A trip north as far as Seattle! Advice needed

My wife and i are leaving soon for a road trip up the 5 to seattle and down the 101 on the way back. We plan on about 10 days unless los angeles continues to burn to the ground which would give us no reason to return.
We'll be car camping for the most part; we prefer less-developed camping areas without generators and tv's.

I'm looking for can't miss spots to FLY FISH, PHOTOGRAPH, and EAT. We plan on visiting the Hoh rain forest and any national parks we come across. I'm not a big dry fly fisherman, more streamers and terrestrials and this'll be my wifes first fly fishing experience.

thanks

vinny

Skip Seattle and Tacoma and at Olympia take the cut off to the Ocean Beaches and then go North at Aberdeen up the coast to the Olympic National Park. Lots of camping along the way and beaches then the Rain Forest, dry camping there, and then up the coast again to Beaches 1 and 2 etc. and visit the very Northern part of the peninsula. If you come back that way you can stay on 101 driving around Aberdeen and down the coast and over to Oregon and down the Oregon coast to home. Newport Beach is great, stay at Beverly Park, it's beautiful.
Have fun,
Curt

Vinny, hope it's a great trip and you hook up with us on the 15th..

North coast-camping in Cannon beach..one on north side of town, east side of 101..nice little family place. Showers and bunny rabbits & horses.
One on south side of town but didn't stay there.

Central coast I've stayed at Beverly State Park. Very nice as is all the Oregon State parks. Clean, hot showers.. Many state parks up and down the coast.

South of course is Sunset Bay, which is west of Coos Bay and near Shore Acres, Simpson Beach, Cape Arrago State Park..

Again, Seems to be a lot of State Parks along the coast. Here's a list of Oregon State Parks:
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/PARKS/

If you need camping in the Aberdeen area, there's a campground about 5-7 miles south of town just as you get out to the coast again. lots of shade and a nice view.
Happy fishing/shooting.


jan

Vancouver is just a couple of hours north of Seattle, and there's lots to photograph here .

Matt

And don't forget about Crater Lake NP.

Shot taken 30 years ago.

Definitely don't miss Mt St Helens, and Mt Rainier. Beware that Mt St Helens is a national monument, not a national park, so a regular parks pass won't cover you there (the golden eagle variety will). It is worth it nonetheless. Mt Rainier should be open at the Paradise entrance now - there have been a lot of repairs to a tremendous amount of flood damage from last fall.
As previously mentioned, the Olympic Peninsula is a very special place. Hurricane Ridge, and the La Push area are great bets there.
Sorry I don't have any fishing tips.
Feel free to PM me with questions - I live in Olympia and Seattle, and camp a fair amount in the area. Happy Trails!
Mike

The 101 up and down the penninsula is very scenic. Eating out is sketchy at best. I don't recall one great place along the way and I've driven the whole length several times. There are many good camping places on the 101. The absolute best place to hike to is Shi Shi Beach. You can tent camp there if you don't mind packing everything in on the 2.5 mile walk to the beach - it's a nice easy flat walk mostly along an old road. It is hands down the most beauitful beach in the NW. If you like tidal pools, sea life, grand seascapes, etc. there is no equal. You have to go to Neah Bay and go a few miles out of town to a small dirt parking lot. You need to buy a parking permit from the Tribal Office just outside of town. You can ask anyone in Neah Bay where the office is and they can direct you to the parking lot.

I know of another nice camping spot on a lake on the southern end of thee Nat. Park. PM me and I'll look it up for you. I think it's Lake Ozette. There is a lodge just west of the campground that may have a restaurant.

This stretch of road is pretty remote until you hit the northern end and head east where you'll find plenty of towns. Forks is near the Hoh rain forest but it's a logging town with no nice places to eat. There are some clean motels there if you need a room for a night.

Indian towns like La Push and Neah Bay are dumps. I am always shocked at the shanty town appearance of La Push. Neah Bay has an outdoor stand that smokes it's own salmon and when in season it's quite tasty. To get to Neah Bay, you have to turn off 101 onto 112 and head west. You can also visit Cape Flattery which is very pretty. I once stood on a point on the cliff and looked straight down at a whale diving and feeding right along the cliffs. It was quite a site.

Ruby Beach is nice, but not spectacular. Not far from Forks.

So, in WA along the 101 you'll find nice scenery, remoteness, camping and hiking. No good eating places that I know of. I can't help with the fishing , sorry.

Do Google on Shi Shi Beach and you can get it's location and some bad snapshots of the beach.

-R

From I5 at Roseburg OR take one day to head over to Crater Lake, there will be snow so be sure to check that the roads are open.

From I5 at Castle Rock WA take one day to head over to Mt St Helens.

Skip Seattle and Tacoma and at Olympia take the cut off to the Ocean Beaches and then go North at Aberdeen up the coast to the Olympic National Park.

As previously mentioned, the Olympic Peninsula is a very special place. Hurricane Ridge, and the La Push area are great bets there.

The 101 up and down the penninsula is very scenic.


There are lots of charter fishing outfits along the coast, You can stay on 101 all the way back to LA, Traffic can be very slow along 101 in OR.

Injoy.

Doyle

Apologies to Doyle - when I referred to Vancouver in my post I forgot to differentiate Vancouver BC from Vancouver Washington - something that probably really irritates the fine people who live in Vancouver Washington.

Matt

Vinnie,

Will you be passing thru Northern CA on 101? I am not a fisherman, but I can give some tips about camping and photographing in the redwoods.

Vaughn

Vaughn said:

Vinnie,

Will you be passing thru Northern CA on 101? I am not a fisherman, but I can give some tips about camping and photographing in the redwoods.

Vaughn

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Thanks for the help so far. Any more info on areas other than the mainstream sites and such is greatly appreciated. We don't mind hiking a bit to get to the good stuff.
Vaughn, we do plan on stopping at Redwoods Nat'l park on the way back down. I'd love to hear more.
thanks

vinny

Hey Vinnie!

Except for a visitor center on the beach, there really is no Redwood "National Park", in the sense that you enter it, pay your entry fee and you're there. It is more of a collaberation between the national park and several state parks.

A good road to drive on (using an 8x10 tends to lend itself to a vehical!) is the Howland Hill Road in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Off of Hwy101, take Hwy 299 (east -- the only direction) past the enterance of the campground and another mile or so, turn right and cross over the Smith River (increadibly clear and beautiful -- might be worth a stop right there). The road will be South Fork Rd. You'll cross two forks of the river, then turn right...the road becomes Douglas park Drive. You'll pass some private homes and then the road becomes Howland Hill Rd and will turn to dirt -- about a lane and a half wide -- and be in the old growth redwoods for several miles. There are some trails off of the road such as the Boys Scout Trail to a falls (small, not too impressive) or along Mill Creek itself.

Howland Hill Road will take you eventually to Cresent City.

Heading south from there, you'll eventually cross the Klamath River...and about 4 miles when the Hwy 101 is a 4-lane affair, you'll get to a off-ramp for Drury Parkway...turn off the hwy and then turn right. This is the old hwy that goes thru the redwoods of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. After a mile or so you'll be along Prairie Creek, tho you will not see it from the road. There will many trails heading off either side of the road. The ones on the west side connect to the Prairie Creek Trail that goes along the creek -- this is where I have been photographing for the past 30 years.

The Rhodies are probably in bloom -- two good places for those. Lady Bird Johnson Grove and the trail to the Tall Trees Grove. Both of these are up the Bald Hills Road right before you get to the town of Orick. The access to the Tall Trees grove requires a stop at the Redwood National Park Visitor Center south of Orick for the combo for a locked gate -- and a long drive down a dusty road to the trailhead.

Campgrounds -- Jedediah State Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods SP (including the great small camp on the beach near the mouth of Fern Canyon). And if you would like, my place in Eureka (my studio in the back also has a queen-size futon).

Well, I got to get busy developing some 8x10 negs from Yosemite!

Vaughn

Eating out is sketchy at best. I don't recall one great place along the way and I've driven the whole length several times.

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One of the best hamburgers I have ever had was at a mom/pop restaurant in Forks Washington. I can't eat that delicious food anymore but believe me they make the very great ones.

Curt said:

One of the best hamburgers I have ever had was at a mom/pop restaurant in Forks Washington. I can't eat that delicious food anymore but believe me they make the very great ones.

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I spent the 4th of July in Forks back in '73 or '74 while I was hitchhiking about in my hippie days. Always thought they should have a university there...Forks U. Which is about what Forks thought about hippies back then.

One of the best hamburgers in California can be found in Orick, just up the highway from me -- a mom & pop stand in the middle of town -- not that much different of a town than Forks, really, Forks is a little bigger perhaps.

vaughn

When I get to Orick I'll look it up, my diet might include a nice burger by then. I had a tri gly of around 4k and a Cholesterol of 400; the doctor asked me if I was alive! My diet is a table top of pills now but I do love a great burger and I am not over weight, go figure. Remember Ma and Pa Kettle were from the Oly Pen, maybe Forks.

Then I suggest you don't ask for the "Paul Bunyan" -- double patty, slice of ham, bacon and cheeze!

vaughn

We returned on saturday having logged 3,200 miles. Olympic Nat'l Park was amazing and the campsites up there are the best i've seen anywhere. I didn't shoot as much as i had hoped with the high winds near the coast but managed to pop off a few shots here and there. If anyone is planning a trip up there i highly recommend mid may as there weren't many other travelers around. Thanks to everyone who provided tips. Good to meet you Vaughn.

vinny

I'll second Helens and Rainier, though ten days isn't a lot if you plan on spending a lot of time hiking, etc. Glad to see you going to the Hoh rainforest, it's incredible. Can't say Seattle is the most beautiful city, but it is unique for sure and a good place to visit. Vancouver IS a beautiful and dramatic city, IMHO, and I live in Seattle. If time wer no object, I'd head straight up to the Hoh, then keep North and take a ferry to Vancouver Island-incredible and rugged wilderness, and I understand has the largest black bear populaton in the world-hit Victoria, ferry over to Vancouver, then head South to the North Cascades, Seattle, Rainier, Helens, etc.

Have a great trip.

wildbill said:

Thanks to everyone who provided tips. Good to meet you Vaughn.

vinny

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It was a pleasure, Vinny. Sorry I could not spend more time with you, but thanks for stopping by the gallery!

Vaughn

Oh, btw, when you leave (or enter) the Hoh rainforest, if you travel a very short distance North there is a turnoff that takes you to a very dramatic and beautiful spot on the Ocean. Sea stacks and surf. I'm sure there are several places similar, but this is in close proximity to the Hoh where you indicated you're already planning on heading. It was a very lovely punctuation to my last trip to the Hoh rainforest.