Redding, CA to Arcata, CA
142.0 miles: 2 hours, 54 minutes
This western route bisects the northernmost portion of the fertile Sacramento Valley, curves along the Trinity River and crosses the coastal mountain range before terminating at the Pacific. Mountain passes and the higher elevations along the route are prone to winter driving conditions including snow and ice.
Arcata, CA to Crescent City, CA
75.3 miles: 1 hours, 36 minutes
Aptly named the Redwood Highway, this section of roadway either hugs the ragged coast or dips inland, where ferns and redwoods penetrate the ubiquitous fog. Members of the Roosevelt elk herd in Redwood National and State Parks may be seen grazing in the southern part of the parks.
Crescent City, CA to Port Orford, OR
82.5 miles: 1 hours, 41 minutes
Crossing the state border, US 101 becomes the Oregon Coast Highway. Seldom out of sight of the Pacific, this is perhaps the most beautiful stretch of the Oregon coast; yet, because of its distance from metropolitan areas, it attracts few visitors. As you travel north along the coast, chances of rain and fog increase, all part of the experience on this drive.
Port Orford, OR to Reedsport, OR
80.0 miles: 1 hours, 50 minutes
North of Port Orford, you’ll drive a mostly inland route offering only occasional glimpses of the ocean. But there is still much to see. Check out the colorful cranberry bogs outside of Bandon. Or, beyond Coos Bay lies the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, a unique area of windswept sand and the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America.