Farmer's market and shops. There are a couple of SP's in the area but depending on time of year, they may be completely booked (Fort Worden in Port Townsend and Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island - which is a great motorcycle ride, we take our scooters). If those are full, you should have good luck getting a spot in Port Ludlow RV Park, which seems like a SP with all the trees and seclusion. There is a ferry that goes from Port Townsend over to Whidbey Island - lots to do and see there (couple more SP's - Fort Ebey and Fort Casey) and a GREAT island to motorcycle on. You can continue heading East by going north on the island through Deception Pass to I-5 and onto either Hwy 2 or further south on I-90 to Idaho.Sounds like a great trip - have a fabulous time!

I drive up to Seattle at least once a year, sometimes more. I really like the East Side of the Cascades up through Bend. Cross the Columbia R near Goldendale, WA and then across the Yakima Res. You can cross the Cascades on White Pass and come out at Mt Rainier. The weather on the East Side is much better. There is little traffic and it is scenic. I do not like the windy coast roads up and down in the fog, especially pulling a rig. You will get plenty of rain and fog when you head over to the Olympic Peninsula.

To put this in order, Coming north along the Or. coast, you must transit over to I-5 at Portland then north to See Mt St. Hellens, then north again on I-5 to Highway 14 to get over to Mt Rainer and back again to I-5 and north to Olympia and 101 back out to the Olympic Park.After seeing the park, IT's highway 20 from Port Townsend, all the way to eastern WA. (that's the north Cascade Highway, and a beautiful drive.Wave when you come by the house :)

Oregon, washington, Idaho then back to CA ideas

Tom_Barb
Explorer
Mar 30, 2019
A note about crossing the north Cascades Highway, going East your last good rest area is Newhalem. watch for it on the left as you enter town. It's just a pull out area, no hookups.

There is a camp grounds at Colonial Creek. no hookups.

then it's 87 miles to Winthrop.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Mar 30, 2019
profdant139 wrote:
Tom and Barb, just for future reference, are the logging roads marked on the forest service Motor Vehicle Use Maps? Or are the "camping friendly" roads marked in a different way?

Thanks for clearing this up!

All the State forest service roads have a NUMBER posted, those that don't have other uses.
May be some ones drive way, may be a private logging road, Ya just never know?

99% of the state owned land is on a lease to a tree farmers. their roads are gated. You'll not find any tree farms in the parks, timber sales in the park, are let to the highest bidder, on sealed bid sales. Loggers make the UN numbered roads in the park.
profdant139
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2019
Tom and Barb, just for future reference, are the logging roads marked on the forest service Motor Vehicle Use Maps? Or are the "camping friendly" roads marked in a different way?

Thanks for clearing this up!
Durb
Explorer
Mar 30, 2019
Hope you are budgeting a lot of time for your trip. There is a lot of beautiful country up here and it is widely spaced. I like Silver Falls State park for a day. It isn't too far off of I5 out of Salem.
azdryheat
Explorer
Mar 30, 2019
Visit the air museum where the Spruce Goose lives. LINK
ppine
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2019
If you want to go to Idaho from WA, take Route 20 across the northern part of the state. Skip the Interstate.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Mar 30, 2019
cbigham wrote:
Doesnt look like theres roads crossing Olympic, mostly around circumference. Anything to see on the way to Sand Point?

No roads cross the Olympic mountains because most of it is a park. and mountains up to 8000'

things to see crossing the state.

leaving Port Townsend, the ferry ride, Fort Cassy, north on 20 deception park/ the pass. stay on 20, and take the Seattle light tours in Newhalem, ride the lake boat see the power houses. and have dinner crew style. then the north cascade highway. ending at Winthrop, wind your way to Grand Cooley and the Dam. & lake Rosevelt. Then it is wheat country to Spokane.
2scootn
Explorer
Mar 30, 2019
If you take Hwy 20 over to Sandpoint, Winthrop is a old western town along the way. If staying in Shelton, there are neat little towns along the Hood canal (Potlatch, Hoodsport to name a couple).

If taking Hwy 2 over, Leavenworth is a Bavarian town that would be a good stop. Not much off of I-90 other than Vantage and the Columbia river.

A lot to see up here in WA as well as OR.
cbigham
Explorer III
Mar 30, 2019
Thanks,
We will also stop in Shelton for a few days to see my nephew, stationed at McChord/Lewis. Doesnt look like theres roads crossing Olympic, mostly around circumference. Anything to see on the way to Sand Point?
Ed_Gee
Explorer II
Mar 30, 2019
One place not mentioned, Fort Stevens State Park, near Astoria Oregon. Superb RV camping and walk over to look at the huge gun emplacements from WWII.