Sacramento to Seattle

[packman]

Hey everyone,

This year has the makings to be great. At this point I have three road trips planned!!
My friend just confirmed with me that he wants to head up to Seattle this March to do some fishing. We have four, possibly five days to do this. Is it feasible to make the run from Sacramento to Seattle straight through with two drivers? We were figuring on leaving around 3 a.m. and hopefully pull into Seattle in the late afternoon. We'd just do a straight shot up I-5.
Now, my next question is, I've never been further north than Grant's Pass, Oregon on this route and wanted to know what was worth stopping to see along the way? I'd like to see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and whatever else I can cram in.
Also, on the way home, can anyone reccommend an alternate route other than I-5? Possibly down the Oregon coast or past Crater Lake?

Thanks in advance,
Brett

[Mark Sedenquist]

This year has the makings to be great. At this point I have three road trips planned!!

Sounds excellent!

We were figuring on leaving around 3 a.m. and hopefully pull into Seattle in the late afternoon. We'd just do a straight shot up I-5.

If you really don't stop -- you can make it in about twelve hours.

Now, my next question is, I've never been further north than Grant's Pass, Oregon on this route

Brett, take a look at Judy's posts about Mt. St Helens, Crater Lake and other Washington locations. And look here for my posts about the Oregon Coast.

Mark

[AZBuck]

Sorry, but truth be told, your limited time frame will limit the number of things you can do on this trip. Yes, you can get from Sacramento to Seattle in a day of hard driving with two drivers, but No, you cannot do both that and stop to see Mount St.Helens and Mt. Ranier. You will require 12 full hours of driving plus rest stops, refueling and food breaks, driver changes, time lost to construction and traffic, etc. to make this trip. Those 'extras', in my experience, always end up taking longer than allowed for in optimistic pre-trip plans. Also, as has been pointed out in other threads, it is typical for road trippers to be tired the day after a marathon run like this and to use much of the next day to recover before being able to enjoy their new surroundings.

The best you could hope for with 4 days is a speed run up, one day of groggy fishing (If it doesn't rain that day) and two days of a semi-relaxed trip home. With 5 days you are starting to have the time to enjoy the trip and appreciate the newness of your surroundings. If you can possibly squeeze one more day away from Sacramento, this trip could really be the adventure that I think you're anticipating. It is not true that youth is wasted on the young, and I think you'll remember this trip no matter how much time you end up being able to devote to it, but do see if you can give it its due.

AZBuck

[packman]

Well I just got it confirmed. Looks like we are leaving Sac. on March 18th and the rivers that we will be fishing are about 3 hours from Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula. Here are the tentative plans.

3/18 - Drive from Sacto-Seattle
3/19 - spend day around Seattle area and drive to whereever we are supposed to fish that evening
3/20 - fish
3/21 - start the trek home, maybe tour part of olympic national park in the mornin and drive to Astoria, OR..or another spot halfway down the Oregon coast.
3/22 - Drive south 101 to Eureka, CA where we can cut back over to I-5.

Can anyone estimate how long the drive is from Astoria to Eureka on Highway 101?

Thanks again,
Brett

[Mark Sedenquist]

on the Olympic Peninsula.

If you are near Sequim -- check out the Bandy Troll Haven!

[PNW Judy]

I live at the southern end of the Olympic Peninsula. Where are you going fishing at?

While Seattle is a neat city, the traffic is horrid. If I were you, I would skip Seattle and go straight out to the Olympic Peninsula to enjoy it's beauty. Save Seattle for another trip, imho.

Depending on where you are going to be fishing at, it can easily be a 4-5 hour drive to your fishing spot from Seattle. That wouldn't leave you much time for exploring Seattle that day anyway.

And if I know where you're fishing from, I could probably give you ideas of what to explore before you head south.

I think your plans to drive up here in one day from Sacramento is fine. However, even though you're allowing for 2 days to go home via the coast, I think you'll find yourself pressed for time. Unless, of course, you don't stop at any of the very cool sights you'll be seeing along the way.

I just hope that you're young and rebound quickly from this marathon trip or, at the very least, don't have to work early the next morning. Your trip sounds like fun but it makes me tired to just read about it.

It's about 450 miles from Astoria to Eureka. There are many stretches where you are driving right through the center of a town and you're speed will be reduced to 25-35mph. Add to that, there are a lot of windy curves where your speed will be reduced, especially if you're stuck behind an RV. I would plan a good 10 hours for this leg of your trip.

[packman]

We are hiring a fishing guide and we won't know exactly what river we will be fishing until around the time. It varies on which river the steelhead are running best in. He says that it will be approximately 3 hours from Seattle though. I've never been to Seatte, but I guess I could save that for later in 2006. I'm planning on going to see a football game there next season.
If that's the case, I won't have to push the full way up. Maybe get into southern Washington on the first day, then mosey up the Peninsula the next day.
What is the terrain like in Southern Washington off the 5? Is it all forrest and are there rivers that we could trout fish on the way?
Also, from what I hear, Olympic National Park is kind of underdeveloped, how much time should we allow ourselves to spend there?

Thanks again,
Brett

[PNW Judy]

We are hiring a fishing guide and we won't know exactly what river we will be fishing until around the time. It varies on which river the steelhead are running best in. He says that it will be approximately 3 hours from Seattle though. I've never been to Seatte, but I guess I could save that for later in 2006. I'm planning on going to see a football game there next season.

Ya know, if you are going to Seattle later in the year, I really would skip it this trip. It really takes you out of your way.

If that's the case, I won't have to push the full way up. Maybe get into southern Washington on the first day, then mosey up the Peninsula the next day.

Yes, that would be a good idea. I would give you suggestions on routes but they would vary depending on whether or not you are fishing the east or west sides of the Peninsula.

What is the terrain like in Southern Washington off the 5? Is it all forrest and are there rivers that we could trout fish on the way?

It varies. Open fields, valleys, hills with dense forests, estuaries, etc. It is very diverse. I really don't fish much besides an occasional ocean-fishing trip so I really can't answer your trout-fishing questions. I know people around here do it but I really don't know where they go. There are scads of rivers in Western WA.

Also, from what I hear, Olympic National Park is kind of underdeveloped, how much time should we allow ourselves to spend there?

The east and north sides of the Peninsula are somewhat developed; the west side is extremely rural with long stretches without any development at all.

But the entire park itself is very undeveloped. While there are some nice, short hiking trails along the perimeter of the park including some interpretive hikes, to really see it you have to plan a multi-day hiking trip into the park itself. How much time would you need to get a taste of things? Well, this depends on where you fish and what there is to see in that area.

On the east side, I'd recommend a hike up Mt. Elinor. If you're on the north, I'd say Hurricane Ridge, Dungeness Spir, and Solduck Falls. If you're on the west, I'd say Ruby Beach (north of Kalaloch), the Hoh Rainforest's Hall of Mosses, and the Lake Quinault area.

Hopefully you'll have some notice from your guide so you'll know ahead of time just where you're fishing and have time to post it here for better advice.

[packman]

Thanks again for the info Judy. I just found out from the guide which town he wants us to stay in. I guess we will be fishing out of the town of Forks. Honestly, I have never heard of this place, but looked it up on the map and looks like it's right where I want to be. Near the rain forest and the coastal part of Olympic National Park.
Is it worth driving all the way out to the western-most tip of the Peninsula?
I was thinkin to drive to Olympia on the first day, but it looks like we'd have to back track the next day. Can you reccommend a town to stay in along I-5 between Vancouver, WA and Olympia?

Thanks,
Brett

[roadkill]

If you're planning on making it to Olympia then heading off to Forks, there is no Back tracking. 101 Starts in Olympia. You can go from Olympia to Forks. You can make it to Forks in about 3 to 4 hours from Olympia, by going 101 to 8. 8 turns into 12, and then in Aberdeen you'd hit 101 again. Follow 101 from this point west/north to Forks. This is actually the fastest and shortest way to go. If you stay on 101 all the way up the east side of the pennisula and work around the north side, it may take up to an hour longer to get to Forks.