SoCal to east side of North Cascades: 395 or 395/97?

[profdant139]

In September, we're heading to the east side of the North Cascades of Washington. For at least half the trip, I want to avoid Interstate 5 -- the freeway might be a little faster, but it is dull, hilly, and crowded.

So we are going to try the inland route. I see two major choices: 395 up the east side of the Sierra, over to 97 at around Klamath Falls, and then take 97 the rest of the way.

Or take 395 almost the whole way, and then join up with 97 north of Wenatchee.

We will be towing a small trailer at around 60 mph, and slower in mountainous terrain. We're not going to rush -- this will take four full days to go around 1300 miles.

Which way would you choose? Which route is likely to be more interesting? Less traffic? Less hilly?

I'd appreciate any and all advice, especially from those with experience with these routes. Thanks in advance!

(And just to finish the routing, we will spend some time on the east side of the mountains and then cut over to North Cascades National Park and the Mt. Baker area. The whole trip should take us about a month.)

[profdant139]

Someone sent me a pm asking for a link -- here it is, and it turns out that I spelled Anna with two Ns, rather than one -- sorry for the inconvenience.


Ana Reservoir RV

[profdant139]

Update -- thanks again for the tips! We took 395 to 31 to 97. Much less stress than Interstate 5. Wide open country. Lots of areas with no cell reception. Plan your gas stops carefully -- sometimes it is 120 miles between stations!!

If you take the Summer Lake cutoff, I recommend the Anna Reservoir RV park. Clean, well maintained, very quiet, great stars. It's at the north end of the lake.

The Summer Lake RV park was VERY rustic. But it does have a hot spring.

[paulj]

Along Oregon US97 there's a decent selection of state parks. Summer Lake is the only commercial place I've used, and that was still pretty rustic (with a old barn like hot spring). By September the parks won't be as heavily reservered. There are also forest service places that aren't too far off the main highway.

The selection isn't quite as good in Washington, though I've used a couple toward the south. And BLM sites along the Yakima River canyon. East of the Columbia it's mostly irrigated farm land, with fewer camping options. And there are campgrounds by the reservoirs along the dammed Columbia.

[profdant139]

Steve, thanks for the camping tips! Usually, though, when we are trying to make mileage on a trip, we stay in RV parks for the ease and convenience. We save the boondocking for the destination, when we can really appreciate the silence and isolation.

But on this trip, it looks like there are very few RV parks along the way, unlike the west side of the Cascades. So we may be forced to find real camping out in eastern Oregon and Washington.

[SteveAE]

Unless it's hunting season, there is nice dispersion camping at the Summer Lake Wildlife refuge. Just turn right off 31 at the BLM office (before the rest stop) and you'll figure it out.

If it's busy (only in hunting season) at the Wildlife refuge, there's tons of spots in the NF along 31 about 16 miles SE of hwy 97.

Once on 97 (near LaPine), there isn't a lot of great (dispersion) places unless you go a little way's from the road. Indeed, not much for quite a longgggg way....unless you get off the road. Might wind up in a dreaded CG.

There is a super nice roadside wayside north of Moro (DeMoss County Park) where you could overnight.

Up near Ruffis, some folks stay on US Army Corps of Engineering land along the Columbia river. Have never checked it out myself though.

[profdant139]

Thanks to both of you! Very useful info.

[paulj]

https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas/scenic-drives/outback-scenic-byway-2/

OR31 is a good cross over between 395 and 97.

We enjoyed a night at the Summer Lake hot springs, detoured into the mountains to the west, climbed Hagar Mtn, looked at Fort Rock. And got a flat from a broken chainsaw file near Hole in Ground.

[SteveAE]

Other than the section of 395 between John Day and Pendleton, I suspect that you'll find 97 more interesting overall.

Heading north on 395 from eastern California, I usually take hwy 31 from north of Lakeview to LaPine.
Sometimes, for a change in scenery, I take 139 out of Susanville to Klamath Falls. But this route will take (quite a bit) longer.

Hope this helps.

[paulj]

US97 is relatively flat and straight from Ca through OR, about 4000 ft, through Ponderosa Pine forest, with Cascades to the west. The 138 climb to the north side of Crater Lake is the highest pass to the west. Oregon 'out-back' is to the east, with some interesting volcanic and high desert features (especially around Bend).

North of Madras it drops to the Columbia River. 197 is an alternative with the same drop.

In WA 97 climbs over a modest Satus Pass to I82, and another pass (high speed traffic) to I90. There's a more relaxed winding road along the Yakima River canyon.

And a bit bigger pass to US2 (Blewett). These passes all have WSDOT pages and webcams.

I haven't driven 395 in California. Last time I took FS roads across the volcanic highlands into Or. Lake City is supposed to be the highest incorporated town in Oregon. As far as Burns 395 is in the northern extension of the Nevada basin-n-range. Then some modest mountain passes to the Columbia.

In WA 395 is freeway NE to I90 and Spokane. I believe WA17 is the best way north and northwest. North of I90, you can drive from Quincy to Wennatchee, with a modest drop to the Columbia.