These Oregon State Parks are amazing and we’ve both been sleeping really well since arriving in the state. The rain woke us a couple of times overnight but had passed by the time we awoke. We took our time starting our day allowing the air and ground to dry out.
South Beach State Park, Newport, OR
After a lunch of nachos we set out on our bikes to explore the park. There are a number of paved trails that criss-cross the park that we enjoyed for an hour or so.
A little later in the afternoon we walked to the beach and enjoyed the sunshine that had finally broken through the cloud over of the past few days.
Grill cooked burgers for dinner and we settled in for the evening.
Tomorrow we head to Fort Stevens at the Northern end of Oregon.
Another driving day further North along the Oregon coast. First we enjoy a coffee and light breakfast and then go for a shower. Not quite as nice as the last park, but private and hot. The feeling was probably closer to prison shower than campground shower, 6/10.
It’s a misty day, not raining as such but not dry. We head out a little before 10:00am and shortly up the road the rain starts again. It’s on and off most of the morning which makes the roads a little slippery and so caution was used as we wound our way along the coast.
Coos Bay, OR was the first larger town we passed through. Clearly a logging town built around the railroad and harbour that still operates. We saw piles of lumber and pulp waiting to be shipped out. The rail yards still exist but seem not to be used as much anymore. I suspect that much of the wood is shipped to the far east from here.
Coos Bay, OR
North of Coos Bay the highway passes alongside the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This is quite a long and large (31,500 acres) portion of this part of the coast that is comprised of sand dunes (some over 180’ high). Parts are open to buggies and ATVs but most is protected for wildlife and hiking. We stopped at a day use area but did not hike as the wind was cold and the rain intermittent.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation AreaSeal sculptures along the road
The highway at times is twisty and reminds us of the more casual parts of US-1 in California. The trees are right up to the roadside and overhang creating green tunnels for us to drive through. We stop briefly at Heceta Lighthouse where we had lunch in the van. It’s Sunday and many are here with dogs for a walk on the beach and up the trail to the lighthouse perched on the cliff top. We chose to be cheeky and just ate lunch and not pay the fee for parking.
Heceta lighthouseCape Cove below lighthouse
We arrive in Newport, OR and top off the fuel tank before going into the South Beach State Park where we are staying for the next two nights.
Bridge at NewportView of river emptying into PacificSouth Beach State Park from bridge
Our site is level and the park nowhere near capacity and so are expecting a quiet, albeit wet night. Until tomorrow, stay safe everyone.
Ah, to sleep-in. We both slept until almost 8:30am which is an indication of just how quiet this park is. This led to a slow morning as the rain slowly let up and moved away from the area. We enjoyed an egg and ham sandwich along with a coffee to start our day.
Our campsite (A04) at Bullards Beach State Park
The remainder of the morning was spent relaxing and reading as we waited for things to dry up outside. Shortly after noon we put on our hiking shoes and wind jackets and headed off for a walk about the campground and then onto the beach!
RhododendronBroomColorful Broom
The trail to the beach is sandy as it is shared trail with horse riders. We passed many plants that are now flowering that Barb had to take pictures of. Some of the trail is on boardwalks, one of which was just under water, shallow enough for us to wade through. There were a few other swampy sections that we also managed to go around thus keeping our feet dry.
Flooded boardwalkMossy treeShallonBarb climbing duneLooking out to sea
After about 30min we arrived at the dunes which we climbed over to arrive at a very long windswept beach. The wind was blowing at about 15mph and so we were well and truly coated in sea salt spray and sand by the time we had walked along the beach far enough to head back inland.
WindyScallop shellA walk along the beach
The waves being produced were impressive and the sea looked angry as it clawed at the sand relentlessly.
Wind and waves
Inland we found and followed a paved path that led back to the campground where we enjoyed a late lunch and then an afternoon nap before dinner.
A quiet walkBanana slugCamas
Tomorrow we move on again heading a little further North in Oregon to Newport.
Last night the rain continued and got quite heavy at times; however, by the time we awoke it had eased and we should be dry as we prepare to leave.
We had coffee and a light breakfast before heading to the showers and enjoying the wonderful facilities for one last time. Packing up the van went well and with a quick reposition we could also utilize the dump connection on-site.
So long! Harris Beach State Park
As we left the campground the skies opened again and we had rain as we head North towards Bandon, OR.
US-101 rose & fell while twisting & turning along the coast through forest to grass covered dunes. The scenery was amazing but the weather prevented us from stopping and enjoying the views.
Bridge over the Rogue River, Gold Beach, OR
We arrived in Bandon and our first stop was a laundromat. Yes, isn’t van life exciting? Once done we headed to a restaurant for lunch before we drove to Bullards Beach State Park and checked in.
Coquille River lighthouse, Bandon, OR
Our site is another fairly level paved site with electricity and water. Again it has nice shrubs around it to provide a sense of separation from the neighboring sites.
We relaxed for the afternoon watching a movie and then enjoyed a chicken curry on rice for dinner. The rain has stopped and we hope, based on the forecast, that tomorrow will be somewhat drier and we will be able to get out exploring. No driving tomorrow.
Today we spent the day at Harris Beach State Park again; however, this time we cowered in the van whilst it rained all day.
Tomorrow we head further North along the coast to another State Park. Hopefully the rain will subside a little to allow us to enjoy the outdoors a little.
We managed to snag three nights in this park on a fully serviced site large enough to accommodate a large Class-A motor home. It is paved and perfectly level, no blocking required. The services are convenient with the exception of the sewer dump which is at the back of the parking pad, quite possibly too far from our connection point which is midway along our van.
Each site in the campground is surrounded by a four or five foot hedge that is kept trimmed nicely. Our hedge includes a large flowering fuschia bush which adds some color and is nice for us northerners.
We slept in and took it very easy today. Once up & after coffee we went for a walk down on the beach. The tide was out and the sand was firm to walk on. Barb scoured the tidal pools for creatures.
Once back in camp we cooked a brunch of pancakes, bacon & eggs along with Canadian Maple Syrup that we had brought with us.
The afternoon was spent lounging and reading. A nap might also have occurred. Dinner was grilled Texas steak and asparagus served with potato salad and a mixed vegetable salad.
An after dinner walk around the campground and then to the clifftops to watch the sunset before returning to the van for tea & cake while watching a little TV.
We left Miranda, CA at about 9:00am and head North along the ‘avenue of the giants’. This is a historical 32 mile stretch of US-101 lined with Redwood trees. It’s a great way to start our drive as we admire the sheer size of these trees that are at times right at the edge of the asphalt.
Avenue of the giants, Miranda, CA
Rejoining US-101 we drive North for about an hour admiring the forest all about us. Shortly after Eureka and Arcata, CA we turn into the small town of Trinidad, CA and drive to the beach. It’s a cool and overcast day but Barb was insistent that she wade into the ocean. We took a short walk onto the beach & Barb discovered how cold the ocean is at this time of the year.
Trinidad, CA
Leaving Trinidad we headed further along US-101 and stopped to make a coffee at the Trinidad rest stop. Again, the Redwood trees surround us.
Back on US-101 we detour into Redwood National Park and drive the scenic route. We stopped at Elk Meadows, see a herd of Elk and then go to the visitor center and pick up a pin for our collection. The visitor center is housed in a 1934 building constructed by the CCC when the park was originally being formed.
Driving on the scenic road, we stop to walk amongst the trees. They are magnificent, they are huge. Enough said.
Redwood National Park, CA
Returning to US-101 again we turn toward the Oregon state line.
Soon we arrive in Brookings, OR and immediately find ourselves stuck in a traffic jam. It took us an hour to arrive at a restaurant for lunch before we went on to get groceries and fuel. A few minutes further along the highway we arrive at Harris Beach State Park where we will be staying for the next three nights.
First impressions are very good. Barb walked on the beach and calls the park gorgeous. We’ll talk more about the park in our next post.
The SR-1 that was right at the foot of the space in which we slept was very quiet all night until about 6:30am when a few cars started to pass. We sorted the van and ate a breakfast of leftovers and prepared to leave by about 8:30am.
At Arena Point we took a short detour to see a lighthouse perched on the cliff edge. While visiting we stopped to watch the waves crash onto the rack along the shore.
The road North of Fort Ross was not as twisty as it was to the South. As such we made fairly good time as we ventured further along the coast.
Further along the coast we stopped in MacKerricher State Park near Fort Bragg, CA to dump our tanks and fill our water tank. We also took the opportunity to enjoy the day use parking area (free) where we enjoyed lunch and made Oregon campground reservations for the next week.
Back on the road SR-1 turns inland just North of Rockport, CA and head through a Redwood forest. The road climbs and descends quite a lot as it crosses the coastal mountain range. It also is super twisty and tight. This road would make a brilliant motorcycle cruise route IF it were repaved. This they are planning according to the roadside signs over the next two years.
Eventually we reach US-101 and turn North towards our destination in Miranda, CA. Tonight we are taking advantage of our ‘Boondockers Welcome’ membership (part of Harvest Hosts). BW hosts are homeowners or other locations that provide places to park for a night and don’t require any payment or purchases of any kind.
Our location tonight is on a small gravel area adjacent to the hosts laneway within the redwood forest adjacent to Humboldt Redwood State Park.
Tomorrow we plan on driving the remainder of US-101 as we cross into Oregon where we will be slowing down and enjoying a few Oregon State Parks.
Such a beautiful place to have spent a night and then to wake up to. The sun shines across the Napa valley and in the distance (no pictures) I watch about 10 hot air balloons gliding over the valley. One of our neighbors from last night told us that they were leaving early to go for a balloon ride and I wondered if one of the balloons I was seeing contained them.
Olive tree on our hosts farm
We took our time this morning as we could stay until noon if we wanted and our planned drive was only a few hours. We did finally head out at about 10am and headed West towards Petaluma, CA. The rolling hills had many farms and wineries. Some wineries looked like French chateaus dropped into the Californian landscape, we guessed that the winemaking business is doing nicely.
Heading West out of Napa, CA
We stopped in Petaluma for brunch and to get caught up with a few internet-based chores as our hosts for tonight had warned us that no cellular signals reached their location.
With a full tank of fuel we headed West toward Bodega Bay, a popular beachside town that was jammed with weekend visitors. This was our first view of the Pacific Ocean on this trip and we found a small parking area a little North of town to stop and take in the views and fresh air.
Pacific Coast north of Bodega Bay, CA
As we drove further along SR-1 (Pacific Coast Highway) the traffic slowly decreased but the twists and turns increased causing us to drive carefully around the cliff side curves. As we were driving North we were on the inside lane which reduced some of the scariness of the drive; however, at one point we did wind our way up a canyon where we were on the outside of the road. Don’t look down. It still amazes us that many of these twisty roads in California do not have guardrails.
PCH, note the lack of guardrails and heightsA few sights from along the way
Eventually we arrived in Jenner, CA and found another place to pull off and enjoy the view. As we were early yet to arrive at our hosts, we settled in and watched seals lounging on the beach below and kayakers and surfers enjoying the water.
The final few miles of driving today had us arrive in Fort Ross, CA where we are staying at our hosts, The Fort Ross Store. Another Harvest Host, this store is a general store general store, coffee shop, cafe. It is wonderful, as are the folks that work here. We have a large 20×30 concrete pad on the west side of the building to ourselves that has amazing views out to the ocean.
Our campsite and view for the night!
We are told that the road gets very quiet at night and are looking forward to a wonderful sunset.
Our camp hosts were very cordial and things got quiet by 9:00pm. It’s nice when things work out. We both slept really well and awoke at about 6:30am. A light breakfast and coffee before we packed up and left at 8:05am. Minutes later we drove out of Yosemite National Park.
Views along SR-120 on the way to Stockton, CA
We were headed West along SR-120 towards Stockton, CA and descended down from the 5,000ft or so of the campground. At the town of Priest, CA there was a sign informing drivers that vehicles over 7,500lbs were restricted from taking the ‘old’ road and were required to take the ‘new’ road. We now know why, the old road is super steep for several miles whereas the new road is less steep for several miles more. The descent was super twisty and most corners were marked with either a 15 or 20mph suggested speed. Another MINI road in the van.
New Priest Grade Road
At the bottom of the decline we stopped in Copper Cove, CA for breakfast (2nd). Barb enjoyed a breakfast burrito and I had the country breakfast. It was delicious and a nice treat.
Continuing on, we drove through Stockton and onto Fairfield where we stopped for fuel and to do a little shopping. Next was Napa and a stop at RD Winery where we sampled some local wines and purchased a few bottles to enjoy at a later time.
Views as we drive across to Fairfield, CARD Winery, Napa, CA
Our night will be spent at Dan Dan farms just outside of Napa, overlooking the valley. It’s a beautiful spot with the farm keeping chickens and cattle while growing olives and producing Olive oil. This is a Harvest Host location and as such we purchased some eggs and a bottle of the Olive Oil as a thanks for allowing us to stay on their gorgeous farm overnight.
