Hayward, CA to Lynnwood, WA

[noonenosthis1]

Hi all,
Trying to talk my husband into towing the trailer this summer to Washington. His navy buddy runs a restaurant in Washington. We've flown before to see Yogi. This time I would like to tow our new Cougar and do a little sight seeing along the way. I don't like towing over mountains (I know, you can't get out of California without going through mountains) so what route would be the least mountainous?

Thanks!

[Ham_Radio_HF_Mo]

An update to the subject of an RV park near Lynnwood:


It is the Lake Pleasant RV Park near the intersection of SR-527, The Bothell-Everett Highway, and 242nd Street SE. I had the name slightly wrong. It is very close to the King County-Snohomish County line.


And I enjoyed driving down the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, and after a day in Los Angeles, on down US-101 to San Diego. Yes, it was slow, but the 32 foot 4 inch Winnebago Elandan WCP31RT did it quite well, I thought. I will admit that I was impressed with the price for gasoline in California. And the drive back up I-5 from San Diego was much faster with less shoulder and arm work.


Enjoy;


Ralph,
Latté Land, Washington

[msmith1199]

Watch this subject when somebody asks about driving their motorhome down the PCH in California. You'll get answers all the way from "yeah it's fine go for it" to people who say they wouldn't even take a car on the PCH! Okay, it hasn't been that bad, but many people have posted on here about driving down the PCH and they had a death grip on the door handle and were scared to death! When you see that reply look at their home location and often you'll see it's Florida or Nebraska or some other flat land place. Most of us from California will point out the PCH can be done in a motorhome as long as it's 40 feet or less, but only because that's the law.

[paulj]

A few years after moving to Washington my parents drove out from Indiana. I met them at Grand Coolee, and they followed me over US2. When we arrive my dad commented that it was hard to keep up with me. Evidently I was taking the curves too fast. I don't think my S10 was better handling; I just had more experience with the road.

The initial down grade west bound is a little scary in snowy weather. It's 4 lanes with guard rail, but it curves to left, giving big open view into white nothing! But after that initial grade, the rest is curvy river valley. But Monroe to Woodinvile is much improved compared to what I first drove in the 80s.

A scenic plus to 2 is Leavenworth, a Bavarian styled tourist town; and overall the mountains are little nicer. But I have no problems with I90 either - except the longer stretch of urban freeway.

[msmith1199]

noonenosthis1 wrote:
We have a Ford Excursion towing a Cougar 31sqbwe. If I don't work summer school I have about a month. Highway 5 is pretty bland. Is it better through Oregon and Washington?

It's bland because it's flat in a lot of places. You can't avoid mountains and not have bland. But even with the bland, you still aren't avoiding the mountains.

[Ham_Radio_HF_Mo]

Good morning, noonenosthis1;

As many others have already written, the drive up I-5 to Washington really is fairly easy with an RV. Any of the other routes to the east, such as US-97 or US-395, will add a few hundred miles to your drive and some more hills.

And while I also live in the same region as PaulJ, I cannot recommend US-2 over Steven's Pass at 4000 feet in preference to I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass at 3000 feet for most RV travel. Also US-2 is mainly a two lane road from just west of Wenatchee, Washington to Monroe, Washington, and you will notice the brakes warming up going down the long steep hill on the west side of Steven's Pass. I-90 is a minimum of four (4) lanes across Washington, and it is an Interstate highway with fewer twists and turns. (Well, yes, you do get the benefit of more arm and shoulder exercise driving US-2.) My ~15,000 pound Winnebago Elandan prefers I-90 for an East-West route across Washington.

However, the point about US-2 or I-90 is moot if you take the more direct route up I-5, and it is an easy two day drive in an RV. Taking the sea level route up US-101 almost to Aberdeen, Washington, and then going east on US-410/Washington State Route 8 to Olympia to get onto I-5 for the last few miles will yield the least mountain climbing or elevation change, but US-101 will take more time, and the comment about exercise with US-2 also applies to US-101.

The nearest RV campground to Lynnwood I believe is the Pleasant Lake RV Park on the east side of SR-527, The Bothell-Everett Highway, south of I-405 and just north of Bothell; about 6 miles driving from Lynnwood.

Enjoy;

Ralph,
Latté Land, Washington

[paulj]

Your destination is a north Seattle suburb - so coming via I5 or 405 gives a full taste of the urban freeway, starting in Olympia. It would be more scenic to stay on US101 along Hood Canal, and take the floating bridge and ferry (Kingston/Edmonds). Or you could stay east on Us97, and cross the mountains on US2.

I5 has some mountains in southern Oregon (esp. the state line), and the rest is broad valley of farms and towns and cities. There are side trips into the Oregon Cascades, and Mt St Helens and Rainier in Washington.


US97 in open pine forest in the south, drier range land in northern Oregon, with some modest mountain passes in southern Washington. I84 along the Columbia River is the flattest way through the Cascades. I90 is the main freeway route across.

[Marine_By_Choic]

noonenosthis1 wrote:
We have a Ford Excursion towing a Cougar 31sqbwe. If I don't work summer school I have about a month. Highway 5 is pretty bland. Is it better through Oregon and Washington?

Yes. Lots of trees and irrigated fields once you get to Eugene. To me, except for Northern CA, CA is flat on I-5.

[CA_Traveler]

noonenosthis1 wrote:
We have a Ford Excursion towing a Cougar 31sqbwe. If I don't work summer school I have about a month. Highway 5 is pretty bland. Is it better through Oregon and Washington?

No

[noonenosthis1]

We have a Ford Excursion towing a Cougar 31sqbwe. If I don't work summer school I have about a month. Highway 5 is pretty bland. Is it better through Oregon and Washington?

[Murphsmom]

romore wrote:
They are in the SF area so no Grapevine to worry about. Siskayou is not a difficult climb as long as the tow vehicle is adequate for the trailer being pulled.
Neither I-80 or I-5 are particularly inspiring scenery wise except for the Mt Shasta area but that is the easiest route. Coming home treat yourselves by leaving I-5 at Olympia or Vancouver for Astoria then 101 south, it is one of the most scenic drives in the country.

X2^

[kalynzoo]

Straight up the I-5. North of Sacramento it is a lovely drive. There are mountains around Shasta, really, but it is freeway all the way so you really don't need to concern yourself with going slow and driving careful. People will easily pass you. A few short sections were it may drop to one lane each way, but still an easily drive. Also mountains in Oregon north of Ashford. Still, freeway driving. Plenty of places to stay at RedBluff, Ca. Then a couple of nice campgrounds at Weed. Seven Feathers RV park Casino in Oregon is 5 star. Fuel stops on the 5 are frequent. I enjoy the drive.

[romore]

They are in the SF area so no Grapevine to worry about. Siskayou is not a difficult climb as long as the tow vehicle is adequate for the trailer being pulled.
Neither I-80 or I-5 are particularly inspiring scenery wise except for the Mt Shasta area but that is the easiest route. Coming home treat yourselves by leaving I-5 at Olympia or Vancouver for Astoria then 101 south, it is one of the most scenic drives in the country.

[CA_Traveler]

101, several places in OR/WA to pickup 5 w/o mountains.

But 5 is a good road to go over the Siskiyous and it's not like 11,000' CO mountains.

[Janss]

How much time do you have?

You could drive up 101 most of the way and then cut over to I-5. Oregon Coast is very scenic.

donn...The only "Grapevine" I know is in southern CA.