daddyfarlessa

My wife & I recently retired & moved from S.California to Trinidad, CA (in N.California near Eureka).We purchased a 23' Airstream & now plan to travel the Northwest. I'm looking for suggestions/referrals on where to stay in 4 states (California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho).
Any info would help. Thanks, Mark

tomfuller

I'm hoping that you are planning for summer 2019. Have you seen the Jedidiah Smith Redwoods off US 199? Also off 199 in Oregon, check on the Oregon Caves. You could spend several weeks in Oregon before going to Idaho and Washington. I don't know how much snow we'll get this winter but plan on mid to late June before trying for Crater Lake NP. The out of the way campground in Crater Lake NP is down the Pinnacles road.

janisj

As I read it you aren't planning a specific roads trip but more really just asking for places you can visit now that you are based in Trinidad - right?

From now til spring you'll want to stick to the CA redwoods, down into the north Bay area (Napa/Sonoma/Sonoma coast, etc), Ferndale/Mendocino areas, the OR coast, and bits of Washington. From Nov through about March the eastern bits and the I-5 corridor from Mt Shasta north can have a lot of snow and ice and pulling a trailer would be tough.

(I really like Trinidad -- sometimes stay at the Requa Inn up in Klamath)

Gardyloo

Obviously a big question, but I'd start with looking at which areas are best in the various seasons. There's no point in dragging a trailer into the mountains when it's likely that will still be a lot of snow on the ground or when the clouds and rain obscure the scenery you came to see in the first place. On the other hand, if you don't like high heat, there are areas in eastern Oregon and Washington that are basically deserts, with desert temperatures but without, sadly, the kinds of desert scenery you can get in the desert southwest. No Joshua Tree National Parks, for example.

So I'd do some research of where/when options. For example:

Midwinter - look at "rain shadow" areas like Whidbey Island, the San Juan Islands, Victoria and the BC Gulf Islands. It won't be warm, but the Olympic Mountains block a lot of the moisture off the Pacific, leaving these areas dryer than you might expect. If you can get there (difficult with a trailer in winter) and have interest in winter sports or midwinter sun, Bend and Sisters in central Oregon are very popular.

Spring - Typically great everywhere, but with standout areas like the Washington and Idaho Palouse, places like Joseph Oregon in the Wallowas, the Skagit Valley in Washington with its daffodils and tulips. By May the whole of the Columbia River Gorge and the Hood River Valley are stunning with orchards in bloom, roaring waterfalls...

Early summer (say pre-July) - Willamette Valley, Rogue Valley in Oregon, Oregon coast, (maybe surprisingly) the Olympic Peninsula (all areas including - some years - even Hurricane Ridge, but the beaches and rain forests for sure.) The Columbia Gorge and Hood River areas are still good, including possibly some mountain activities on Mt. Hood. Of course, you're already in the redwood country, so no need to sing those praises. Most of Puget Sound is also terrific at this time, including various islands including the San Juans, and similarly the Canadian Gulf Islands, as well as the Fraser Valley. It's also a good time for the Rogue Valley (Ashland, Medford etc.) before the high heat of mid- and late summer arrives, along with thousands of theater goers inundating Ashland.

Mid-summer (say July - Labor Day) - all the mountain areas - Cascades, Olympics, Wallowa/Blue Mountains; the Idaho panhandle; NE Washington including the Pend Oreille country (up to and including the Kootenay Mountains in eastern BC.) If you like summer heat, the eastern Columbia Gorge gets quite warm, as does the beautiful orchard country along US 97 north of Blewett Pass. The North Cascades are passable, and the coastline, all the way from Brookings to Port Angeles, and Vancouver Island past that, is arguably at its best (but watch out for crowds.) Some lesser-known areas, such as the Wallowas, the BC Sunshine Coast and Whistler are also at their best then. Crater Lake is fully accessible starting in July most years. And if you are ambitious, the Alaska access roads are all easily traveled.

Autumn - Orchard areas like the Hood River Valley and the US 97 apple corridor in Washington are stunning; there can be surprisingly good autumn color at higher elevations in the Cascades (but it goes quickly) and on some of the passes over the Cascades in both Oregon and Washington, and in places like the Japanese gardens in Portland and Seattle. Some island areas can be very dry (rain shadow plus not enough ground water) although they can be wonderful absent the summer crowds. Valleys penetrating into the mountains can be terrific, both west and east of the Cascades, e.g. the Lake Chelan fjord, Wallowa Lake area, etc.

That's not a complete list and I'm sure I've forgotten something, but it's a start.

5alive

I read your question differently than everyone else. I thought you were asking which campgrounds.

​​​​​If I am correct, then you may want to find a travel board dedicated to RV travel.

​​​​​​One we always loved was Fort Stevens on the Northern Oregon Coast. Stevens is a state park. Another favorite was Thousand Trails Sunriver. I don't think you need to be a Thousand Trails member to camp there, but you pay more per night.