Eureka,Ca to Oregon coast

[UHAULER]

Planning a trip to the coast this fall. Will probably go up 5 then head over 299 to Eureka area. Thinking about camping at Patricks point , then possibly around Crescent City.We have camped at Jedidiah Smith before,it wasn't the most private, but it was Ok. I have a friend near Bandon,Or so I will stay there and around Coos Bay. I have never been to Astoria so I would like to see it. Are there any good camping spots along the way , it's hard to tell from a website if a campground is any good. I'm trying to do a little more planning to avoid driving around at the end of the day scrambling to find a place. I really don't want to drive down some random dirt road at the end of the day and camp near some hillbillys or meth heads.

 

[shortbus4x4]

I like Cape Perpetua area, we have stayed at the Forest Service campground there. We also have stayed at Beachside State campground in Waldport. Humbug Mountain is another cool campground. Spend some time in Tillamook. You can't go wrong with Oregon State campgrounds, they are some of the nicest in the country. In N CA you have Fern Canyon, Trees of Mystery, and the lagoons between Patricks Point and Oregon. Take the Newton B Drury parkway, it's the old 101, well not that old because I was driving while they were still building the bypass. I grew up in Humboldt County so have driven that area a bit. Are the the uhauler who built a camper out of an old Toyota uhaul box?

 

[MarkBC]

Are you considering Oregon State Parks along the coast? Lots of info on their website. Among the Oregon State Parks on the coast, I like: Cape Blanco, C.G. Washburne, Beverly Beach....and others. Washburne and Blanco are both first-come/first served, but most take reservations -- recommended/mandatory on weekends and summer.
Or are you more looking for cheap/free dispersed National Forest areas in the coast range?

 

[shortbus4x4]

I forgot to add the aquarium in Newport is pretty neat too.

 

[UHAULER]

I like Cape Perpetua area, we have stayed at the Forest Service campground there. We also have stayed at Beachside State campground in Waldport. Humbug Mountain is another cool campground. Spend some time in Tillamook. You can't go wrong with Oregon State campgrounds, they are some of the nicest in the country. In N CA you have Fern Canyon, Trees of Mystery, and the lagoons between Patricks Point and Oregon. Take the Newton B Drury parkway, it's the old 101, well not that old because I was driving while they were still building the bypass. I grew up in Humboldt County so have driven that area a bit. Are the the uhauler who built a camper out of an old Toyota uhaul box?

Thanks for the suggetions.
Yes, The uhauler is long gone. Since then I had a carson rebel 14' toyhauler and a northstar 650. I just bought another northstar 650.

 

[UHAULER]

Are you considering Oregon State Parks along the coast? Lots of info on their website. Among the Oregon State Parks on the coast, I like: Cape Blanco, C.G. Washburne, Beverly Beach....and others. Washburne and Blanco are both first-come/first served, but most take reservations -- recommended/mandatory on weekends and summer.
Or are you more looking for cheap/free dispersed National Forest areas in the coast range?

Mostly looking at state,county, private parks. I wouldn't mind free/cheap/dispearsed, but I would rather pay than to be in a dumpy/sketchy/ugly/boring place. I'm trying to avoid last minute, where am I going to stay type of thing.

I have looked at the oregon state parks website but they dont have too many detailed pics of the actual campsites, mostly a few pics of the beautiful scenery nearby

 

[MarkBC]

... I really don't want to drive down some random dirt road at the end of the day and camp near some hillbillys or meth heads.

Once when looking for an out-of-the-way spot to camp in the coast range, driving along the Little Nestucca River, I'm sure I heard dueling banjos -- I kept driving.

 

[MarkBC]

Mostly looking at state,county, private parks. I wouldn't mind free/cheap/dispearsed, but I would rather pay than to be in a dumpy/sketchy/ugly/boring place. I'm trying to avoid last minute, where am I going to stay type of thing.

I have looked at the oregon state parks website but they dont have too many detailed pics of the actual campsites, mostly a few pics of the beautiful scenery nearby

Some of the Oregon State Parks websites do have pics of individual campsites if you click on their reservation page and then select a date and then click on the map of available sites. Pics for most (though not all) sites in C.G. Washburne and Beverly Beach S.P -- and some of the other parks.
But for sure, it's hard to tell how close the next site is even with a photo.

 

[DavidGraves]

Hi Uhauler

My experience from the past three years is that the south Oregon counties including over on the coast are particularly challenged for safe or sane boon docking or back country anything....at least overnight.

Increasingly , the woods and wilds of my state anywhere near the I-5 or 101 corridors are, especially during summer months, a hard place to camp.

If coming up 101 directly on the coast I would be inclined to stay in state parks and suffer the weekenders, their noise and antics.

On the north coast there are state and federal forest or BLM lands in the Coast Range usually just a few miles inland from the coast.

It is always hard to find a nice spot at days' end without a little luck.

If you expect to be all the way up north or beyond, I can direct you to some nice back country in Tillamook or Clatsop counties.

DavidGraves

North Oregon Coast

 

[Stalking Light]

We just stayed at Nehalem Bay, Sunset Bay, Humbug Mountain and Harris Beach state parks in Oregon and they were all very nice, albeit not even close to boondocking.

 

[MarkBC]

For reference...or whatever, here're links to a few pics from my 2012 Report on a trip to the central Oregon Coast -- Beverly Beach S.P.

These posts includes 360° panoramas -- pan around and up/down. (You need to open them in Quicktime, no longer supported by Apple, to view it.) Site E25 Site D31

I was car-camping on this trip. Beverly Beach is a very pretty campground, and as you can see in the pics -- not at all crowded in post-Labor-Day September.

 

[OSUFlyer]

When you reach the Manzanita area the Nehalem Falls Campground is a nice quiet scenic campground if you want to escape the coastal crowds. Also do your best to make it to Astoria. I live across the river and it is quite the remarkable town.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

There are also county parks on the Trask and Kilchis rivers in the Tillamook area. I've never camped in them, but they look ok. I'd say weekdays would be best. Check with the county.

 

[UHAULER]

Thanks for the suggestions. On this trip we just want to relax and check out all of the beaches and small towns. I'm going to try and plan ahead so things will go as smooth as possible. It is getting harder and harder to find dispersed camping. In the past, when camping with a friend , in his own camper, he would do anything to avoid paying for a campsite. We would usually drive way too long searching for that elusive site only to end up at some dumpy spot.

 

[Cayuse]

Stayed at Cape Blanco in march and it was nice other than the liquid that kept falling from the sky! Also stayed at Patricks Point and really enjoyed it though woke up to the same liquid coming from the sky.

Would've like to have spent some time around Pacific City, OR but the schedule didn't allow for it this trip.

 

[super doody]

We just did a similar trip. Some tips:

Check out Gold Bluffs beach in Prairie Creek state park. One of our top 3 favorite sites in Ca.

Sunset beach a little north Bandon has nice a little beach thats protected.

Harris State Beach in Brooking is a nice Oregon state campsite. Rate in Oregon are half the cost of the sites in CA. $38 for electrical, water and cable TV. Nice beach, hot showers and a big playground for the kids. Also very well maintained.

 

[Ace!]

You could come up through Happy Camp/Cave Junction area. There is a nice campground at Bolan Lake. It's not near the coast, but might be a stop on your way. Hwy 299 to 96 to Bolan Lake. The next day Hwy 199 to Brookings.

 

[exmx_racer]

We are heading up to Whidbey Island from the SF Bay Area via Ore & Wash coast this Thursday. Our 3rd trip in 3 years! I would agree with the positive comments about the Oregon State Park Campgrounds. MUCH nicer than Calif SP CGs. Pick up free annual Oregon State Park guide at one of the parks - lots a good info and good for planning.

Our Oregon State Park favorites: Harris Beach (try for A loop), Sunset Bay SP near Coos Bay, Nehalem SP even though it is a MAJOR RV park (A18 for a FWC), Carl Washbourne (very windy beach).

An alternative to Beachside which is too close to 101 as mentioned above is the Tillicum Forest Service Campground.

Alternative to Nehalem is Barview Jetty County Park above Tillamook or Kilchis River County Park (inland of Tillamook and isolated feeling).

We found Oregon County Parks more expensive because of added fees but a good back up for state parks if you don't have reservations.

Two food notes: Pacific City BJ's Tacos & Stimulus Coffee and if you stay at Nehalem State Park walk to the town of Manzanita via trail (ask at check-in kiosk) and try Bread & Ocean Bakery.

Mrs. exmx_racer

 

[UHAULER]

mx racer, thanks for the suggestions