Northcoast Roads

For those of you unfamiliar with the roads of California's northcoast here's a few ideas for riding out. I'll add more as they are suggested or I think 'em up. As always the ultimate resource for roads in this area and in ALL of California is at Pashnit.com

What can I say? It's Hwy 1. It's spectacular Northern California coastline. There's winery's. It's twisty! It's beautiful! Both food and fuel are plentiful! The women all have hard bodies and blonde hair...ok, I made that part up. The downside, if there is a downside, is the return up Hwy. 101. Personally I've done it too many times. If you are going to travel a four lane highway it really can't be beat. It's curvy enough, it's a scenic delight (and you can add in the next featured ride, the Avenue of the Giants).

A delightful choice for those looking for scenic wonder and a relaxed pace. Only 100 or so miles long and the return trip is Hwy 101 and only takes a little over an hour to return home to Fortuna leaving you lots of the day left to explore other areas or to just hang out. I make this trip several times a year when I just want to get out on the bike for awhile. Curvy enough but only a 45 mph speed limit...you really won't want to go faster you might miss something.

This route takes you north up Hwy 101 to Arcata where you pick up Hwy 299. Heading eastward you pass through Willow Creek and along the beautiful Trinity River to Weaverville. The road through here consists mostly of those joyous slow, rolling motorcycle-curves (a typical river road) but a 55 mph speed limit, traffic and moderate CHP radar patrolling keeps speeds moderate. Gas and food are available at a number of locations. Just past Weaverville turn south onto Hwy 3 towards Hayfork. This road takes you through some lovely twisties as you climb and then descend Hayfork Summit (3,654 feet). Depending on the range of your tank it's probably a good idea to fill up with fuel in Hayfork. Keep heading south to the "T" at Hwy 36. Turn back west and enjoy the ride! There is gas and grocery in Dinsmore. Hwy 36 ends back at Hwy 101 just south of Fortuna.

Same deal as the "Short Loop" but takes in the entirety of both Hwys 299 and 36 between Hwy 101 and Interstate 5 (including that legendary section of Oregon Mountain on 299 and the roller coaster ride on 36 between Red Bluff and the Wildwood store). Unfortunately this route also includes about 30 miles of slabbing it down Interstate 5.

This trip takes you up Hwy 299 to Willow Creek and then northward on Hwy 96 (and the Weichepec canyon...lovely twisties!) to the town of Orleans home of the "Orleans Cafe" (quite rural and the interior is covered with hundreds upon hundreds of painted cast iron pans) and where it would probably be a good idea to fuel up. Continue north on 96 to Somes Bar (local Native American tribes refer this confluence of the Klamath and Salmon Rivers "The Center of the World") where you head east towards Forks of Salmon and Cecilville. I've never traveled the road past Forks of Salmon but understand it to be a delight. Be aware that this is about as far removed from "civilization" as one can get in California so don't miss any chance to fuel up and to prepare yourself and bike accordingly before you head out. Also beware that the road from Somes Bar to Forks of Salmon is one lane, VERY narrow and carved out of the side of a cliff high above the Salmon River...it's pretty scary stuff! At Callahan you tie up with Hwy 3 and head south through the beautiful Jones Valley, down through some incredibly tight turns just north of Trinity Lake (Becky's brother Daniel made the comment when we traveled this road a couple of years ago, "some of those turns were so tight I thought I was going to have to back around them!"), then past Trinity Lake to once again hook up with Hwy 299. Then proceed westward on 299 along the Trinity River, over the mountains, through the woods and back home again.

(A word of caution...check road conditions before going for possible snow on Grayback Summit) Again, up 299 to Willow Creek. Again up Hwy 96...but this time continue on up to the town of Happy Camp. This is one of my personal favorite roads in the area. Not challenging, a typical river road with lots of sweeping curves and lovely scenery as it follows the Klamath River. Fuel up in Happy Camp at the east end of town on the south side of the road...it's a card lock that takes only credit cards and is the only gas I know of in the area! The next section of road I've yet to travel (I have plans to correct this during the upcoming year) but several of our members have and will be able to fill in details at the WCR. You travel up Indian Creek Road, over Grayback Summit (5,000 feet!), into Oregon (don't miss the photo-op of the hand-painted state line on the road) and end up at the town of O'Brien, OR. Here you hook up with Hwy 199 and head south back into California, the GORGEOUS Smith River Canyon, through scenic redwoods to Crescent City and Hwy 101. Head south on 101 and depending on how much time you have consider taking the scenic alternate through Prairie Creek to view some elk. Continue south along the lovely Pacific Coast and back home.

This is the one several members (including Becky and I) took during WCRM I. It's slow, rough, twisty and gorgeous. Fill up with gas before heading out. Head south from Fortuna on 101 to SR254 (Avenue of the Giants) to the Mattole Road. Stay on it up the VERY rough, incredibly twisty, slow going road through Honeydew (rural, general store), through Petrolia (first oil well in California...now a rural, general store), catch your breath as you come out on California's Lost Coast (there is almost nothing here...wonderfully unspoiled), climb "the Wall" and head back inland through mountains and grazing lands to the charming, Victorian town of Ferndale, drink lemonade at Curley's and back to 101 and home. A delightful 1/2 day ride!

I find this loop to be longer than I want to do in one day but makes for two, short, casual days (lots of time for sight-seeing and photography stops) with an overnight spent in Yreka. Starting in Fortuna it follows the same roads as the "O'Brien" route. Up 299 to Willow Creek, then up 96 but instead of turning at Happy Camp (you still need to fuel up) stay on 96 to Yreka (a town that refers to itself as "biker friendly...see here former capital of the "State of Jefferson"). Spend the night (be sure to eat at the Black Bear Diner for at least one meal...bring an appetite). Next morning head south on the main street of town which turns into Fort Jones Rd. and Hwy 3. Continue though the lovely Ft. Jones valley and through the small towns of Etna and Callahan. As you come over a summit and start down towards Trinity Lake you will encounter some crazed, tight twisties...be prepared. Continue on down along the length of Trinity Lake to Weaverville. Turn left (east) on Hwy 299 and continue the mile or so to the junction of Hwy 3. Turn south and enjoy the wild ride over Hayfork Summit. It's probably a good idea to fuel up in Hayfork. Continue south till you run into Hwy 36 then turn west towards the coast. You are joining 36 west of the "roller coaster" section of the road but are joining it in a recently repaved, re-engineered section that is a joy to ride. Fast and twisty. When you hit the Humboldt County line be prepared for a rougher, often no center line, off camber, narrower road. Hwy 36 meets back up with Hwy 101 just south of Fortuna.

Drive By or Thru Trees
Featured Roads: 101, Drury Parkway, Avenue of the Giants
Miles: about 300

We have at least THREE (3) "drive-thru" giant redwood trees here in Humboldt County. The most famous is in Leggett (in Mendocino County), the "Chandelier Tree" which has a world-class, kitschy gift shop. There is also a somewhat less glorious tree (mostly dead and hollow and not very tall...the top keeps falling off) in Myers Flat (Humboldt County) on the Avenue of the Giants (also with a kitschy gift shop) that I only bagged just this last year. The last one is the "Tour Thru Tree" in Klamath (Del Norte County) that Becky and I have also scored (no gift shop...but hey, it's does have EMUS!). The suggestion for this day trip is quite simply to bag ALL THREE trees in one day. It's about 300 miles of riding in beautiful redwood/coastal country. Beware this route is a LOT of Hwy 101 and while it's wonderfully scenic it is for the most part NOT "challenging or squidly." There is quite a lot of 4 lane involved but does include about 60 miles of "scenic as all get out," slower speed, twisty parts. This is more of a "touring" suggestion rather than a "sports" event and I suspect it will appeal to many of our "less high-speed-more-scenic-seeking" members. We're beefing it up by offering the alternate routes in the north down the through Prairie Creek State Park on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway (old Hwy 101) where you will possibly run across huge, Roosevelt Elk alongside the road) and in the south includes ALL of the legendary Avenue of the Giants. I've never known anyone to "bag" all three drive-thru's in one day and no one has certainly done it on a motorcycle (or a group of motorcycles) so this is a Guinness Book of World Records kinda run!. LOTS of photo ops including drive-thru's, HUGE redwoods, rugged coastline, each other, etc.

Lastly, at the risk of sounding like an old codger...be careful on all of these roads (ya whippersnappers)! These roads are enormous fun and you WILL feel the desire to ride faster than what is probably prudent (believe me, I know). Unfortunately we lose motorcyclists every year on these bad boys. The West Coast Regional takes place pretty early in the Spring and some of these roads are bound to still be wet (at least in the corners), still have leaves and rocks in the cuts and corners and maybe even have some frost and ice early in the mornings. Have a bunch of fun but most of all be safe!