Questions about Hwy 101 California

[Jack-Bikes]

So many conversations on the forum seem to confuse Highway 101 with Highway 1.  These are two VERY different highways.  Some adrenaline jockeys love to pound on their chests and recommend Highway 1 above SF.  (In real life that would be above Bodega Bay or Jenner.)  Those of us who have lived in the vicinity would prefer that these road jockeys stay home!  Saves the tow truck drivers and the fireman a lot of time.)  Highway 101 north of Santa Rosa will provide a safe, enjoyable, trip through beautiful country (including the redwoods and premier wine country).  Why risk the driver's blood pressure if he can't see anything anyway because he has to concentrate on the road ahead?  Lived in this area for years and cannot fathom why an RVer would choose Highway 1 over 101.

Seconded by another RVer from Santa Rosa.

 

[DonTom]

I drive very slow and I rarely had to pull over to let anyone pass. I had the road almost to myself. I always pull over if I have 5 cars behind me but it rarely happens.

But around  the worse parts of Highway One, there isn't enough room for even  a motorcycle to pull over for many miles.

I guess if you can time it right so nobody else is on the road, it's not much of a problem. I have not been in that area for a long time, as I do my best to avoid it.


-Don-  SSF, CA

 

[DonTom]

In heavy rain years there are areas prone to rock slides and mudslides onto the highway.

If you're referring to the worse area of Highway 1 for mud slides, south of San Francisco, just north of Devils Slide, that area was fixed and fixed very well with a new tunnel. This tunnel was  open on March 25, 2013.

We (Tom, me and the doggy) went through this tunnel  just a few days ago on our way to Santa Cruz.  South of SF Highway One is much better than north of SF, but even south is a good place for a possible head-on collision.

As you get more north from Santa Cruz, there are less passing lanes to finally none at all within around 25 miles south of SF.

But down south, Highway One is  not nearly as winding as  just north of SF. Much safer, but still not all that safe, IMO. But a lot less tiring.

-Don-  SSF, CA

 

[SeilerBird]

But around  the worse parts of Highway One, there isn't enough room for even  a motorcycle to pull over for many miles.

Huh? Please point these areas out to me on a map.

 

[SeilerBird]

I just checked the map, and it shows 101 going through Crescent City, not Highway 1, unless Highway 1 is hiding somewhere. Highway 101 is fine all the way. 

You are correct. However 101 and 1 become the same road at Leggett.

 

[DonTom]

Huh? Please point these areas out to me on a map.

I have not been up there in quite a while, but when I look at my map, one such place  looks like it might be around N37.875, W122.561 in pure decimal degrees. That's the area where Highway One runs east to west just around a mile or so to the east of Muir Beach and is extremely curvy.

-Don-  SSF, CA

 

[fastrak100]

The whole point of going up the coast is to go up the coast. Sure you have to be careful, but you are going for the scenery and the fun of being on that coast road. If you want straight and safe use I5.
But even then you can have an accident, or some crazy truck driver , or Mom on a school run could take you out. The road is a highway, it is big enough for semi's, it was easy enough last year for our rig with its massive turning circle. If you go to the fair they will charge you a couple of dollars to get rides like that. Sure it gets tighter as you go north of Fort Bragg and leave the coast, but take it sensibly, take your time, assume that at every blind turn something is coming the other way, the road is good, the scenery amazing. Personally I would rather drive that road than almost any freeway in Los Angeles.

 

[joelmyer]

I think we're in violent agreement.

CA1 south of SF was one of the highlights of my popup trip to Oregon.  But it's not the fastest/easiest way to get to SF.

You pays your money and takes your choice.

Joel

 

[SeilerBird]

CA1 south of SF was one of the highlights of my popup trip to Oregon.  But it's not the fastest/easiest way to get to SF.

But it certainly is the most beautiful.

 

[Mavarick]

We did do a WA to SoCA last summer and what an amazing trip. When you get around Leggett CA you have a chance to get on hwy 1 and 101 goes sort of inland to make a better drive I guess but not so much scenery. I drove over to hwy 1 to follow the coast and hit a CG (Westport Beach RV) right on the beach we were looking at. I will say it is very beautiful but also more nerve wracking than most would want to tackle. In our 36? pulling a CRV there were many times at curves we had to completely stop to allow another vehicle to pass in the curve coming the opposite way. There was no way I could get around that curve inside my lane because they are too narrow. The other vehicles have no problem going over into your lane if that is what it takes, you just have to get used to that idea! There are plenty of signs stating the slow going road also as it was an avg. 25 mph trip. White knuckle, not for me maybe but for others (like the DW), yes without a doubt. After Fort Bragg you can follow hwy 20 back to 101 to make better time heading into SF. I would agree with the hesitation on hwy 1 unless you have plenty of time and patience. It is also well worth the scenery. There are very few places that can match the beauty of the OR and CA coastline.

 

[Bob.n.Carolyn]

No problem, Avenue of the Giants is an easy drive.  You may even find some pull-outs large enough to take your rig.

I agree.  This is one of my all-time favorite RV trips.  My last coach was a 45' Monaco and I 've had it on Avenue of the Giants several times without a problem. 

 

[fastrak100]

Well from the posts it looks like a draw for using R1. So perhaps the best thing is for you to try it, then feed back to the forum as the official arbiter of "Potentially tricky, but not necessarily dangerous, roads" whether you should use it. I will add the observation that the view is definitely only for the passenger, unless you use the pull offs!

 

[skyking1]

We took the 5th wheel and truck down 101 from Oregon as far as Napa last fall.
Things we would recommend:
If you have a smaller rig, stay at Albee campground at the northern end of the Avenue of the Giants. it is about 5 miles off the road on a rough narrow winding road, but the deer come through the campground every evening and the atmosphere is just right.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cgqh3idtyxmq9tm/2013-10-08%2009.27.36.jpg
This is the driveway into the campground. I have a 27' 5th wheel. You could get a 30' motorhome in there OK, but there are only 3 or 4 spots total that are big enough.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rgumto3cic4kgyf/2013-10-09%2010.01.14.jpg
If you have a toad or a truck and want a BIG driving adventure, leave the big rig at Albee and continue on to the Lost Coast region. It is not for everyone, the road is some of the roughest winding pavement you will ever see.  It will take over half a day to do. The scenery is great. The road, not so much. No way would I ever take anything i lived in with the dishes and things over that road.
We went north after getting into Honeydew, and got back to civilization at Ferndale. Stop by the butcher shop on the right and treat yourself to some good meat.

 

[Jeannine]

Huh? Please point these areas out to me on a map.

The area just south of Legget, for one.  I've driven it in a passenger car, bicycled it, and traveled it in a 40' 5th wheel.  Car and bicycle are fine.

Jeannine

 

[skyking1]

The area just south of Legget, for one.  I've driven it in a passenger car, bicycled it, and traveled it in a 40' 5th wheel.  Car and bicycle are fine.

Jeannine

I plan on driving it with the truck next time we are down. I know I will enjoy it much more without the trailer.

 

[Barryn514]

I don't think it's so much about the skill to drive hwy 1 but the amount of cars the build up behind you. I've seen where people get so impatient they TRY to go around you when they really can't see what ahead thus causing possible danger to many people and like someone else said I can't remember seeing that many pull overs on the curvy rood. JMO