Best route?

[jsmith948]

Will be staying in Wilsonville, OR and then heading out to Cape Disappointment in WA
Can anyone offer an opinion regarding the best route to take?
Originally planned on hwy 26 out of Tigard over to the coast then up through Astoria. Or we could follow hwy 30 up through Scappoose and St. Helens then on to Astoria (been that way as far as the Longview Bridge when I used to go around the scales hauling produce) Or, I 205 across the river into WA and follow the river grade west to the Park?

[mic1hael]

when are you going? The only reason I ask is because of traffic. If you don't mind the traffic and you like the scenery I would take highway 217 to highway 26 it is such a nice drive but it is a two laner most of the way to the coast. As for the Washington route I have never gone that way but I am sure there would be less traffic. In my opinion I would stay away from highway 30 just because I find that getting to highway 30 is a pain in the butt hauling a TT but might be the quickest way to Astoria. Are you camping at the KOA or going to a park?:)

[jsmith948]

Mic1hael - thanks for the reply - we'll be in Wilsonville Friday, May 11 and then head on over to Cape disappointment on Sat the 12th
Now that you mention it, I do remember having to meander through the western part of Portland to get to 30.
We originally had thought that 217 to 26 over to the coast would be a pretty drive - there is no hurry as we can't check in until 2 pm.
We'll be at the WA SP in Ilwaco

[ktmracer]

we live in beaverton, and our route to cape disapointment is over Cornelius pass to highway 30? (I think it's 30) to astoria. From Willsonville, you have at least 3 choices.
I5/217/26 to highway 30
I5 to 217 then 26 to the coast,
I5 to 217 then 26 west to cornelius pass road and over cornelius pass down to 30, slight backtrack, but avoids a mess through portland and it is very scenic.

I'd do either 2 or 3, we pull a 35' over cornelius pass both ways and it's not bad at all. Better than towing it through portland. But Cornelius pass is somewhat narrow w/o shoulders, and a reasonable but short climb/decent with sharper corners. so if that isn't your cup of tea, you may not like the route. Long haul trucks do it all the time so it is very passable.

[jsmith948]

we live in beaverton, and our route to cape disapointment is over Cornelius pass to highway 30? (I think it's 30) to astoria. From Willsonville, you have at least 3 choices.
I5/217/26 to highway 30
I5 to 217 then 26 to the coast,
I5 to 217 then 26 west to cornelius pass road and over cornelius pass down to 30, slight backtrack, but avoids a mess through portland and it is very scenic.

I'd do either 2 or 3, we pull a 35' over cornelius pass both ways and it's not bad at all. Better than towing it through portland. But Cornelius pass is somewhat narrow w/o shoulders, and a reasonable but short climb/decent with sharper corners. so if that isn't your cup of tea, you may not like the route. Long haul trucks do it all the time so it is very passable.

Thanks for the response - Not familiar with Cornelius Pass road - about where does it connect with 30? :)

[ktmracer]

Thanks for the response - Not familiar with Cornelius Pass road - about where does it connect with 30? :)

about 1/2 way between St. Johns and Scappose. Thankfully, there is a stop sign at the intersection with 30 so getting on/off of 30 is straightforward. Far enough west to get around lots of the through town traffic issues on highway 30.

[jsmith948]

Thanks for the replies- drove a semi through the Portland area (sometimes delivered produce to Pacific Fruit on Swan Island) every week for 5 1/2 years but that was back in the 80's:( I 205 was built but I don't remember there being a 405 - nice to have up to date advice on routing from a couple of the local folks - isn't this forum great?

[bartletts]

I live in Forest Grove (far west edge of Portland Metro area) and depending on the length of the rig you have there are lots of great ways to avoid traffic and take the road less travelled. However, unless you take the far back roads you are going to run into traffic somewhere. As long as you aren't doing it first thing in the morning or late on a friday afternoon it will be fine.

Also, don't take I-205 if you go north through Portland. Take I-5 and then I-405. I-205 takes you far to the east and then you have to deal with I-84 back through Portland or SR500 in Washington, both of which are no fun.

If it was me I would take I-5 to OR217 up to US-26 and head west to Seaside and then up. That road is entirely large rig friendly and the grade isn't terrible. The grade on 30 is quite gentle but it is quite windy and the traffic can be really bad- you are going to be stop and go from the I-405 junction in Portland to at least the St. John's bridge, and there are still plenty of grades on US 30. There are secondary roads running between Wilsonville and points west but with a large rig its easy to get lost.
If I'm coming from Wilsonville to go home I go from Wilsonville to Newburg to Yamhill to Forest Grove via Wilsonville Rd, OR-240W, and OR-47, which are all more or less 2 lane blacktop not-too-windy roads through farm country. 47 goes up from Forest Grove to HWY 26. You avoid all metro area traffic that way, but make sure you map it out well since the signage is fairly lacking. It's not going to really be any faster than going the main route, though.

In this area, the reasons the roads are where they are is because of the terrain, so usually the main road is the best one.

Taking US26 to Cornelius Pass Road over to 30 is a good way to avoid some Portland traffic, but honestly Cornelius Pass Road is not a good road to drive with a large RV if you haven't first done it in a car. Plenty of dump trucks and semis drive over this road, but it is 2 lane, windy and hilly and clogged with traffic. It has a rather large elevation gain to get over the hill. Besides, the really bad part of Wilsonville to 26 is HWY 217, which is often worse than driving through Portland.

If you have a short rig and lots of time the highway from Vernonia/Mist, OR to Astoria on the Nehalem Highway (OR- 202) is spectacular. About all the traffic you will see are log trucks and motorcycles, but it is quite curvy. Another way to go from US26 to US30 while avoiding Portland (or really any kind of civilization) is to drive up through Vernonia to Mist and Clatskanie, but that is also pretty curvy. I wouldn't do either of those with a rig over 30 feet long, though, unless you scouted it first.

[bartletts]

Thanks for the replies- drove a semi through the Portland area (sometimes delivered produce to Pacific Fruit on Swan Island) every week for 5 1/2 years but that was back in the 80's:( I 205 was built but I don't remember there being a 405 - nice to have up to date advice on routing from a couple of the local folks - isn't this forum great?

You will find that 205 is now clogged up with Suburbia. 405 is pretty short and just runs on the west side of the Columbia between the Marquam bridge and the Fremont Bridge, just bypassing the downtown core. 405 connects to highway 26 and highway 30.

[bartletts]

about 1/2 way between St. Johns and Scappose. Thankfully, there is a stop sign at the intersection with 30 so getting on/off of 30 is straightforward. Far enough west to get around lots of the through town traffic issues on highway 30.

It's a traffic light now.

[jsmith948]

Barletts, Thanks for all of the info. I think we'll take the OR 217 to hwy26 and then on to the coast. Always better to get updated info from some of the locals as apposed to relying on what I may or may not remember:rolleyes:

[bartletts]

Have a great trip. If you like logging stuff or old time equipment, Camp 18 restaurant at milepost 18 on US26 is a pretty cool place. It's loaded with old relics, big and small, and there is plenty of parking space.

[ktmracer]

Have a great trip. If you like logging stuff or old time equipment, Camp 18 restaurant at milepost 18 on US26 is a pretty cool place. It's loaded with old relics, big and small, and there is plenty of parking space.


and the food is great, servings are HUGE, and very friendly folks. great place to stop.