Bakersfield - Needles - Gold Canyon Routing

We are planning to leave Sacramento this weekend, headed for Gold Canyon, AZ, which is just east of Apache Junction on the far east end of the Valley of the Sun. We have previously used I-5, CA 58 to the Orange Grove RV Park east of Bakersfield in one day. Then, CA 58 and I-40 to Needles the next day, then a short day to the Escapees park, North Ranch, in Congress AZ. We would be glad for suggestions on that plan (e.g., alternate to use US 95 then to Parker and AZ 95 to I-10 if it is better; would try to get clear to Gold Canyon in one day from Needles), but especially on the route from Congress to Gold Canyon.

We haven't gone to Gold Canyon before, although we generally are familiar with east valley roads. From Congress, Google Maps suggests taking AZ 74 to I-17 then down to Loop 101, and around to the east to US 60. That sounds better than our previous plan of taking Grand Ave. to loop 303, down to I-10, and across east (we've used this to get to Casa Grande but not to the east valley). Is AZ 74 a good route for a large motorhome?

Thanks as always for any suggestions you can provide.

PS - There's reportedly weather on the way for Northern California, which could create precipitation down to Tehachapi by Saturday night or Sunday. We're monitoring that possibility but prefer the northern route on I-40 over going down to I-10 in CA if we can.

We've gone both ways and prefer to stay on I-5, then cross over to Lancaster via hwy 138. The tehachepi route is not fun in inclement weather, and the lack of a median makes it an awful drive in good weather. Just south of the intersection of hwy 138 and hwy 14 are the Antelope Valley fairgrounds, a great stopover place. Wide/long concrete pads, full hookups, choice of pullthoughs or backins, and a great price.

If you decide to go via Needles, be sure to have a full tank of gas. Needles fuel prices have to be the biggest ripoff on the planet.

Thanks, Tom. How's the road down 138 to Cajon Summit? You then use I-215 and down to I-10?

Don't have my GPS or my route handy, but we make our way via hwy 138 over to I-10 via I-15 and Redlands (can't recall the hwy number). No issues with our 38 foot coach towing a Suburban. Your Queen Mary (aka Country Coach) should have zero issues. Haven't looked at the rest of your route, but hwy 95 intersects I-10. Hope this makes sense.

I was first alerted to this option by forum member Bob Buchanan in a prior discussion. A search might turn up the messages and the detail.

One caveat - take the first exit right from hwy 138 (IIRC it's Avenue G) to get to the fairgrounds and, after approx half a mile, you'll see a sign to turn left. That will bring you to a left turn on the north end of the fairgrounds. If you go to the next exit on hwy 138 (Ave H?), you'll likely end up at a locked gate on the south end of the fairgrounds.

DH frequently drives between CA and OK and NEVER fills up in Needles.  He uses the Pilot at Exit 9 on I40 in Arizona.  Amazing what a few miles does to the cost of fuel.

Watch Tehachapi, we have snow warnings out for Sat/Sun/Mon.  We live east of Bakersfield at 3000' and they are calling for cold weather and lots of snow, Tehachapi usually gets hit worse than we do.  We are supposed to leave on Monday AM for Idyllwild for a week.  We may wait until Tuesday to take off.

Marsha~

Thanks, all. We'll keep a close eye on the weather. It looks like a long day's drive (for me) to Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, but worth a try. If we can do that Friday, then that leaves Cajon Pass for Saturday with 60% chance of rain (so far) before we can get past the mountain weather issues. Or, hole up at the fairgrounds until it passes, I guess. 

Marsha, does that sound likely, that the weather this time of year likely is better at Cajon than Tehachapi?

Tom, thanks for the southern route. I think we'll try for that. The CA-58 east of Bakersfield certainly isn't a fun drive as you say. I guess my search skills are poor, as I can't find Bob Buchanan's thread. Nevertheless, it looks like a straightforward 138 to I-15 to I-10 east will do the job.

FWIW, the Fairgrounds site gives these instructions: "Exit 14 Freeway at Avenue H and drive West.  Go to the third street light and turn right onto 30th St. West.  Stay in the right hand lane and turn right onto Avenue G8.  Enter the park at Gate 6."

This trip will be a little different for us. Usually, we share driving and in fact DW does about 2/3 of it -- she loves it, I'm ok with it. I do the "outside" jobs. However, she fell and broke her elbow last Friday, so I'm doing 100% of the driving on this trip -- if the surgeon lets her travel -- we'll know tomorrow. She's feeling much better, thankfully.

OK, I think I found the thread with Bob B's info: http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=33087.msg310308#msg310308

Our AAA map doesn't put a number on what he calls the I-30 between I-215 and I-10, but it has to be the north-south stretch that is the last leg going south to I10.

If we don't quite get to the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, there's Pyramid Lake RV Park in Gorman, CA. Anyone tried it?

If you are going to North Ranch after passing thru Needles, stay on I-40 to 20 miles east of Kingman, AZ and take US 93 southeast to Congress. Then continue SE on US 93 to US 60 to AZ 74 to I-17 to Loop 101 to AZ 60. Lots of trucks stops in the Kingman area if needed. The roads on this route are good and bypass a lot of congestion.

If the weather shuts you out of crossing over to/from Bakersfield and you take CA 138; turn south on 30th St. (about 1 mile before CA 14/138 in Lancaster), about half way between G and H streets, the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds CG access road (G8) is on the left. As Tom said, very good choice. Take CA 138 east to I-15 south, take the I-215 exit and then exit to CA 210/CA 30 east. That will curve south and hook you up to I-10, missing traffic and bad pavement on I-10. Except for 138, it is all freeway.

If you go back up to North Ranch from I-10 for a stop, follow the above to Gold Canyon from there. If you are going to stay on I-10 all the way to Gold Canyon, you could stop in Goodyear at Cotton Lane RV Park and give us a holler to get together for dinner. Both North Ranch and Goodyear are over 350 miles from Lancaster so you may want to stop instead in Blythe, CA or Quartzsite, AZ for overnite about 250 miles, then on to Gold Canyon, about another 200 miles (I-10 to US 60). Congress is a little over 2 hours, Goodyear about an hour from Gold Canyon if you leave after 10AM. And don't forget, you lose an hour crossing into AZ.

Sorry to hear about your wife's accident. Hope she'll be OK.

We've stayed at Gorman. Nothing fancy, but OK.

Our AAA map doesn't put a number on what he calls the I-30

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The next message in that topic explains that it was renamed to 210. IIRC it's quite straightforward when you get there.

[quote author=Bernie].... turn south on 30th St. (about 1 mile before CA 14/138 in Lancaster)...[/quote]

Bernie, that's the quickest route. I always forget, drive past it, turn right onto 138, right on Ave G, then turn left onto 30th.

Great help here, as always, thanks again.

We may want to stop near Blythe or Quartzsite, or a little further on east, if we take I-10 as seems likely. Any suggestions on where to overnight? (Most likely, we'd be thinking cheap or free.)

Pierat said:

We may want to stop near Blythe or Quartzsite, or a little further on east, if we take I-10 as seems likely. Any suggestions on where to overnight? (Most likely, we'd be thinking cheap or free.)

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QZ would be your best bet, there are BLM areas that you can park on for free. One choice is to exit I-10 at X19, go right (south) to the T intersection (Kuehn) and turn left. Follow the road around and it becomes a frontage road along the freeway. All that space to your right is free BLM parking. There is also a Passport park or 2 in QZ.

Are permits required on that BLM land?

Re: Cajon being snow covered.  It all depends on how far south the storm goes.  We will be leaving Kernville and need to go over a 5500' pass then onto #395 heading to cajon pass down #15.  Cajon Pass could get snow, but not very often.  You will have more "snow" trouble in Gorman and the "Grapevine".  It's the one that gets shut down.

Re: #30, its very easy to spot and easy to travel.

Marsha~

Pierat said:

Are permits required on that BLM land?

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Not the free area I described. About 2 miles south where the Forum has it's rally is permit required but that gives you access to dump, water and garbage.

Go further south on Hwy 95 and you'll find another free area at MM 99, quieter and with fewer people than the one up by I-10. Or go north up Hwy 95 to the Bouse road and there's another big, free area.

Wendy

Wendy

Wendy said:

Go further south on Hwy 95 and you'll find another free area at MM 99, quieter and with fewer people than the one up by I-10. Or go north up Hwy 95 to the Bouse road and there's another big, free area.

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The areas Wendy mentioned are nice and work well if you are staying a couple of nites or more. But we use the one I gave directions to because it is closer to the freeway exit (the other two are more than 5 miles further) and we don't find a crowd this time of year and can deal with the highway noise.

We are still considering travel Friday from Sac to Palmdale, Saturday from there to Needles, but it is getting less and less likely that we'll go before Monday. The forecast now seems to have less chance of snow in the passes (Cajon) but lots of rain and winds at least 15-25 mph gusting to 35 mph. Doesn't sound like lots of fun driving.