US 199 Cresent City to Grants Pass

[steve zannella]

Is US 199 east bound doable in a 42 foot marquis?  Caltrans not recommending bus or motorhome over 40 feet.
also best route Grants Pass to Bend Oregon.

Thanks
Steve

[David T. Richelderfer]

A couple years ago we went (all in Oregon) from Bly (on 140) to Sprague River (on 62) to Chiloquin (on 62 & 97) to Union Creek (on 62) to Trail (on 62) to Tiller (on 227) to Canyonville (on I-5).  The numbers in () are the road identifications.  The roads were good - almost all two lane, one lane coming and one lane going - except for 227 from Trail to Canyonville.  That road was narrow, slow and has switchbacks.  We have the 45' Marquis and were towing the Avalanche, close to 72' long as a unit.

Unless the route from Grants Pass to Trail (on 234 & 62) to Prospect (on 62) to Union Creek (on 62), then 230 to US97 South of Chemult, then North (on 97) to Bend has construction delays or is plagued with forest fires or has bad roads (snow), then it should be a good drive - about 200 miles and 75 miles shorter than the two main alternatives to either Klamath Falls or Eugene.

The Union Creek campground actually has three full hookup sites on a separate entrance. The campground takes no reservations.  It's first come, first served.  I called ahead and was told the sites could not be reserved, but at least one of the RVs in the full-hookup three sites would be leaving mid-day on the same day I would be arriving.  Yes - I got the one open site.  There are other RV parks too, such as the one behind the Crater Lake Lodge entrance.  Crater Lake is a great half-day visit.

[Roy C Tyler]

As you leave Cresent City, go 5.7 miles north on 101 and then turn right onto North Bank Road (197) and come back down to Hiouchi.  There are two turns on 199 just as you leave 101 that are REAL sharp and could be a problem.  If you bypass those turns and take the 197 cutoff back down to 199, the rest of 199 to Grants Pass is very doable.  There is a turn on 199 just east of Hiouchi a little ways along the river that has a rock outcropping but it is on the west bound side of the road and won't be a problem heading to Grants Pass.

I am not familiar with any of the roads that cut over to 97 from Grants Pass.  I usually go up 97 or cut over from I5 near the Corvallis turn off.

[Bryan Schmidt]

Steve

I have to drive US 199 east and west bound to get to Grants Pass at least 4-5 times each year, since that is my best way to get to the I-5 corridor reliably and in about 2 hrs one way.  I'm driving a 36' Beaver, which is almost 38', plus a SUV in tow. 

As Roy pointed out, US 197 is a short cut from US 199 by Hourichi to US 101 north of Cresent City.   That short cut gets you out of taking US 199 through the Redwoods National/State park since there are several tight turns for a long rig.

I may have to disagree with Roy on the rest of US 199 to GP.  I feel that there are really only 2 bad spots to watch and that I slow down greatly for at mile marker 26.5 and between 22-23   These 2 spots are minimum narrow road, no shoulder and at MM 26.5; outside curve lane guardrail installed right on the white road side line, with cliff drop off down into the Smith Rover below, inside curve lane has a sheer rock wall on the with minimal shoulder, and there is also a preceding very quick S-curve then a 120deg blind curve.  I just go very, very slow (10-15MPH) at that spot since you cannot immediately see what is the oncoming traffic till almost too late while in the turn.

US199 is used as the primary route for loaded logging tractor-trailers going to/from the local sawmills, or fully loaded cut lumber trailers coming from the mill e.g.: South Coast Lumber in Brookings, OR, as well for all of the trash hauler rigs from the coast going to the Medford area land fill, so they run US199 full bore all the time and they are much longer than 42' Beaver with a tow.   US199 in CA has lots of slow vehicle pull outs for other to safety pass You'll also see the assortment of single 45'-53' standard and double short trailers by Rediway, UPS, FedEx and other rigs.   

Unless you are willing to go 150+miles out of your way for a just marginally better route (my opinion) for a I-5 Grants Pass to southern OR coast destination like Brookings/Gold Beach or far northern CA destination like Creasent City, US 199 is your best bet.

The rest of US199 is curvy and rolling, but a pleasant enough drive to handle.   You will climb and decent 2 passes going over the Cosatal range, but they are only 1500' or so.  For us on the southern OR coast, US199 is just a fact of life.  Note: limited/no cell coverage in several stretches of the CA canyons of US 199 for many miles.

[Jerry Carr]

Steve, I have used 199 once during our travel south, I- 5 was closed after 3days, and I made the call to use 199. I found during the trip the road was in good condition (3 years ago) yes we did have a couple of curves that did require us to slow but they are marked and posted with speed suggested. I did enjoy to route it is a short route in miles not in time. But if you’re heading to GP from the coast it's a good route. If I am heading north on the coast I would stay on 101 and cut over to Eugene on 126 you would enjoy the views.