Best Driving Roads - Pacific Northwest?

"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:10 • Filed to: None

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Does anyone know good driving roads in the area?

US-12 west of Yakima, WA has bee n my main exploration thus far (picture above), but it’s a bit crowded.

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I’ve been looking on Google Maps, but every time I find a good bit of road it turns out to be unpaved.

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I recently read a Porsche 718 GT4 cover story in an issue of R&T in the middle of a grocery store, and the writer took WA-129 south from Lewistown, ID; think it was called Rattlesnake Grade .

Looks fun! I’ve been craving Culver’s ever since I moved, and the closest one is in Idaho; that’ll be the excuse for this trip!

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@token_liberal (can you tag in Kinja yet?) also suggested SR-20 over Sherman Pass.

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I took a road trip two years ago with a rental car and remember loving US-199 to Crecent City. This is also an amazing place to watch the sunset.

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(Sidenote: does Kinja now require image sources? I t at least asked me on this post for some reason)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:24

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Sunset Highway in Oregon. Stop and get a meal at Camp 18 if possible.

camaroboy68ss > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:26

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Well as I’m west of Portland, so my knowledge of the upper parts of Washington are spotty, but really many of the highways up the Gorge are awesome. A good loop is to take either SR14 on the washinton side up as far as you want, cross over into Oregon and then come back on old higway 30. I did something similar back in April, but I took off and went up to Mt. Hood and came back down the other side.

Also coming down the Washington Coast is a great drive. Every year I go to Ocean Shores for weekend getaway and always take the coast route coming home. Its a great relaxing drive. 

fintail > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:30

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Every time I traverse White Pass, I get behind motorhomes or log trucks. Fun.

I like the basic state/county roads of eastern WA.  Maybe not a lot of twisties (but look on a map, some exist), but some are absolutely deserted, no cars in the entire line of sight, which can be miles.  Coming from the rat race, it is wonderful.  Often when I visit, I leave the interstate once I cross the Columbia, and take back roads when possible.

lone_liberal > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:31

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Of course you would have to keep an eye out for motorcycles, deer, elk, moose  and these things:

TheJWT > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:35

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I second 199 to C rescent C ity. I drove it in a Civic filled with people and suitcases and still had fun. Lots of fun roads in the Cascades west of Portland as well.

ClassicDatsunDebate > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:35

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We drove from Rossland BC down 25 to 20, overnight in Lake Chelan, well not IN the lake per se, then 153 to 20 back to S edro-Wooll ey.  All great driving roads.

153 (M eethow Valley Highway)

20 between Twisp and Sedr o-Wooll ey

20 (Sherman Pass)

gettingoldercarguy > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:49

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https://www.myscenicdrives.com/regions/pacific-northwest

What part of Washington are you in?

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:50

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Chuckanut for sure in NW Washington. I’d join you if I could cross the border.

Best road I’ve done? The Road to Paradise in Mt. Rainier. I mean.... that name alone right?

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/mount-rainier-i-want-a-miata-now-1829581003

sony1492 > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 16:57

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Hwy 96 is fantastic, completely deserted because 299 is more convenient. Full of high-speed and low speed stuff along with a decent road surface. Views are fantastic because it follows along the trinity? River

Also hwy 36 is good,alot more technical,  there is potential for cops unlike 96 but its rare

RPM esq. > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 17:03

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There are a lot of twisties in the woods in the southwest corner of the state but they’re mostly pretty chewed up by logging trucks. However, you can do a full-day or weekend loop that mixes scenic and slow parts with twisties and fast highway driving ( if you avoid sunny weekend days ) on the Olympic peninsula using better-maintained highways: north from Olympia on Highway 101 through Hoodsport, opting for 112 instead of 101 west of Port Angeles, then south on 113 back to 101 and on to Neilton, out to the ocean on the Moclips Highway, down the coast on 109 until you rejoin 101 at Hoquiam, and then back to Olympia via Aberdeen. If you split it up into 2 days and camp or stay somewhere, there’s plenty of time for day hikes, beach walks, and dubious tourist attractions...the real attraction is natural beauty. Sunny weekends mean RVs and hikers, weekdays mean some logging trucks but usually not too bad.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > camaroboy68ss 06/30/2020 at 17:11

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Anything else super local you’d recommend on the westside/south of Portland? Rarely do I have time to get all the way to the gorge, but wish I had more options nearby (I’m in SW Portland near the Tigard/Lake Oswego border) to just run out and enjoy a nice scenic drive in.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 06/30/2020 at 17:43

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6 to  Tillamook. 219 bald peak road to the bald peak viewpoint. 47 from Buxton to clatskanie. Getting a bit further, 202 from mist to Astoria.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 18:01

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504 from kid valley to the volcano. Any road through Gifford-pinchot. 20 through North Cascades, but be very wary of deer near Winthrop. Also, Winthrop is a pretty neat little town absolutely worth a stop or two. 2 and 97 around the enchantments.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 06/30/2020 at 18:04

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These look awesome, thank you! 

camaroboy68ss > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 06/30/2020 at 18:09

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A good little loop is to head down to Wilsonville, hit Wilsonville Rd and head east to Newberg, then hit 219. Then either go Bald Peak Rd or 219. If going Bald Peak, it will loop back to 219. Stay ing on 219, there will be a point where you need to turn to stay on 219 or it will turn into 210. 210 will take you back towards Bull Mountain and the North side of Tigard. Staying on 219 will take you into Hillsboro.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > camaroboy68ss 06/30/2020 at 19:13

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Very cool, thank you! I’ve been to many of those places individually but through the direct/ boring routes, looking forward to checking these roads out instead.

Beefchips > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 06/30/2020 at 19:38

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Portlander here. My best route recently has been to drive Portland -> Maupin -> Shaniko -> Clarno -> Fossil -> Service Creek -> John Day N ational M onument. Gorgeous 2 lane roads, canyons, alfalfa fields, desert rivers, mountains. N o/few motor homes. Swim at Service Creek. Hotel in Mitchell or camp.

Beefchips > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 06/30/2020 at 20:01

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Yeah, the roads between North Plains and Astoria are quite good. I’m often looping Germantown/Skyline/Logie Pass/etc for a quick jaunt. Also definitely drive  hwy 202 between Mist and Astoria. Get a burger at Ft George  before heading back.

Beefchips > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 06/30/2020 at 20:05

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Yes, and actually rather than go all the way to Cannon Beach, take the road south along the Nehalem river down to Tillamook. Gorgeous river, no one in sight, mushroom and berry picking! Although there’s about a 20 mile gravel section, so choose your vehicle carefully.

Edit: I mean Lower Nehalem Rd, not hwy 53 , that road’ s a pie ce of shit. Banked the wrong way on a lot of corners, blind corners too , claustrophobic overgrown timber plantations, log trucks. Hate it.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Beefchips 06/30/2020 at 20:07

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Ooh and stop at the Tillamook dairy and gorge yourself on cheese & ice cream

Then go to Seaside and check out the H aystack

Beefchips > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 06/30/2020 at 20:15

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Now we’re talking. Cheese curds!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Beefchips 06/30/2020 at 20:18

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Hooray for squeaky cheese

feather-throttle-not-hair > sony1492 07/07/2020 at 14:22

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I missed this post, but I must come give my support for 96. Favorite road i’ve ever driven. Good enough that I return once every seven or eight years despite living in Seattle.