Oregon to Yosemite

Back on the road again after a wonderful 4 day respite with old friends in Corvallis, Oregon.

Couple of quick notes about Corvallis if you are traveling though this region of the Northwest. Corvallis is the home of Oregon State University, the Beavers.  The campus is a beautiful tree lined 150 year old public research facility with programs focusing on forestry, oceanography, marine biology, agriculture, and natural resources. The town, just off of I-5, the main north-south route that feeds into California has a very young and vibrant feel to it. If you do pass through Corvallis, make sure to stop and shop at one of the two locations of the First Alternative Natural Foods Co-Op, a perfect spot to fill your pantry with good, healthy foods. While there we also hiked the lovely trails at the Peavy Arboretum, just north of town, and visited the extensive Farmer’s Market at Riverfront Commemorative Park. The Willamette River, a major tributary of the Columbia River runs through Corvallis, providing a perfect kayaking or canoeing spot right in town.

Leaving town heading west on Rt. 20, we quickly ascend the coastal range of the Siuslaw National Forest. We pass Mary’s Peak at 4,032 feet watching over Corvallis as we reach the Pacific Ocean in just over an hour and head south on Rt. 101, the coastal highway that follows the Pacific from Washington through California. Traveling the Oregon coast has been in our plans since this journey was initially planned and we are delighted to finally see the Pacific. We are headed for the Umpqua Lighthouse Campground, about a 3 hour drive from Corvallis but first visit a number of view points along the route. The coast is a varied array of steep mountain cliffs and tall sand dunes that skirt the coastline and offer hiking trails along with remarkable vistas. The sharp, verdant hills that drop quickly to the water remind us both of the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii.

Along this path we also pleasantly discovered the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. This captivating exhibit includes a wide and varied assortment of sea creatures, a hands-on interactive tank, several large outdoor tanks with otters, sea lions, harbor seals and more. The Aquarium was a wonderful introduction as we embarked on this ocean phase of our journey.

Traveling down the coast we arrived at our destination late in the afternoon. The Umpqua Lighthouse Campground is a beautiful wooded park with water and electric at the site but also offers Yurts and Cabins for rent. The camping sites are very private with some shaded areas and a walking trail that leads to a one mile trail around Marie Lake, a beautiful lake that offers fishing and swimming. The campground also features brand new restrooms with showers that were exceptionally clean and well appointed.

All along the coastal highway are Oregon State Parks that offer both day-use and overnight camping. We had chosen Umpqua during the planning stages primarily due to the driving distance from Corvallis, but were thrilled at the beauty and amenities at this park.

Note: Campgrounds are quite varied in the layout and locations of their camp sites. Your specific site location can determine if a campground is a standout or merely average. Pick your site carefully and study the campground site map to make certain that you are not adjacent to the bathrooms or playground.(Noise) Also, do not hesitate to negotiate with the campground host if the site is less than satisfactory or if you see a better location.

Day 2 at Umpqua, after a brief obligatory stop at the lighthouse (nothing particularly exciting there), we went in search of the herd of Elk that roam near the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, about a 20 minute drive from the campground. The wild Roosevelt Elk live here year round and the site is jointly managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Bureau of Land Management.

After two beautiful nights at Umpqua, we are headed south again, this time a mere two hours to the Four Seasons RV Resort in Gold Beach, Oregon. Traveling the coast, we search and find view points as they come upon us as this magnificent drive along the ocean is peppered with constant spectacular locations. At the town of Bandon we follow signs that offer harbor views and are treated to a remarkable coastal loop road that follows the jagged path of the coastal hills.

The rocks that are visible below are the result of volcanic activity that have pushed these rocks underneath the continental plates under great pressure. They have been uplifted and exposed and the rocks that remain today are those that have resisted the constant erosion through the years.

Shortly after the trip through Bandon we arrive at the Four Seasons along the Rogue River in Gold Beach. This campground has a limited number of waterfront sites on the Rogue. Our first night was on a plateau above this water but we were able to move to the waterfront on day 2. This is an exceptional location, though the sites are close together. (Reserve early) The Rogue River winds its way east from here into the Siskiyou National Forest and offers a wide panorama from our campsite. The park is exceptionally well maintained, with spotless grounds and bathrooms, though a bit on the steep side for FHU. ($45 for waterfront)

Hiking along the river we came upon a leopard seal sunning on a rock along with two others in the water.

Though there are bald eagles in the area, we only spotted osprey while hiking.

Our hike along the river bank took us past the beautiful Tu Tu Tun Lodge and a quick detour up the bank gave us an abbreviated view. The owner suggested that we walk the grounds and in particular the immense herb garden. This is a 5 star Lodge with a gorgeous setting, beautiful grounds and we are told by the campground folks next door, serves wonderful food.

Continuing southbound the next day we are headed to the Redwoods just across the California border. The Redwoods National and State Parks include the Jedidiah Smith Redwood State Park, the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Together as a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, the parks are a cooperative management effort by the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Though you can spend days exploring and hiking through these ancient giants, we planned just to spend the one day here as we have been here before and we are heading to a rendezvous with some old friends at Yosemite Park. As always, we stop at a Visitor Center to help plan the most efficient use of our time. Since we are headed towards a campground in Gasquet, we stop at the Jedidiah Smith Visitor’s Center for hiking trail maps and advice. We had been reading about The Stout Grove at this area of the park and in fact did drive to that trail. The road into The Grove is quite narrow and becomes dirt shortly after exiting the main road, Rt. 199. The ranger had suggested that we could drive the entire length of this dirt road after hiking to the Stout Grove; however, another patron said that our vehicle was much too tall to negotiate this entire pathway.

After hiking this magnificent trail we turned back to the main road to follow Rt 199 to the Panther Flat Campground. Be cautious of the Howland Hill Road into Stout Grove. The road is very narrow with overhanging trees and there are not many opportunities to turn a large rig around.

Panther Flat is a beautiful National Park primitive site with potable water and pay showers just outside of Gasquet, Ca. The campground does book up early so if this is on your path, plan ahead. The sites are just above the day use area that borders the lovely Smith River.

From Panther Flat our path takes us back down the coast another 75 miles before we head inland to another brief overnight stop, this time at the Trinity River RV Resort and RV Park near Lewiston, Ca. The park felt a bit on the shady side and though the Trinity River below the campsites is very pretty, the layout and ambiance did not feel terribly inviting. Just passing through this area leads us the next day through the area severely burned by the Carr Fire, contained late in August of 2018. The fire burned over 229,000 acres and destroyed at least 1077 homes.

A rather long drive this day takes us through Sacramento to the Acorn Campground in the brush covered hills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Valley Springs. This primitive campground sits above the New Hogan Lake in a rather rustic setting but does feature bathrooms with flush toilets, running water and inexpensive pay showers. The landscape was a calm, relaxing, western park and the water was wonderfully refreshing for swimming on a very hot day.

After an extremely relaxing evening at Acorn we make our final run at Yosemite National Park, just barely 2 hours east of Valley Springs. The mountainous winding ride up into Yosemite was at once exciting and terrifying. This road, California Rt. 120 though considered a highway is a steep, curvy test of your mettle but the awe factor still overrides the sense of danger. The next post will cover Yosemite in its entirety. Until then, peace.

Jay