Seeking suggestions for OR to AZ drive

[Sagefemme]

Well, sorry I am a bit late to the discussion. We have made the same trip, from Portland to Phoenix several times to visit relatives in the Phoenix area. So here are our tried and truly enjoyed suggestions:

Wow!! Thanks for those details!

I have to do Phoenix back to Oregon as well. I would absolutely do a different route, and this might fit the bill. I will be at the end of almost 3 weeks on the road and may want a itinerary that gets me home sooner, i.e., fewer days of driving.

Also you have revealed that you are hot springs people! I honestly have little to no hot springs experience. One thing I do know, is I am less tolerant of very hot water than most other people. When they are saying oh wow this feels amazing, I have a heart rate of 120 and panicky feelings to get out. IF I was ever able to get in in the first place! So only if there are warm as well as hot springs would it work for me.

 

[AWG_Pics]

Wow!! Thanks for those details!

I have to do Phoenix back to Oregon as well. I would absolutely do a different route, and this might fit the bill. I will be at the end of almost 3 weeks on the road and may want a itinerary that gets me home sooner, i.e., fewer days of driving.

Also you have revealed that you are hot springs people! I honestly have little to no hot springs experience. One thing I do know, is I am less tolerant of very hot water than most other people. When they are saying oh wow this feels amazing, I have a heart rate of 120 and panicky feelings to get out. IF I was ever able to get in in the first place! So only if there are warm as well as hot springs would it work for me.

I am not fond of hot, hot springs either. The indoor pool at Summer lake is only warm, really about bath water temperature. Maybe 80 degrees. Tecopah has two pools for each gender side. An inner, quite warm pool and an outer cooler pool. Again, like bathwater.

I am always the first out of the warm springs. My wife could soak all day I suppose, I don't know, having never tested that idea.

 

[ski3pin]

Thank you! That's so helpful. My current plan is as follows:

Day 0ne: Eugene to BLM land south of Burns (Ten Cent Lake or Borax Lake, Hwy 78) ~350 miles
Day Two: Some Lake to Lamoille Canyon, NV 310 miles
Day Three: Lamoille Canyon to Cathedral Gorge State Park 287 miles. I have a res at a campground.
Day Four: Cathedral Gorge to Burro Creek Campground, AZ 340 miles. I have a res at a campground.
Day Five: Burro Creek to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. 128 miles.

Thank you Wandering Sagebrush for the suggestions, and GflGdog for guidance, and links.

This is more time spent getting to my destination, and more miles (1400 rather than 1230) than if I went I-5 and 10 East through California, a route I've driven before, but i think it will be new and not TOO ambitious for the miles driven each day. I am the only driver, after all!

Just FYI, Julie and I stayed one night at Burro Creek a couple weeks ago. There was a large population of Great Blue Herons there with some pairs nesting on the cliffs to the north and just above the remaining pool on Burro Creek. Interesting to see.

 

[Sagefemme]

Just FYI, Julie and I stayed one night at Burro Creek a couple weeks ago. There was a large population of Great Blue Herons there with some pairs nesting on the cliffs to the north and just above the remaining pool on Burro Creek. Interesting to see

I'll take all the birds I can get! We are hoping to do lots of birding in AZ. Should be plenty of spring migrants about.

Although if there's no water, that decreases the birds.

 

[ski3pin]

Spend some time at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia. Our favorites were the Violet-crowned hummingbird and the Broad-billed hummingbirds. And yes, Arizona is very very dry this year. The sandhill cranes are already leaving Whitewater Draw.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Spend some time at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia. Our favorites were the Violet-crowned hummingbird and the Broad-billed hummingbirds. And yes, Arizona is very very dry this year. The sandhill cranes are already leaving Whitewater Draw.