phx to pdx driving route .. stop at crater lake? (Portland: live, law)

[mullenium]

is this advisable?

We will be driving 7/31 with probably the smallest Uhaul truck available.

Ive always wanted to see crater lake and figured it might be the best opportunity as we are driving from PHX.

Was looking at driving west on the I-10 to the 210 in CA to avoid LA traffic

Then Jump on the 5 and drive up CA and merge off at the 97 and pass Klamath falls up to Crater lake.. then take the 58W back to Eugene and back on the 5 to PDX

is the terrain / grade on the 58W pretty bad?

we will be traveling with 2 cars.. me driving the Uhaul and my wife and mother in law in our CRV with 2 kids (3yr and 9mo old) so obviously the shortest route is ideal with 2 young kids... is crater lake even worth the detour in this situation? lol



.. also I know N Entrance RD at Crater Lake can be closed seasonally.. would we need to worry about that during this time?

[wanderbygrace]

Originally Posted by mullenium

is this advisable?

We will be driving 7/31 with probably the smallest Uhaul truck available.

Ive always wanted to see crater lake and figured it might be the best opportunity as we are driving from PHX.

Was looking at driving west on the I-10 to the 210 in CA to avoid LA traffic

Then Jump on the 5 and drive up CA and merge off at the 97 and pass Klamath falls up to Crater lake.. then take the 58W back to Eugene and back on the 5 to PDX

is the terrain / grade on the 58W pretty bad?

we will be traveling with 2 cars.. me driving the Uhaul and my wife and mother in law in our CRV with 2 kids (3yr and 9mo old) so obviously the shortest route is ideal with 2 young kids... is crater lake even worth the detour in this situation? lol



.. also I know N Entrance RD at Crater Lake can be closed seasonally.. would we need to worry about that during this time?

Well, we're towing a tent trailer behind us in mid-June down to California, and are HOPING to make a stop at Crater Lake. We're doing it via 26>97>138>62.

I say HOPING, because the odds of the North Entrance Road being open are about 50/50 right now (given the snow pack & forecast for the near future) for mid-June. By late July, everything around Crater Lake will be open.

Let's put it this way, I drove the biggest U-Haul truck possible across country last June while towing a vehicle on a trailer, including trips over some major mountain passes in Montana and Idaho (I went via 94/90). Aside from some terribly rough interstate on the way up a pass in Idaho, it was pretty easy, so I don't think you'll have an issue.

PS: Depending on where you're going in PDX, you may find it just as easy to continue on 97 to 26 and come in from the SE. The I-5 isn't exactly a fun drive through central OR & can sometimes bog down with it being only 2 lanes in that area. I've found that 97/26 move pretty quickly & make a great subsitute. If you are heading to the east side of PDX, you might consider that route. The views are FAR prettier, driving up the east side of the Cascades on clear days, which is a likelihood in late July.

[AztoORegon]

Congrats on moving in July. We move June 28th from peoria and are moving up to salem. We are just getting a small penske truck too and driving the car seperate. The inlaws are helping us move too. Hope all goes well with your move that trip sounds like fun!

[mullenium]

Originally Posted by AztoORegon

Congrats on moving in July. We move June 28th from peoria and are moving up to salem. We are just getting a small penske truck too and driving the car seperate. The inlaws are helping us move too. Hope all goes well with your move that trip sounds like fun!

how long are your inlaws staying in salem?

mine is staying til aug 7th so about a week... should be fun!

[AztoORegon]

They want to stay till the 5th of July so that would be nice to have them there for the Fourth of July. Congrats once again on the move.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

I'll just put it this way... it is a significant detour, time-wise. I like the suggestion to just stay on 97 and follow that up to 26. If you aren't in a huge hurry, you will see many amazing and beautiful things along the way (get a guide so you'll know what to stop and check out)... the I-5 stretch from Eugene to Portland is a nice straight shot through the Willamette Valley, but kind of boring by comparison.

[hamellr]

It's doable, even in a UHaul, but it's out of your way by quite a bit.

I'd highly suggest going back down later so that you can do it properly. IE, Drive the Rim, stay the night. It's only a four to six hour drive from Portland. (depending on your route.)

[pw72]

Yes, Crater Lake is a major detour from the main highways, plan to add five hours to your trip.

I lived in Oregon from 1998-2005, and never visited. I could kick myself for that.

[Rider51]

I would only go if you have an extra day to visit. This isn't a slight detour from your trip. But if you do visit, you won't regret it, the park is beautiful.

The north entrance will be open by the time you visit, but the rim drive may not, it should be, but who knows. We were there last year in August and they had just plowed the drive and there were huge snow drifts due to La Nina.

I don't think 58 should be an issue with the U-Haul. Better than Santiam, and just as good as 26 I think.

[PNW-type-gal]

The north entrance MIGHT be open by then (last year it opened June 29 and this is has been a pretty similar late winter/"Spring? What spring?" year). Rim Road - the road that goes all the way around the caldera from the main lodge - didn't open until mid-July in 2011. You'll have to check right before you leave, which is a good idea anyway, because it can still snow through the end of June up there.

Yesterday I drove Hwy 138 by Diamond Lake (which is still frozen) and the North entrance and the snow pack at the North entrance is probably 15' - and it climbs almost another 2,000' from there to the lodge. Haven't been up to the lake this year yet, but my neighbor is still planning to be giving the snowshoe tours until the end of June.