CTD2003
Arizona
Senior Member
Joined: 01/24/2006
View Profile
|
DW and I are thinking of a trip pulling our 40ft fifth wheel up the pacific coast highway from San Diego to northern Washington state, is this a feasible route or should we start researching further inland we would like to stay on the coast and then come back an inland route. Also campgrounds along the route you would recommend thanks.
|
tomlang
Los Angeles area
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2007
View Profile
 Offline
|
The section north of Hearst Castle (San Simeon) is not recommended, but you can cut inland and take the 101 to Salinas, then back to Hwy 1.
There are also sections of Hwy 1 north of the Russian River until about Eurika , along "the forgotten coast" that are not recommended, but again the 101 is a wonderful alternative. Enjoy the redwoods.
Tom and Lynne
Tom is an Electronics Engineer, Lynne a retired teacher.
old rig is a 1988 Winnebago Superchief, currently on tour with the Blue Turtle Seduction (band)
new rig is a 2003 Foretravel 38' U295
|
Trailer Trash 2
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/01/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Watch out for the fires when you go up, have a safe trip.
Don & Georgia
AKA: Trailer Trash 2
Real trucks don't have spark plugs.
1996 Ford F-350,Clydesdale, 7.3 Turbo W/Banks
Pulling a Super Fine Montana 2980RL
|
GSF
full-timing in North America
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2004
View Profile
|
The term "Pacific Coast Highway" is used to refer to two different roads - CA 1 and US 101. CA 1 is not recommended for a rig your size. I drove a good portion of it in my PT Cruiser and there were parts of it that I'm glad I wasn't any wider. US 101 is fine for the largest vehicles.
George
97 Airstream Land Yacht
01 PT Cruiser Dinghy
Cappy - Pekinese Burglar Alarm
|
Trailer Trash 2
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/01/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
GSF wrote:The term "Pacific Coast Highway" is used to refer to two different roads - CA 1 and US 101. CA 1 is not recommended for a rig your size. I drove a good portion of it in my PT Cruiser and there were parts of it that I'm glad I wasn't any wider. US 101 is fine for the largest vehicles.
I disagree with your comment " CA 1 and US 101. CA 1 is not recommended for a rig your size." I have a 35 ft. 5er and pulled by my TV and it exceeds 50 feet, I have taken my RV up quite a bit of Hwy-1 and US-101 granted there are a few areas that are not recomended for large rigs like Big Sir area, I have found the only problem is, if on Hwy-1 and you see a place that looks interresting parking can give you a challange. But all up through the Red Woods worked fine for my set up A 40 ft. Moterhome is a piece of cake through 80% of Hwy-1.
|
|
|
mockturtle
Northwest
Senior Member
Joined: 05/31/2005
View Profile
|
As has been stated, most of Highway 1 is doable and parts of it are not recommended for big RVs. A missing perspective here is the problem large vehicles cause for other drivers on parts of this route. Aside from creating a bottleneck, there are hairpin turns where you will use both lanes, and if there is fog you won't see much of the road, much less the spectacular scenery. Sorry to be so negative, but I don't think it's a good idea.
Husband: Derek
Dog: Bucky
RV: 2000 Aerolite 19RB TT
TV: 1996 Chevrolet Blazer 6 cyl. 4WD
This car used to be our toad, now is our TV!
|
BornToRoam
Middleboro, MA
Full Member
Joined: 07/25/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
My wife and I drove the PCH from Imperial Beach (San Diego) to Crescent City (near Oregon border)in a convertible a few years ago and doing it in anything bigger would be borderline irresponsible, nevermind NOT much fun. Doable on 70% of it, sure, I guess...but not the right way to enjoy this destination IMHO.
1999 24' Coachman Catalina Sport 240WB, 62k (put on 30k in 3 years), Alpine/Infinity, Sirius, Nuvi 680, XPS Ribs, Bilstein's, Mobil 1, Baltaflex floor, modded 4 bike rack
|
tomlang
Los Angeles area
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Caltrans has a web page that tells of roads restricted to 45' motorhomes and buses.
45' Bus & Motorhome Restricted Routes
Included are sections of California Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo to Monterey county (pretty; much the Big Sur area) and along Sonoma and Mendocino counties (north of Bodega Bay and the "forgotten coast" from Fort Bragg to the 101 junction.
My feeling is that any restricted route where 45' rigs are prohibited is not a fun drive for a 40 footer too.
Another good link from the same website is 45' Bus & Motorhome Map
The page is an interactive map that also shows routes restricted to 40' RVs.
There is also a link to order a free hardcopy of the map
|
JasonD
Annapolis, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 07/26/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
I drove it in a car from the Oregon border to San Francisco over 3 days. It would NOT be fun in an RV. You are constantly moving the steering wheel since the road is so curvy. It would get very tedious in an RV.
Also, one of the best things about driving that road is pulling over on one of the numerous overlooks and taking in the scenery. You'd have a hard time doing this in an RV as the pull-offs are small and frequently near a blind turn. Not fun in a large vehicle.
Can you do it? Yes. Will it be fun? No.
2008 42' Foretravel Nimbus CE
2007 Chevy Tahoe toad
|
chockwald
Ontario, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 02/06/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
BornToRoam wrote:My wife and I drove the PCH from Imperial Beach (San Diego) to Crescent City (near Oregon border)in a convertible a few years ago and doing it in anything bigger would be borderline irresponsible
Are you kidding? That's just silly. I've driven PCH from Astoria, OR to San Diego, CA in a 26' class C motorhome and the only section that was not driveable, or should I say "should not have been driven by me" was from Stinson Beach to Sauslito...roughly 10 miles. The rest of it can be safely negotiated with up to at least a 40' rig. I would not hesitate to drive it in my 36' diesel pusher tomorrow.
The key to the areas where it is slow going is not to bite off to many miles a day in a motorhome....it will wear you out, because you are constantly turning the steering wheel. In some parts of the "lost coast" area the speed limit is ony 25mph due to the twisty nature of the road in that area.
CLARKE AND ELAINE
1982 Newell 36' diesel pusher
|
|
|
