tom_mn

Pease comment on the posibility of driving a southern route from Crater lake to Boise rather than going through Burns:

east to Lakeview, then Hwy 140 to Denio (Nevada), then NE via the Whitehorse Ranch Rd (gravel) to US 95, then on to Boise. I have an ordinary car and would like to do it in 9 hours.

happytrailstoyou

I think you would make better time going through Bend. The trip is estimated at 7 hours 40 minutes of driving on maps.yahoo and an hour longer on maps.google

Also, going via Bend roads are more likely to be open and in repair, causing less wear and tear on your car.

HTTY

Fodorite018

Most important piece of information is when are planning this trip?

bbqboy

The drive you are describing is one of the most stunning I have ever taken, but if you are on a schedule there's no reason to do it.

tom_mn

August.

Stunning in what way, and where in particular?

tom_mn

Also, please comment on this busy itinerary, which happened because we had to trim the night in Portland and consolidate two days:

Leave Mt. Rainer campsite by 9:30 AM and drive to I-5.
Arrive Multnomah Falls by 12:30
Leave Vista House by 2:30
Arrive Florence via Eugene by 5:30
2 hours exploring the coast just north of Florence
Arrive Coos Bay by 9 PM

After that we have two nights in Crescent City and two nights at Crater Lake.

bbqboy

Let's start over. Where are you coming from, where are you going, and how long do you have?

tom_mn

It's a 2-1/2 week monster drive from the Midwest. The 3 areas I am concentrating on are

1. Seattle (relatives) and Mt Rainier
2. south Oregon Coast, Redwoods, Crater Lake
3. Tetons and Yellowstone

So just trying to make the connections as interesting as possible. Doing justice to everything along the way is not possible, and breaking up the 2-1/2 week drive into driving every day for 3-4 hours and setting up the tent every night is less desirable than staying put 2-3 days and then long 8-10 hr drives.

tom_mn

Waiting for a reply.

happytrailstoyou

This is a very ambitious trip in 2 1/2 weeks.

I suggest you pick up the Oregon Coast at Newport--the stretch south through Yachats and Cape Perpetua to Florence is particularly beautiful.

And, I still think your best bet from Crater Lake to Boise is through Bend.

The beautiful drive from Boise to Yellowstone is the long way--up 21 and 93 through Stanley and Salmon and then east to the north entrance of the park. It is very much worth the detour, if you have the time.

HTTY

tom_mn

Not so ambitious, 5000 miles in 18 days = 4 hours per day of driving on average.

I like the idea of going thru Newport, but it adds maybe an extra hour. Guess we can try to leave Rainier early, say by 9, and do that.

Crater Lake to Boise: There is a middle way, thru Christmas Valley on a paved county road, then up to Burns on US 395 to rejoin US 20. It appears to be shorter, certainly lonelier.

sunbum1944

Interested in setting up in a yurt 1 night- Umqua State Park has some nice ones- and its on your way down the coast around Reedsport? If not, at least its a nice place to set up a tent- its on a lake stocked with fish, and you can walk up to the lighthouse at night which is really magical- like a laser carousel.

I have stayed in a deluxe yurt there and thought it was very fun!

tom_mn

I like the yurt idea, too bad the Oregon Parks reservation site is down till the 14th so I can't check availability. This night is preceded by 3 nights camping and followed by 4, so a real bed and shower are a must, and the deluxe yurts have that.

sunbum1944

The deluxe yurt was great! Indoor facilities- small kitchen-no stove- but grill out on deck
even a TV- but only to play DVD's- we really enjoyed!!

sounds like after all those days of camping with more to come, it would feel good

tom_mn

Also looking for a bit of feedback. In zooming in on Google Maps and looking down the Oregon Coast via satellite imaging, it appears that the real scenery (sea stacks, high cliffs, sweeping wild beaches, minimal development) is at the very south end, south of Port Orford. While the section around Yachats is often recommended for beauty, this appears to me a less wild and more built up area, maybe more like Cape Cod or Lake Michigan (Door County, Traverse City) with a lot of towns and more traffic and fudge shops and $5 ice cream cones than wilderness and beauty. Is this correct?

sunbum1944

I would say that is correct-

happytrailstoyou

The towns and driving experience on the Oregon Coast is nothing like Cape Cod.

We like road trips, recently returning from a three-week, 3,500-mile exploration of Southeastern states. starting in Atlanta (to which we flew).

Nonetheless, IMHO you will have a much better NW experience if you trim your must-see list and spend more time in the Columbia River Gorge and the Oregon Coast, starting even father north than Newport (which I suggested earlier in an attempt to cater to your preferences).

tom_mn

That's good 'cause I would not return to Cape Cod, too far to go to deal with so many people/high prices/traffic.

Considering staying farther north than Coos Bay to get more coast time, a free hotel stay isn't a good enough reason to rush.

I have been to the Columbia Gorge twice previously and don't think that boys ages 8-13 would appreciate it especially. Of course they will love a waterfall and I do plan to see that. I know how quick it is to visit, right off the interstate.

Has no one driven across Christmas Valley?

happytrailstoyou

Now you've got kids. How about the aquarium in Newport?

sunbum1944

Never have been to Christmas Valley but I bet its pretty desolate- I have been to French Glen and Diamond which is similar I suspect - and does have a beauty of its own but I bet pretty boring to an 8 and 13 year old -

They might enjoy sandboarding outside of Florence or a dune buggy ride which is one of my favorite things to do