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SSWesty Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2008 Posts: 732 Location: Bellevue
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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:49 pm Post subject: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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We hit the road the first week of April to go check out the Redwoods in northern California. It was about a 1,200 mile trip from our home in the Seattle area to the Redwoods then back up the Oregon coast. The plan was to break up the drive down I-5 into two days then meander our way back up the coast with mostly 75-120 mile days. Our goals was to spend some time in the Redwoods and find places to camp where we could see and hear the ocean.
First night was the Loves in Albany, OR no Redwoods or Ocean but was a convenient stop.
Two nights at Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park and we had a lovely spot along the river. It’s so nice to fall asleep to the sound of the river flowing over some gentle rapids.
This place was special.
Took a drive through the redwoods on Howland Road, it’s a dirt road but no problem for most cars.
There were multiple groves of mighty redwoods along the 5 mile road and a few hikes.
Also did a hike off Walker road. This was the area where a redwood fell across the highway and killed a husband and wife a couple weeks prior. I think the story was in the national news and I believe they had 4 kids. It was a bit eerie seeing the tree and divots in the highway where the tree smashed the car. It looked like the tree was partially rotten by the way it was broken up along the forest floor.
The scene was happier at the trailhead and note the clump of trees behind the van, giants.
Lunch stop
Gold Beach
Ocean Side RV park at Gold Beach, they had stuff but we mainly were there to be close to the ocean. We had a peek-a-boo view of the ocean over the dune and could easily hear it. Gold Beach uses their tsunami siren for the volunteer fire department. 3 blasts are for the fire department to come in for call and 4 blasts or steady is run for your life to high ground. We heard 2 calls for the fire department, it definitely gets your attention since you want to make sure you get the count right.
Whiskey Run Beach looked like you could camp there and nothing said no camping. However we had a hard time making out the high tide line and the beach was pretty flat. It sure looked like water came up very close to the dunes. Also high tide would was going to be at 10:55pm so that was the wrong time of day to play a guessing game with the tide. So between not understanding where high tide would be and soft sand we just enjoyed a little beach time then headed further north. Overall the sand on the beach was firm except about a mile or two south of the access road it got soft on us so we made a gentle u-turn and headed back north. It looked wet and firm but it was more like wet and soggy. Glad we had the peloquin for the u-turn as both wheels were spinning to get us back to firm sand.
The Whiskey Run Beach access road is no problem going down and you exit onto firm sand. You do need to be comfortable with brush rubbing the side of your van since the road is narrow.
Going up is another story. There are a couple buried logs in the road so you have to really hug the north or left side of the road. On our first attempt we just spun on the log and wet rocks. I used a little more speed on the second attempt and stayed further left to minimize how much of the log we had to go over. Saw a couple of 70+ aged gals in their older Subaru wagon cruise right up it. I loved seeing them out there living life and not letting a buried log get in their way. Their 4wd suby plus being narrow enough to avoid the log made it a cake walk for the Subaru. I would not attempt this in a standard 2wd van, we have a peloqiun and I doubt we would have made it without it.
Bastendorff county campground by Charleston, ended up being able to see the ocean out our windows and faintly hear the waves breaking. The campground is up on a bluff.
Rented a buzz bomb to explore the dunes north of Coos Bay. Sunbuggie had good rates and some peppy rides.
Our last campground was South Beach in Newport. No chance of seeing the ocean from that campground but you could hear the sea lions chatting throughout the night.
From there we headed to Portland to see family then home. We did a stop at a weight station along the way and we were 2,500 pounds on the front axle and 2,300 on the rear for 4,800 pounds total with us in the van. Mileage averaged out around 16.3mpg. I have an exhaust leak and I am not sure if that is impacting the mileage. For some of the trip I thought we’d be getting into the 17s but it didn’t happen. No issues other than the Dometic freezing some food, that propane fridge thrives in 50 degree temps. |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32571 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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dabaron Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 2559 Location: Philly, mang
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:09 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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fantastic voyage! thanks for sharing. _________________ 1991 Vanagon GL Camper
i had no idea i wanted to be a mechanic
"burnin oil and cookin coils" -- Destructo
BiWerks Design, LLC |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16501 Location: Brookeville, MD
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thatbaldwinlife Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2011 Posts: 777 Location: Out exploring
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Been to many of those places, looks like you had a great time.
Thanks for taking the time to write this up.
nate _________________ 1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
Vanagon Adventure and DIY videos:
That Baldwin Life YouTube Channel |
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GoEverywhere Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2020 Posts: 516 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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What day were you at South Beach? We stayed there Saturday night (April 17th) and I saw a Westy in the area that looked like yours. Wonder if we were there at the same time?
Looks like you had a killer adventure!! |
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sanchius Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2007 Posts: 1451 Location: IN
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SSWesty Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2008 Posts: 732 Location: Bellevue
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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GoEverywhere wrote: |
What day were you at South Beach? We stayed there Saturday night (April 17th) and I saw a Westy in the area that looked like yours. Wonder if we were there at the same time? |
Not us, we were there on April 8th. When we got to the redwoods there were two other westies in our campground loop by the river. After chatting with one of them they gave us the recommendation to check out Howland road. Always nice to interact with the VW community when you're out and about. |
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SSWesty Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2008 Posts: 732 Location: Bellevue
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:18 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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dobryan wrote: |
Love it!
I really like Howland Road too.
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Nice picture Dave. It's an interesting road to drive because many folks have that "WOW that's a big tree" expression on their face. They should change the name to Wowland road. |
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fleetwood41 Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2012 Posts: 106 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Great trip report!
We're planning on getting out to that area in August for our 10th anniversary road trip. Hoping to also get access to some of the beaches up there.
Thanks for posting - the photos are awesome. _________________ 1987 2WD w/ 2.5 Subi & Poptop Conversion |
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mikemtnbike Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2015 Posts: 2795 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:40 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Flying out to norcal in the fall for my rescheduled 50th birthday trip, plan was Scotland, but doubt that's going to be realistic this year still. Thanks for the pics, motivational. _________________ 1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual |
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Blakesinclair Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2021 Posts: 60 Location: Santa Ana, California
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 1:05 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Dang this is beautiful and inspiring. It's been decades since I've been up the Oregon coast, but looks exactly how I remember it. Blue skies at the beach in Oregon too! You must have done something so score such luck. _________________ ———————
1985 Weekender Vanagon 1.9L - Manual |
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joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5076 Location: denver
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Great report, thank you! We did the Oregon Coast a few summers back and I wish I could go back and do the same exact route again. Loved it. _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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SSWesty Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2008 Posts: 732 Location: Bellevue
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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One note for anyone targeting the redwoods in the near future you need to check on road conditions for Highway 101. There was road damage a couple months ago that impacts the flow of traffic south of Crescent City. This means it's not as easy to travel from the northern forest of redwoods by Crescent City to the forests around Eureka. Here is what Cal Tran is saying now and it could definitely through you a curveball if you didn't know about it.
US 101 WILL BE CLOSED INTERMITTENLTY FROM 12.4 MI SOUTH OF CRESCENT CITY /AT VISTA POINT/ TO 1.9 MI SOUTH OF CRESCENT CITY /AT HUMBOLDT RD/ (DEL NORTE CO) FROM 0900 HRS TO 1100 HRS, FROM 1200 HRS TO 1400 HRS & FROM 1500 HRS TO 1700 HRS MONDAY THRU FRIDAY - DUE TO A ROCKSLIDE - TRAFFIC WILL BE ALLOWED THRU FROM 1100 HRS TO 1200 HRS & FROM 1400 TO 1500 HRS - MOTORISTS ARE SUBJECT TO DELAYS OF UP TO 2 HOURS |
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Captain Pike Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2003 Posts: 3340 Location: Talos IV, Piedmont Arizona
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Same trip___29 years ago. 2 weeks in the mountains(6 rivers) and coast.
___________________Priceless_________________________
_________________ LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current....................... |
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Igeo Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2018 Posts: 888 Location: Oakland, CA
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:09 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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Great picture! _________________ 1987 Westfalia 2.1 WBX Manual |
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thatbaldwinlife Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2011 Posts: 777 Location: Out exploring
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Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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SSWesty wrote: |
One note for anyone targeting the redwoods in the near future you need to check on road conditions for Highway 101. There was road damage a couple months ago that impacts the flow of traffic south of Crescent City. This means it's not as easy to travel from the northern forest of redwoods by Crescent City to the forests around Eureka. Here is what Cal Tran is saying now and it could definitely through you a curveball if you didn't know about it.
US 101 WILL BE CLOSED INTERMITTENLTY FROM 12.4 MI SOUTH OF CRESCENT CITY /AT VISTA POINT/ TO 1.9 MI SOUTH OF CRESCENT CITY /AT HUMBOLDT RD/ (DEL NORTE CO) FROM 0900 HRS TO 1100 HRS, FROM 1200 HRS TO 1400 HRS & FROM 1500 HRS TO 1700 HRS MONDAY THRU FRIDAY - DUE TO A ROCKSLIDE - TRAFFIC WILL BE ALLOWED THRU FROM 1100 HRS TO 1200 HRS & FROM 1400 TO 1500 HRS - MOTORISTS ARE SUBJECT TO DELAYS OF UP TO 2 HOURS |
Man we know all about that.......
nate _________________ 1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
Vanagon Adventure and DIY videos:
That Baldwin Life YouTube Channel |
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erste Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2013 Posts: 1110 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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SSWesty wrote: |
Our goals was to spend some time in the Redwoods and find places to camp where we could see and hear the ocean. |
I really like this goal! Looks like it was a fun and exciting trip with the beach access. You found so many nice places.
The redwoods and dusty ferns remind me a lot of the road down to Gold Bluffs Beach near Orick. Looks like it's just about the same distance to the OR/CA border as Gold Beach is to the North. Probably a similar feeling and one that I won't forget. Driving through the cool, shaded redwood forest and then it just suddenly opens up and you're right on the beach looking out at the Pacific. |
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coqcitywesty Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2018 Posts: 401 Location: Coquitlam, BC
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Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2022 10:25 am Post subject: Re: Trip Report - Redwoods and Oregon Coast |
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We did this trip this past summer over two weeks, starting from the north at Fort Stevens, with stops at Beverly Beach, Sunset Bay and Harris Beach with a day trip in California to revisit Jedediah and the Redwoods. We missed Howland last time through so added it to this trip and it did not disappoint.
Much kudos to those environmentalists in the early part of the 20th century who recognized the value of these special places and ensured that they were preserved for future generations to come and marvel at their grandeur. While I am not a spiritual person per se, the peace and tranquility that radiates from being in the presence of these big beasts is something pretty special. Both the coastal and inland forests (i.e. High Sierras) should be on everyone's bucket list.
I am thinking that this image may be at the same spot as one from the OP.
_________________ 1991 Westfalia EJ251, 1972 Volvo 1800 ES |
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