Northern California & Southern Oregon

Scenic ride via US-101 and CA-1 north, mixing coastal beauty, redwoods and small towns.

Along the way

• Golden Gate Bridge — North Vista Point photos
• Marin Headlands — bridge and coast views; winding roads
• Stinson Beach — beach and lagoon stop
• Point Reyes National Seashore — cliffs and waves; optional lighthouse detour (~20 mi)
• Tomales Bay — bay views and oyster farms
• Bodega Bay — harbor, seafood, “The Birds” film site; exhilarating CA-1 curves
• Bodega Dunes — windswept trails
• Sebastopol — orchards and farm stands via CA-12 E
• Santa Rosa Historic District — tree-lined streets
• Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens — tasting and gardens (~7 mi from Santa Rosa)
• US-101 N — through Mendocino vineyards
• Hendy Woods State Park — redwood detour on CA-128
• Ukiah Valley — Mayacamas Mountains at sunset

Weather outlook

Coast (SF, Stinson, Bodega) 60–70°F (15–21°C), warming to 70–80°F (21–27°C) inland. Partly cloudy with morning coastal fog (visibility under 100 ft possible) clearing by afternoon; 10–20% chance of light showers. Winds 5–15 mph, stronger on the coast. Nights 45–55°F (7–13°C). Start after 9 AM to avoid fog.

Watch for

• Coastal fog on CA-1. Dense morning fog near Stinson Beach and Point Reyes reduces visibility; use low beams and fog lights and slow down. Avoid a pre-9 AM start if foggy (check Caltrans QuickMap).
• Tight curves, wet pavement. CA-1’s sharp turns (e.g. near Bodega) get slick from fog and drizzle; stay focused and avoid gravel shoulders. US-101 is straighter but watch the vineyard winds.
• Construction. Northbound US-101 reduced to one lane ~2–3 mi north of SR-271 (Mendocino Co.) around the clock — expect delays. One-way traffic control near Arnold possible 7 AM–5 PM.
• Wildlife. Deer are active in Marin and Sonoma at dawn and dusk (e.g. Hendy Woods); slow down in forested areas.
• Fuel. Sparse stations on CA-1; fill up in SF or Sausalito.

The Redwood Highway (US-101 north) through forests, coast and towns.

Along the way

• Ukiah wine country — vineyards and oaks
• Willits — “Gateway to the Redwoods”
• Laytonville — redwood canopy
• Avenue of the Giants — 31 mi through Humboldt Redwoods SP; Founders Grove, Rockefeller Loop
• Garberville / Scotia — Eel River views
• Eureka — Victorian town; Old Town marina detour
• Arcata Bay / Humboldt Lagoons — wetlands, ocean vistas; elk at Elk Prairie
• Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park — meadows and redwoods
• Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park — ocean pullouts
• Trees of Mystery, Klamath — Paul Bunyan statue and gondola
• Battery Point Lighthouse — sunset tides

Watch for

• Fog and rain in the redwoods. Morning fog and drizzle on US-101 near Eureka and Del Norte; use fog lights and consider delaying the start to 10 AM. Fallen leaves and needles make curves slick.
• Fuel. Limited between Garberville and Eureka — fill early. Check for debris in the redwoods.

US-199 (the Redwood Highway) to Grants Pass, OR-238 through the Applegate Valley to Medford, then OR-140 to Klamath Falls.

Along the way

• Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP — Stout Grove detour on Howland Hill Rd
• Smith River — turquoise water and cliffs; Patrick Creek Overlook
• Collier Tunnel — winding and narrow
• Applegate Valley — vineyards and orchards; Applegate Lake stop
• Oregon Caves National Monument — optional OR-46 detour (~20 mi) to marble caves
• Fish Lake / Lake of the Woods — mountain lakes on OR-140
• Crater Lake National Park — optional, ~70 mi round trip; Rim Drive vistas

Watch for

• Fog and wet roads. Morning fog on US-199 (Jedediah Smith); careful on curves and in the tunnel. OR-46 (Caves detour) is narrow and slick when wet — skip it if raining.
• Twisty sections, wildlife. Tight turns on US-199 and OR-46 — watch for gravel and debris. Deer and elk around Applegate and Lake of the Woods at dawn and dusk. OR-140 width-restricted to 14 ft near Klamath Falls for construction.

US-97 south to Mount Shasta, CA-89 south and CA-44 through Lassen Volcanic National Park to Redding, then I-5 south to Red Bluff.

Along the way

• Upper Klamath Lake — wetlands and pelicans
• Klamath Basin grasslands — open vistas
• Mount Shasta — vista point near Weed; optional CA-89 detour via McCloud for river and falls
• Burney Falls — 129-ft cascade in the state park
• Hat Creek Valley — lava fields and Lassen Peak views
• Lassen Volcanic NP — Manzanita Lake, Sulphur Works, Bumpass Hell, Kings Creek / Summit Lake
• Shingletown — oak woodlands
• Redding — Sacramento River and Sundial Bridge
• Red Bluff — Victorian charm on the river

Weather outlook

Klamath Falls and Mount Shasta 65–80°F (18–27°C), partly cloudy, 5–10% rain; morning fog near the lake clears. Lassen highs 60–75°F (15–24°C), 10–15% chance of showers at elevation. Red Bluff 70–85°F (21–29°C), sunny. Winds 5–15 mph. Lows 40–60°F (4–15°C).

Watch for

• Elevation weather. Sudden changes in Lassen (CA-89); light rain or snow possible at the peaks — check NPS road status (usually open in October, but early snow can close it).
• Wildlife and curves. Deer and bears around Lassen and Burney; slow down in forests. CA-89 and CA-44 descents are tight; watch gravel shoulders at dawn and dusk.
• Heat. 85°F+ in Red Bluff — hydrate. I-5 is straightforward but crosswinds are possible.

I-5 south to Williams, CA-20 west to Clearlake, CA-53 and CA-29 south to Calistoga, then CA-12 west to Sonoma.

Along the way

• Sacramento Valley farms — almond and rice fields, Sierra views
• CA-20 to Clear Lake — rolling hills and oaks; Mount Konocti volcano
• CA-53 — lake views and Lower Lake towns
• Napa Valley on CA-29 — vineyards, Mayacamas Mountains, balloons, Calistoga springs
• CA-12 — oak hills and horse ranches to Sonoma Plaza

Weather outlook

Red Bluff and Williams 70–85°F (21–29°C), sunny. Clearlake and Sonoma 65–80°F (18–27°C), partly cloudy with 5–10% showers; morning fog near Calistoga clears. Winds 5–15 mph (crosswinds on I-5). Lows 45–60°F (7–15°C). Perfect wine-country weather.

Watch for

• Crosswinds and traffic. Open I-5 stretches are gusty (15–20 mph) — lean in. Heavy tourist traffic on CA-29 and CA-12 (winery pullouts, cyclists), especially afternoons.
• Curves and roadwork. Moderate twists on CA-20 and CA-12 near Clear Lake and Sonoma; gravel possible if damp. Utility work on CA-20 at Clearlake Oaks and night paving on CA-29 west of Lower Lake.
• Wildlife. Deer on CA-20 and CA-12 at dawn and dusk.