Planning a trip that will take us from Southern California to Sacramento, and looking at US 395 as the way to go. I remember driving it many years ago when I had a primitive motorhome but don't recall many details. Is it a pretty drive? Is the road okay? Any recommendations as to RV Parks along the way? Thanks.

Craig....395 is a little out of the way to go, but is okay with a motor home. It's a lot of desert, but is pretty as you get farther north. Campgrounds in that area are often closed until spring or early summer, so check before you go. There are some grades and curves near June Lake.Do you not want to take I-5 or 99, the most direct routes?

Craig95005 wrote:Planning a trip that will take us from Southern California to Sacramento, and looking at US 395 as the way to go. I remember driving it many years ago when I had a primitive motorhome but don't recall many details. Is it a pretty drive? Is the road okay? Any recommendations as to RV Parks along the way? Thanks.Craig, We've done it several times. There's some things to think about here. One, and in my opinion, the most important one. L.A. traffic is now and has been bad at just about all times of the day. And that includes the middle of the night. Some who live in that area may differ but, I can only speak from the times we've been through L.A. at various times and have stopped, completely dead stopped, in the middle of the freeway, for what appears to be no reason at all, several times. Two, I don't know about I-5 now but, for years both it and 99 have been in seriously bad shape. I'm talking some major sized pot holes and bad concrete. Again, it's been a while but, I've not heard too much about "how nice the I-5 or 99" drive is now". I can speak directly from experience in the 395. First off, basically from the Temecula on I-15 area, all the way through the San Bernadino area, and up to the split of 15 and 395, there's very little to see but freeways, residential and, commercial buildings. Once your in the split area, around Adelanto, it get's even more boring. From that point, all the way to about, Independence, plus or minus a few miles, it's nothing but desert. Now, this is what we do but, not many would take this approach. I'm not EVER going to go through L.A. again, as long as I live, if I have any choice in the matter. And, you have to, to get to even 99. So, what we do is, since we live in Ramona, we pack up, get the coach and toad ready and park it in our street at home. At straight up midnight, we fire it up and head down to 15. Once on 15, there's absolutely no traffic, coming or going and, I'm not jockeying for position with a zillion trucks, School busses, rice burners trying to zip in and out of lanes and all that. It's seriously peaceful. We climb the Cajon Pass in complete calmness. Once at the top, where the split is, we're almost completely alone, all the way up the baron 395 all the way to Independence, Big Pine, lone Pine and Bishop, where we've broken into daylight. Doing it that way is so phenomenally peaceful, it's incredible. There's no competition for lanes, no one's pushing us and we're not pushing anyone. We've done it that way for the last two Eastern Sierra trips and, as far as I'm concerned, I'll not do it any other way. Now, as for the road, it's flawless. Your motorhome will love it. It's been good pavement for about 95% of it. And the bad parts, are still light years better than I-5. Now, again, not many guys would do this. Some, have bad eyesight at night, some loose judgment, some get sleepy and more. And that's fine. I wouldn't want anyone out there, at that time of night, that's not enjoying his/her trip. And, like stated, in my opinion, between Temecula CA and, Lone Pine/Big Pine/Bishop/Independence etc. there's absolutely nothing you're going to miss. From those towns on, that's a whole different story. And, when coming home, we depart Bishop at the same exact time, MIDNIGHT! We fight no traffic, all the way home until we get to around Escondido at about 6:00-6:30 A.M. Even then, it's not bad 'cause we cut off of 15 at Camino Del Norte. Good luck on what ever route you choose. Have a safe trip.Scott

We're based in Northern California and will probably take 101 down south, which is much more interesting than I-5. One of the things we want to visit in Southern California is the two presidential libraries there - Nixon and Reagan - and you have to brave the traffic if you're going to see them. In fact, presidential libraries are a good theme for a motorhome trip. We toured the LBJ and FDR libraries on previous trips and I suspect they are all fascinating; the ones we saw certainly were. The next time we go on a circuit around the US we'll catch as many as possible, along with other historical museums. One that I highly recommend is the George H.W. Bush WWII museum in Fredericksburg, Texas. Outstanding.As bad as the traffic can be in LA, I've had reasonably good luck at times as long as I got there before 3 PM.Thanks for the information on 395.

Craig95005 wrote:Planning a trip that will take us from Southern California to Sacramento, and looking at US 395 as the way to go. I remember driving it many years ago when I had a primitive motorhome but don't recall many details. Is it a pretty drive? Is the road okay? Any recommendations as to RV Parks along the way? Thanks.All road lead to fun in a RV.

Craig.....I can see the Reagan library from my backyard. If you plan to visit, there are really NO campgrounds near by, but there is a Walmart that allows parking in Simi Valley. It's about 3 miles from the library. There is a small County Park, called Oak Park, that has RV sites nearby. It's safe, but kind of a dive.PM me if you need more info about the ins and outs of the Reagan library.

US Highway 395 - good to travel in a motorhome?

30 Replies

RayChez
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
Craig, There is a long climb from Bishop, and that is where the sierra's start. I come down 395 from Reno and it is a beautiful drive in the summer. I did stop at several camp grounds on the way and done some fishing. I never had any problems climbing with my 330 HP Caterpillar engine. But I done it in reverse from what you want to do. I had some high climbs up around Donner Pass, but it was no problem climbing them. But like I said it was in July and August that I was in that area.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so before you get to Bishop you will be driving through some desert and hitting several small towns. I enjoy the desert just as well as I do driving any part of this country. It all has its own unique beauty. So just take it all in and enjoy it. That is why I take drives up to death valley in the winter months and enjoy the hot baths at Tecopa and Scottie Castle.
ArchHoagland
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
The Elks lodge in Simi Valley has an RV lot too. About 13 miles from the Reagan library.
Ex-Tech
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
DSDP Don wrote:
Craig.....I can see the Reagan library from my backyard. If you plan to visit, there are really NO campgrounds near by, but there is a Walmart that allows parking in Simi Valley. It's about 3 miles from the library. There is a small County Park, called Oak Park, that has RV sites nearby. It's safe, but kind of a dive.

PM me if you need more info about the ins and outs of the Reagan library.

Actually there is a nice campground in Simi Valley on Tapo Canyon. Nice little park with hook-ups and about 15 minutes from the Regan Library.
jaxd153
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
Hwy 395 is way out the way. While LA has its traffic problems if you travel between 10:00am and 2:00pm you will encounter the lightest traffic. Another point is to use the 210 Freeway which has the lightest traffic load. It will take you to the I-5 N of LA. When you transition from the 210 to the 5 stay in the truck lanes and that will get you an easy transition to 5. If you take the car route you will have to deal with 3 lanes of merging traffic. Note: the 210 takes a quick right exit. When you see the trains in the center of the 210 get in the right lane and look for San Francisco signs
Smitty77
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
I'm a 395 fan too. Check the towns along the way for RVParksReview, to see what sounds good to you. Convict Lake, Lone Pine, are just two nice spots. I do not know about the run over to Sacremento...

Best,
Smitty
ArchHoagland
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
Craig95005 wrote:
ArchHoagland wrote:
We've been to every Presidential Library in the country except the newest one in Dallas which we will hit in November.

We've managed to hit every state in the process over the years. They are all interesting and every one is different than the others.

Good for you. We hope to do the same. Have you also hit the presidential museums which are not official libraries? Wikipedia has a list of all those: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_library

We hit Abraham Lincoln's. I wasn't impressed with it to say the least.
Craig95005
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
ArchHoagland wrote:
We've been to every Presidential Library in the country except the newest one in Dallas which we will hit in November.

We've managed to hit every state in the process over the years. They are all interesting and every one is different than the others.

Good for you. We hope to do the same. Have you also hit the presidential museums which are not official libraries? Wikipedia has a list of all those: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_library
cochise49
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
We have family in Reno and always take 395. I too must avoid LA at any cost. Traffic through Sacramento is almost as bad during late afternoon rush. The pass near Mono Lake isn't any harder than Donner on I80. Only take I5/99/I80 if we are stopping near Yosemite or Kings Canyon to visit family in Fresno.
bigcitypopo
Explorer II
Mar 28, 2014
There is plenty of camp grounds along 101fwy south from Norcal... beach camping is available once you get to ventura county area... camarillo/malibu area... Don mentioned oak park... its primitive... but quiet.

i'm never in a hurry when i'm on the road. I always map my stops... plan for a second choice... Enjoy the coast...
ArchHoagland
Explorer
Mar 28, 2014
Craig95005 wrote:
We're based in Northern California and will probably take 101 down south, which is much more interesting than I-5. One of the things we want to visit in Southern California is the two presidential libraries there - Nixon and Reagan - and you have to brave the traffic if you're going to see them.

In fact, presidential libraries are a good theme for a motorhome trip. We toured the LBJ and FDR libraries on previous trips and I suspect they are all fascinating; the ones we saw certainly were. The next time we go on a circuit around the US we'll catch as many as possible, along with other historical museums. One that I highly recommend is the George H.W. Bush WWII museum in Fredericksburg, Texas. Outstanding.

As bad as the traffic can be in LA, I've had reasonably good luck at times as long as I got there before 3 PM.

Thanks for the information on 395.

We've been to every Presidential Library in the country except the newest one in Dallas which we will hit in November.

We've managed to hit every state in the process over the years. They are all interesting and every one is different than the others.

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US Highway 395 - good to travel in a motorhome?

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