Northern and Southern California are worlds apart despite their common name.
Southern California is a labyrinth of freeways through never-ending suburbs. Northern California has freeways, too. But you can count them on one hand and they run through a maze of forests and foothills.This itinerary circles Northern California. If you're searching for roads less-traveled, this is the trip for you.
It takes in a multitude of splendors - the coast, the redwoods, the small towns and the isolated valleys east of the Sierras.
Loosely speaking, you begin and end at Truckee, a community turned tourist-trap this side of Donner Pass.
Along the way you'll find a few household names
such as Sacramento and San Francisco. But many of these places will be unfamiliar.
Begin by driving I-80 west across the extra-wide-open spaces of northern Nevada. Don't despair. The scenery gets better as you approach Reno.
Continue over Donner Pass and into the Sacramento Valley, filled with fertile farms and expanding communities. Follow I-80 to San Francisco and head north across the fabled Golden Gate Bridge.
From there drive along Highway 1, a sinuous two-lane road that hugs the coast, to Mendocino, a town familiar to millions of Americans as the setting for the TV series "Murder, She Wrote."
Between San Francisco and Mendocino stop at Point Reyes National Seashore and Fort Ross state park. Both have good camping.
There is also camping at MacKerricher Beach state park north of Fort Bragg.
From Mendocino, hook up with Highway 101 at Leggett and take the Avenue of the Giants exit into Humboldt Redwoods state park. This scenic route winds for 33 miles through towering redwoods. You'll find good camping and nature trails here.
Continue to the Victorian village of Ferndale, so famous for its architecture that the entire town is a state historic site. Main Street is lined with art galleries, old-fashioned mercantiles and restaurants.
Turn inland to Redding, near the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.
To get to Redding either take Highway 36 east, connecting to Highway 3, which connects to Highway 299. Or drive north to Eureka and take 299 east.
Highway 36 is the more adventurous route. It is a beautiful but isolated drive. The road is paved but winding and narrow. The few vehicles you encounter will most likely be logging trucks. The California Highway Patrol strongly suggests you steer clear of 36 if you're driving an RV. The road is not wide enough for both an RV and a logging truck.
On 36, gas and food are available at Dinsmore, Mad River and sometimes Forest Glen.
This scenic drive continues on Highway 3, which is wider and more frequently traveled.
Drive north from Redding on I-5 to Mount Shasta City. This is a lovely section of interstate because Mount Shasta, a dormant volcano that's covered with snow much of the year, lies dead ahead, the centerpiece of the view through your windshield.
Four points of interest as you proceed north toward Mount Shasta:
- Lake Shasta and Shasta Dam. The lake is a well-known recreation area and the dam a strategic player in California's water system.
- Castle Crags State Park (on your left) has a lovely viewpoint of the rugged peaks called Castle Crags as well as of Mount Shasta. Trail heads into the back country and campgrounds are here, as well.
- Several waterfalls near the town of Dunsmuir give you and your kids a chance to stretch your legs. I walked on a railroad right-of-way alongside the Sacramento River to Mossbrae Falls (ask a local person for directions). Hedge Creek Falls are a 10-minute stroll from the north Dunsmuir exit.
- Railroad Park Resort is a collection of antique railroad cars refurbished into motel rooms. The restaurant, also in railroad cars, offers good food at reasonable prices. Castle Crags provide a stunning backdrop for the resort. The cost is $65 for two people; $1 per extra person. Take the Railroad Park Resort exit off I-5. For motel reservations call (916) 235-4440. The resort also has an RV park/campground - $15 for two people for a full hookup; $11 for two people for a campsite. Call (916) 235-9983.
Head west on Highway 89 from Mount Shasta City. The area is so isolated you'll wonder whether you're still in California. Sites along the way include Burney Falls and the Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory, operated by the University of California Berkeley. The observatory does not offer formal tours but someone there might take time to show you around.
Continue southeast on 89 to Lassen Volcanic National Park, where camping and back country hiking are popular.
South of Lassen, where 89 joins 70, the highway becomes a national scenic byway. Along the way there's Lake Almanor, known for superb fishing and camping.
You'll pass through a bevy of small towns - Quincy, Clio, Sierra City, Sattley and Sierraville. Also in the neighborhood is Downieville, where buildings date back to the gold rush.
These are one movie-theater communities with small motels and cozy cafes. The Iron Door Restaurant in Johnsville comes highly recommended.
Continue south on 89 to Truckee. Turn east on I-80 and head, once again, across the extra-wide-open spaces of northern Nevada.
The trip will take more than a week but your time will be well-spent.
Here are a few details:
SACRAMENTO: The California State Railroad Museum, 111 "I" St., in Old Sacramento, has a wonderful collection of railroad cars and memorabilia. Tour railroad (45-minute train ride along the Sacramento River) operates on weekends. The museum hosts the California Railroad Festival June 12-14. The museum is open daily, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 children 6-12. To reach Old Sacramento, exit I-5 north at the "J" St. off ramp.
Car buffs should stop by the Towe Ford Museum, 2200 Front St. The collection of 180 cars includes every model Ford made from 1903-1953. There are other makes of cars, as well. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for junior high and high school students, and $1 for grade school children.
Sutter's Fort, 2701 "L" St., is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $2 for people 13 and over; $1 for children 6-12. John Sutter began work on the fort in 1840. Although Sutter was a Swiss immigrant, he became a Mexican citizen and received large grants of land. He grew thousands of acres of crops, many of which he exported. He also established industries inside the fort including a bakery, a grist mill, a blanket factory and a blacksmith shop. In 1846, when Californians rebelled against Mexico, Sutter's Fort flew the American flag. The fort later became a refuge for pioneers. Sutter tried to establish a sawmill on the American River. Two months before the mill was completed, gold was discovered.
The fort is a living history museum. If you visit on June 20, you'll find costumed characters doing the everyday tasks of 1846. Sept. 12 is a living history evening in which the fort is aglow with candles. To reach the fort take the "H" St. exit off I-80 business. Turn right on "K" and proceed to 28th St.
POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE is north from San Francisco off Highway 1. Here you'll find secluded beaches, rocky cliffs and grassy bluffs along with a potpourri of wildlife including sea lions and seals. Camping is free. The visitors center is open daily.
FORT ROSS STATE PARK is north on Highway 1 on your way to Mendocino. This stockade served as a Russian trading center. Reconstructed buildings include the stockade, block houses, the manager's house, official's barracks and a chapel. The fort was established in 1812. Russians ostensibly came to hunt sea mammals. But they also needed food to supply their trappers in Alaska. They traded pelts with the Spanish for grain. John Sutter purchased the fort in 1841 and shipped its wood to Sacramento where lumber was scarce. That's why most of the fort is a reconstruction. July 25 is living history day where costumed volunteers portray life was it was in the 1830s. Admission is $5 per car. Camping is available at the Fort Ross campground, one mile south, or at Salt Point state park, about seven miles north.
MENDOCINO is a charming coastal town with wonderful art galleries and restaurants. I highly recommend the hearty, homemade fare of Cafe Beaujolais, open Thursday thru Monday.
CALIFORNIA GREAT WESTERN RAILROAD'S SKUNK TRAIN was originally a logging railroad. Now it is an excursion train between Fort Bragg, north of Mendocino, and Willits. Half-day and full-day trips. Make reservations at least a week in advance by calling (707) 964-6371. Prices for the full-day trip are $23 for adults, $18.50 children. Half-day rates are $11 adults, $9 children.
HUMBOLDT REDWOODS STATE PARK offers camping and hiking amid the giant redwoods. Campsites are $14 a night. You can make reservations by calling MYSTIX, 1-800-444-7275.
MOUNT SHASTA CITY is a charming town that basks in the shadow of Mount Shasta, the area's biggest attraction. Take the Everitt Memorial Highway to a mid-point on the mountain. You can camp there at Panther Meadow. July 4 is a big celebration at nearby Lake Siskiyou. For information on accommodations, camping and activities near Mount Shasta, call (916) 926-4865.
QUINCY is the hub of activity in the scenic valleys east of the Sierras. The Plumas County Museum is considered one of the best small-town museums in the state. Upcoming festivals include the county fair Aug. 13-16 in Quincy. "It's like going back 50 years," says a spokesman. Activities include logging show, stock car racing and top-name country western singers. Northern Sierra Indian Days are Sept. 19, 20 in Quincy. Ceremonial drums and dancing as well as food and Native American artisans.
The town of Graeagle is notable because all its buildings are painted red. Once a lumber center, it is now privately owned.
Don't miss the Kentucky Mine near Sierra City. The mill is remarkably well-preserved. Tours are $4. And there are concerts every weekend during the summer at the amphitheater near the mine.
If you want to pamper yourselves for a night, stay at White Sulphur Springs Bed & Breakfast on Highway 89 near Clio. Once a stagecoach stop, it now offers rooms in an old-fashioned farm house. Two cottages are also available. Rates begin at $70. Relax by swimming in the inn's warm mineral springs pool. Call (916) 836-2387.
For information on the small towns east of the Sierras and north of Truckee, call the Plumas County Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-326-2247.