Forum Discussion

AZ_Campers1's avatar
AZ_Campers1
Explorer
Jan 19, 2014

Trip planning help for this summer - tunnels & why 93

We are planning a round trip from Phoenix to the Redwoods in July of this year to Bellingham, WA to Boise & then back to phoenix. We will be pulling a 33 ft 5th wheel. We have a couple of questions for anyone who can help: 1) there is a tunnel listed on why 199 when traveling into Oregon from CA - will the tunnel be tall & wide enough for the trailer? 2) heading from Boise to Phoenix, the Good Sam trip router shows us going down why 93 from Wells, NV to Las Vegas. We know this is a desolate stretch of land, but are there gas stations w/diesel along the way open 24 hrs? Any suggestions, helpful hints on places to stay, visit, etc.

Thanks~
Roads and Routes
  • paulj's avatar
    paulj
    Explorer II
    Jan 19, 2014
    On US199, the tunnel is the least of your worries. It's plenty big. Prior to the tunnel, the highway follows a windy river. Some curves are tight enough that the state limits RV and bus lengths to 40ft - but with your trailer that shouldn't be an issue.

    You might consider staying on US101 as you enter Oregon. The drive to Washington will be slower than on I5, but over all it will be more scenic. You see more of the coast in Oregon than in California. With Bellingham as your destination you could stay on US101 all the way to Port Townsend (and take a ferry to WA20), bypassing the big cities (Portland, Tacoma, Seattle) entirely. And then take WA20 over the Cascades on the way to Idaho.

    US93 saves some miles, and potentially time, over taking I15, but the difference isn't great. Most of the time, mapping programs choose the fastest route, even if the time advantage is minor. Rarely does a recommendation mean 'this route is vastly superior to all others'. That said, plenty of posters like US93.

About Bucket List Trips

13,487 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 18, 2025