Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 22:34:18 -0700
Reply-To: Garth Woolstenhulme <gwoolstenhulme@TRUELINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Garth Woolstenhulme <gwoolstenhulme@TRUELINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Trip Advice Needed: Oregon, Wash., B.C.
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Frank Grunthaner wrote:
>
> Just about to pack up wife, kid (age 10), two dogs, three bikes, tent and
> Westfalia for a multiweek vacation in the Pacific Northwest. We have a planned
> route in mind and would greatly appreciate any proffered advice as to
> campgrounds and particular routes to travel. We will add the side tent only
> when
> staying at one site for several days.
>
> We will start from Southern California and first overnight near Tracy. We will
> then proceed up into Oregon, diverting from Interstate 5 to the Oregon Coast
> at
> Eugene. We plan our next overnight near Astoria. We will then go on to the
> Olympic National Park trying to stay in one of the rainforest campgrounds for
> several days, then moving on to the Heart of the Hills CG. The next leg will
> involve crossing to Victoria from Port Angeles, a tour of Vancouver island,
> (possible overnight), then crossing to Vancouver at Namiano, and several
> overnights with access to Vancouver for touring the vicinity. We will then go
> on
> to Banff and possibly Jasper for a week stay. We may want to stop along the
> way
> at Yoho or? In the last phase, we leave Banff and rapidly go down to Salem,
> OR.
> and divert back to the Oregon coast going south. Plan to overnight around
> Cresent
> City. Then proceed via Redding to the Sacramento delta to camp for a few days,
> then home.
>
> Again, all advice sorely appreciated.
>
> Frank Grunthaner
Hi Frank,
We have taken your route several times and you are traveling some of our
favorite areas. Best beach in central Oregon is Cape Lookout just north
of Lincoln City. We like it much better than Fort Stevens near
Astoria. More privacy. The ferries from/to Port Angeles fill up early,
plan on being there well before departure (call ahead and they will tell
you when to get there). Miracle Beach Provincial Park on Victoria is
wonderful with lots of space between camp spaces and is $14 Canadian
(less than $10 US if I did the math correctly) per nite and free
firewood. One day is not much time to drive/ferry to/from Vancouver
Island let alone see any thing. Take a few days and see it. Vancouver
Island is absolutely beautiful (especially for us desert dwellers that
never see too much green scenery). Banff is very beautiful, but parts
can be crowded. One your return trip, our favorite No Cal campground is
Patrick's Point State Park north of Eureka. Lots of walking trails on
the bluffs overlooking the ocean and not really crowded (reservations
req'd).
Have a good trip,
Garth
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