That’s awesome!
I think the section south of there between the start of Bolinas Lagoon and the Muir Beach Overlook is actually worse. You go from feeling like you’ll drive right off into the lagoon if you miss a turn (no shoulder directly into the water) to a twisty hillside with speed racers running up on you. The road from there is still gnarly winding lane along steep hillside but at least you don’t feel as if you’ll fall into the ocean. But as you note, serious accidents aren’t that common, and if you drive attentively at a safe speed it is far less hazardous than the subsequent drive through San Francisco and especially East Bay traffic.
Stranger
If you like clam chowder, I highly recommend the Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay. Grab yourself some chowder and drive out to Bodega Head and slurp your soup with a spectacular view of either the headlands to the north or a bird’s eye view of Bodega Bay to the south.
While it’s not actually part of Hwy. 1 (but is Hwy. 1 adjacent), I had an an experience like that driving up Muir Woods Road from the Muir Woods to Panoramic Hwy. That’s a similarly steep, curvy, climb with no guardrails and a steep drop off on one side. I had a brief scary moment due to attempting to admire the view while also driving, almost didn’t notice a curve coming up, and… “OH SHIT! WATCH THE ROAD!”
Ginochio’s is good as well.
Stranger
I’m talking about Last Chance Grade just south of Crescent City.
I’m not surprised at all that it slid again.
Here are some additional pics.
What’s the best way to check on the roads as my trip gets closer in the summer?
Summer should be pretty stable. You can check all California highways by entering their number here.
Oregon has a good website as well, here.
Thanks!
I’ll second or third what most of the above are saying about those treacherous death-defying curves, cliffs, and drop-offs. The only parts that bother me much were the section between Jenner (at the mouth of the Russian River) and Fort Ross a bit north (already mentioned above) and the southern portion of the Big Sur area (where you apparently aren’t going this year and besides it’s closed due to that huge washout).
The section around Muir Beach in Marin County isn’t so bad at all, I don’t think.
(I’m not familiar with the area way up north near Crescent City, nor anything in Oregon or Washington.)
You do want make sure your brakes and tires are in top-notch condition before starting this trip. Especially if you are going to drive a rental car. These sections of road are for driving in low gear.
Not specifically on topic for the OP: the roads to Muir Woods (we did not go as far as the beach) from the San Francisco area were quite narrow and curvy and required a great deal of care. Lots of places where inattention could get you a short trip with a sudden stop at the end of it, though there’s no ocean at the bottom. If you’re at Muir Beach and want to go to SF, you might find yourself on that road.
Looking at the map, it looks like California Route 1 may go around what we took (as we were specifically going to see the redwoods), and I have no clue how that compares to the road into the park itself.
The trees are well worth seeing, though depending on your route you may have seen the sequoias further north.
You can use Oregon Trip Check that will show you the road closures, construction delays, etc. Look at it at your leisure now. It also has many road cameras that you can check out.
Road & Weather Conditions Map | TripCheck - Oregon Traveler Information
As for the views, while starting south down the northern Oregon part, as you leave the Cannon Beach area, you will go through a tunnel at Arch Cape and then start up Neahkahnie Mountain. There are several pull offs on the ocean side up the mountain that offer just outstanding views. You can see many miles to the south where you will be traveling toward Rockaway, (now called Rockaway Beach, but locals will always just call it Rockaway), and you can see miles and miles out into the ocean, might even spot a few gray whales. These turn offs have no amenities, bathrooms, or anything, but they have some beautiful old, ornate, rock walls and are not scary at all. You will want to stop for a look. It will be several miles or hours, or maybe never, before you see such views again.
Like this veiw:
It has not been noted thus far, but it is well worth taking a few hours to explore Point Reyes National Seashore. Out of ignorance I avoided it for years because I assumed it was just swampy esteros but there is some gorgeous scenery. The Tomalas Point area offers a trailhead that can take you all the way to the northern point of on Point Reyes and is a not-too-challenging hike that is still fairly uncrowded. The Point Reyes Headlands are wild and scenic, although I’d pass on the lighthouse tour (if it is even open) and just wander a bit, and Limantour Beach is about the best protected beach area north of Santa Cruz, e.g. you can have a picnic lunch without it being blown away. There is also an excellent hostel up from Limantour but I assume it will still be closed by the time you are passing through.
Stranger
Excellent. You guys are better than Trip Advisor!
See my post from a few days ago:
I should mention that if you want to visit the Muir Woods, you will need to reserve a parking spot in advance (or take a shuttle bus from a park & ride lot). From some of the posts I’ve seen on TripAdvisor, some people don’t seem to be aware of this. But the reservation system is a major improvement over how it used to be, where you’d show up, and both parking lots would be full, plus several people circling around waiting for someone to leave.
But if you’re starting in Oregon, you’re going to be driving right past Redwoods National Park anyway. The Muir Woods is nice, but Redwoods National Park is better.
Absolutely! I just commented on Muir Woods because someone mentioned Muir Beach. I did not know about the parking reservation system - that’s new since we were there (in 1994…).
That trip was also the only time I’d seen a whale “in the wild” - we stopped at a beach somewhere well south of San Francisco, and I happened to be looking out over the water and saw one breaching.
My girlfriend’s late husband (since 2001) had always disappointed her by refusing to drive her up the coast, so I suggested that we do it this April. But now you tell me that Big Sur is closed? That sucks. About how far north should we be able to get, if we go anyway?
Here, here! The redwoods along Avenue of the Giants are really accessible and have no crowds. You see a huge tree off the side of the road and in most cases you can just pull over off the road, get out, and walk around. And, there are miles of road like this, so plenty of room.
If you are going to explore Point Reyes, in the town of Point Reyes Station, you can pick-up all the picnic supplies you may need at the Plaza Market right in the center of town. There is also a bakery and cheese shop, but the market has everything. If you like oysters, there are several (spendy) oyster/seafood places along Tomales Bay, if that’s your thing.
According to CalTrans, you can get as far north as Lucia from the south. They have a restaurant there with a nice patio and view (on a nice day) and not a bad section for scenery!