Family and I are full timing this year and we spent the month up in Ferndale, WA to visit Vancouver, the N. Cascades NP, and then whale watching. The next stop was a long weekend of tent camping in Olympic but we had ridiculous rain for a couple weeks. So this weekend was going to be our Olympic weekend until the keystone cops in DC shut it all down. So we had two weeks planned for Olympic, then Redwoods, and a day trip to Lassen. All closed.We're thinking of waiting it out but now there's talk of the shut down lasting until at least the 17th when the debt limit deadline hits. Do I need to be concerned about snow this time of year? I read that crater lake already had an early snowfall, 8 inches I think it said. Could grants pass become unpassable in October? Does the temperatures at night normally dip lower than the 40's this time of year? Currently we're in Auburn but we have to get out tomorrow morning (county park has an event this weekend). So we have to decide whether to find someplace to hole up for another couple weeks or to just shine it all and continue on our way to Central CA.

Usually the weather is nice in October.

I thought it was going to be nice but the last two weeks (until yesterday) have been pretty brutal. Lots of inside games with the kids. We're pretty hearty, a hike in the rain is fun, but this has been downpour after downpour. Pretty miserable stuff. It's such a shame, it looks like we're going to have the perfect weekend, was going to leave and visit today through Sunday, great weather until showers Sunday afternoon. But gates are closed

Have you looked at the state parks - both Washington and Oregon? The coastal ones remain open well into the fall, often year around. Clallam county also has parks on the Olympic Penn, including Salt Creek. Cape Flattery at the far NW corner probably is still open, since it is on Indian land. http://www.clallam.net/Parks/SaltCreek.htmlhttp://northolympic.com/files/capeflatterytrail/index.htmlOlympic NP has only 2, maybe 3, campgrounds for car campers. Most of the camping on the Wash and OR coast is state parks and private.If I recall correctly Crater Lake is the only Nat Park in Oregon. There is a lot of Nat Forest in the state, but their campgrounds tend to be more primitive than most RVnet campers like. Plus most will already have been closed for the season by the concessionaires. The Federal closures shouldn't put too much of a crimp on coast recreation opportunities.Now the California Redwoods might be affected more. Some are in state parks, but they are operated in cooperation with the larger Nat Parks in the area.

Some good alternative choices: In WA, Salt Creek Recreation Area (near Port Angeles), Cape Disappointment State Park (Ilwaco), Grayland Beach State Park (south of Westport), and any of a terrific array of Oregon State Parks along the coast.

Be sure to check that there is space available in the state parks - with the closure of the national parks, the nearby state parks are being overrun in some areas...

Roads/Weather in NW in October? | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

mockturtle
Explorer II
Oct 04, 2013
Some good alternative choices: In WA, Salt Creek Recreation Area (near Port Angeles), Cape Disappointment State Park (Ilwaco), Grayland Beach State Park (south of Westport), and any of a terrific array of Oregon State Parks along the coast.
paulj
Explorer II
Oct 04, 2013
Have you looked at the state parks - both Washington and Oregon? The coastal ones remain open well into the fall, often year around. Clallam county also has parks on the Olympic Penn, including Salt Creek. Cape Flattery at the far NW corner probably is still open, since it is on Indian land.

http://www.clallam.net/Parks/SaltCreek.html

http://northolympic.com/files/capeflatterytrail/index.html

Olympic NP has only 2, maybe 3, campgrounds for car campers. Most of the camping on the Wash and OR coast is state parks and private.

If I recall correctly Crater Lake is the only Nat Park in Oregon. There is a lot of Nat Forest in the state, but their campgrounds tend to be more primitive than most RVnet campers like. Plus most will already have been closed for the season by the concessionaires. The Federal closures shouldn't put too much of a crimp on coast recreation opportunities.

Now the California Redwoods might be affected more. Some are in state parks, but they are operated in cooperation with the larger Nat Parks in the area.
love4god
Explorer
Oct 04, 2013
I thought it was going to be nice but the last two weeks (until yesterday) have been pretty brutal. Lots of inside games with the kids. We're pretty hearty, a hike in the rain is fun, but this has been downpour after downpour. Pretty miserable stuff. It's such a shame, it looks like we're going to have the perfect weekend, was going to leave and visit today through Sunday, great weather until showers Sunday afternoon. But gates are closed
2oldman
Explorer II
Oct 04, 2013
Usually the weather is nice in October.

Forum Discussion

Roads/Weather in NW in October?

14 Replies

About Bucket List Trips

Related Content

I 15 weather/road conditions “App

Yellowstone in October

how do you follow weather on the road

New Brunswick – – – mid-October

Road and weather May 2015