Connect PCH with SC

[Workinman]

Planning a loop trip from Ashland, Oregon. So far taking Redwoods Highway via Grants Pass to intersect PCH at Crescent City then down to Arcata.  Next we want to go east to connect with the SC route.  Anyone have experience with California highways 299, 96, or 3.  Leaning towards highway 299 all the way to 89.  Thanks for any first hand info or links that may be out there.  I've looked at the California state highway site.  Really interested in condition of the road and how biker friendly it may be.

[JHamelman]

Hi Workinman,

I think CA 299 is in CalTrans District 1. You might contact the Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator for that district to see what information they have about it's suitability.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LocalPrograms/bike/contacts.html

Please report back on what you find out.

Thanks,
.Jennifer.

[klittau]

If you can afford the time, I would recommend heading a little farther south to highway 36.  It has 10 times less traffic than 299.  When I was planning a similar trip last year, I was strongly advised against 299.  Highway 36 was a pleasure.  Lightly trafficked and nice campgrounds at each end of Trinity National Forest.  It is nice east of Red Bluff too all the way to Lassen.

[griley51]

I cannot not recommend biking on 199 in California. There are many places that are very narrow, with no shoulder blind curves, anxious locals trying to get around anxious tourists (especially RV's) and not anticipating bicyclists because few ever ride that route.

[Workinman]

Thanks for the replies.  I sent a message off the CA highway person, Alyson Hunter, and am awaiting her thoughts.  I like the highway #36 idea and am doing some time and distance calculations.  299 has not receive any ringing endorsements yet so it is probably out of the running.  Again, thanks to all who took the time to reply.

[Steve All]

I second klittau's suggestion to choose State Route 36 over State Route 299.  Beautiful part of the world you have selected!

[karungguni]

I am planning a similar trip credit card and am finding that Weaverville has the only motels between Redding and Eureka. Has anybody found any alternatives.

[raybagg]

My wife and I will be making a similar connection this June and we're a little concerned about services on this stretch. Our plan is to take Hwy36 from Fortuna and make an overnight stop in Ruth Lake (Mad River). The stretch to Red Bluff just seems too long for one day but there doesn't seem to be many services after Ruth Lake. We even considered going north to Douglas City before continuing east.

Ay suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[cgarch]

I cannot say enough about how great Highway 96 and its surrounding roads are. Yeah it's a little tough getting from Ashland over Siskiyou summit to the turnoff, but once you're on 96 you are rewarded with a wonderful 2 lane highway in pretty good condition. There is some variability in the shoulders but then there isn't that much traffic anymore. You follow the Klamath (designated wild and scenic river) for a long ways in a generally downhill trending road until you reach Weitchpec. There, at the confluence of the Trinity, you climb back up towards Willow Creek and thence to a summit climb on 299 to reach Arcata. There is a bike trail in the area (basically the old highway) that circumvents some of the crappy parts of 299 on the way to Arcata. There are a variety of FS campgrounds as well. Enough towns on the route as well to restock.

Our club does a one-week tour in the Klamath area. It started out as one time trip - it's now an annual affair and sells out. The area includes the Marble Mountain and Russian Wildernesses which make for good alternate route choices.

36 is a great road, no doubt but hilly and remote. 299 is a non-starter (my opinion).

[cgarch]

And another shot.