My family and I are currently in Forks, WA. We had an amazing long weekend visiting Olympic NP. We already visited the Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland areas on our way here. The next stop on our trip is going to be NoCal and specifically Redwoods NP and Lassen NP. I'm trying to figure out the right route.Our original plan was to just drive to Redding and camp there. Then take a day trip to each of the parks. Lassen is fine but Redwoods is 3hr 18m according to g-maps. That's doable but a REALLY long day. We could take the 101 all the way from Forks. The map says it will add about 2 hours to the drive but I'm worried about driving my 32' Fiver all the way down the 101. It looks awfully windy on the map. More than that, I'm really nervous about the looks of the 299 going across the mountains to return to Redding from the Redwoods.Has anyone driven these roads or have an alternative or preferable route I should take?Basically we're in NW WA and we want to visit Redwoods and Lassen before heading down to the Bay area to visit friends in SF and Salinas. Thanks.

I would go down I-5 to Grants Pass, then cut over to Crescent City on US 99. Yes, there is more scenic like US 101. Sure it will take longer but better scenery.Then cut back across to Redding on CA 299.

I like scenic, but how are the roads on that route, 99 to 101 to 299?Big steep pulls up and down the mountain, narrow mountain roads? Or are they more like interstate type roads with plenty of room and moderate inclines/declines?Towing a 32' Wildcat with an '03 GMC DMax/Allison (2500HD).

oops! it should be US 199. It is a good two lane highway. Last few miles into Crescent City is very curvy going through some old growth trees. Truck traffic.US 101 climbs a little to gop throught he redwoods south of Crescent City. Not bad though.299 is a well traveled two lane curvy road that isn't bad. Truck traffic.

Back in August we actually took 299 out of Redding over to 101 and 101 up to Newport and 20 out of Newport over to I5 and up to Portland.About 10 miles out of Redding I asked my wife what in the hell were we doing taking 299? But soon we hit our stride and it was one of the best trips we have ever taken. We pulled a 35 foot 5th wheel with our 2012 F250. They were doing some road construction to make the road a little wider and we really didn't run into any problems. You aren't going to find any gasoline stations unless you are in very small villages or towns. Or I should say you aren't going to find any diesel. You will not regret this trip. Best of luck.

I would take I-5 to Grants Pass, 199 (or 299, I can't remember)to Crescent City and 101 to Redwood Park. I have driven my 36' MH with no trouble. Now, to get to Lassen does require a windy, serpent road. 299 is just that between Eureka and Redding. It is doeable, but if you are worried about the curves, you need to think about it. The only other way is to take I-5 from Grants Pass. But, you still have to get to the coast for Redwood Park. Personally, I would go over to the coast from Grants Pass, and then to Redding and on to Lassen. There is a KOA CG in Shingletown, which is just a short drive to Lassen. Only a couple of restaurants there though.

Towing to Redwoods NP | Good Sam Community

frmAloha
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
Take 101, beautiful drive and a good road, especially in Oregon.
bradyk
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
We did 3 weeks up and down the Oregon coast in September. In Washington
we did Spokane to Portland and over thru to the coast and down 101 all the way. Stayed in Brookings at the bottom end of Oregon and then did a day trip to the Redwoods as it is only a short drive. 2 of us did trucks and trailers and no problems. Roads are great too as they all look like they spent the farm just repaving pretty much all the way down the coast. Best long stretches of hiway I have seen in a long time.
J-mans_Dad
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
If you're already in NW Washington, I'd just take the 101 all the way down the coast. It's a pretty drive if you're not in a hurry. We were up as far as Florence,OR this summer with a rig similar to yours. I'd have wanted to come down the coast route but we were out of vacation time :(
paulj
Explorer II
Oct 22, 2013
US101 is good highway all the way down the coast. Many consider the stretch along the Oregon coast the best there is.

You will save some time by crossing over to I5 and taking that down to Grants Pass, but that would mean missing the Oregon coast.

US199 is the easiest route from I5 to the north end of the California redwoods. CA20 is the easiest way back to I5 at the south end.

I don't think it is worth while trying to see both the Redwoods and Lassen, especially if you don't like winding mountain roads. It would be easier to see some of the Washington (and Oregon) volcanoes, for example Rainier and St Helens.
love4god
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
chris,

I didn't know where Forks was either but apparently every teenage girl in America does. This is where the Twilight series was set, both the book and the films. They're a bit Twilight crazy up here. We visited for the National Park.

We're actually staying at a campground right on the beach on the Quileute Reservation. Beautiful spot and Olympic was amazing.
love4god
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
I don't mind curvy roads as long as they're built for trucks, I worry about getting stuck on those small mountain roads where there is barely any room for 2 trucks to pass each other, or smaller.

I get more concerned with the sharp inclines/declines. My truck can pull up them but I just don't like to push it if I don't have to. 199/299 don't sound to bad. I'm usually fine going up and down the passes we just had a bad experience last year going into Clear Lake, CA. I don't even know what road we ended up on but we made a wrong turn and ended up following the GPS (TomTom) up and down some insane mountain roads, it was no fun. Just looking to avoid that.

If a road is a normal truck route then we're usually fine on it.
chris3403
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
I didn't know where Forks was but I do now. I would just keep coming on down 101 but that's me.
Leeblev
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
I would take I-5 to Grants Pass, 199 (or 299, I can't remember)to Crescent City and 101 to Redwood Park. I have driven my 36' MH with no trouble. Now, to get to Lassen does require a windy, serpent road. 299 is just that between Eureka and Redding. It is doeable, but if you are worried about the curves, you need to think about it. The only other way is to take I-5 from Grants Pass. But, you still have to get to the coast for Redwood Park.
Personally, I would go over to the coast from Grants Pass, and then to Redding and on to Lassen. There is a KOA CG in Shingletown, which is just a short drive to Lassen. Only a couple of restaurants there though.
chris3403
Explorer
Oct 22, 2013
Back in August we actually took 299 out of Redding over to 101 and 101 up to Newport and 20 out of Newport over to I5 and up to Portland.
About 10 miles out of Redding I asked my wife what in the hell were we doing taking 299? But soon we hit our stride and it was one of the best trips we have ever taken. We pulled a 35 foot 5th wheel with our 2012 F250. They were doing some road construction to make the road a little wider and we really didn't run into any problems. You aren't going to find any gasoline stations unless you are in very small villages or towns. Or I should say you aren't going to find any diesel.
You will not regret this trip. Best of luck.
enblethen
Nomad
Oct 22, 2013
oops! it should be US 199. It is a good two lane highway. Last few miles into Crescent City is very curvy going through some old growth trees. Truck traffic.
US 101 climbs a little to gop throught he redwoods south of Crescent City. Not bad though.
299 is a well traveled two lane curvy road that isn't bad. Truck traffic.