Hwy 1 from Leggett to Fort Bragg CA

[chuckbear]

Looking for anyone that has CURRENT first hand knowledge of this route for our motorhome with a tow. Heading that way tomorrow. Chuck

[Chad Heiser]

Highway 1 north of Fort Bragg is very windy and narrow.  I would not attempt it in an RV, especially one with a toad.  There are some turns you will not be able to negotiate without multiple tries.  Getting to Fort Bragg from Leggit in an RV, the best route is highway 101 to highway 20.

[chuckbear]

Thanks Chad.  Is there some reason our GPS does not want us to go through Fort Bragg? Chuck

[chuckbear]

Chad, Just found this video and I am indeed seeing a winding road but nothing that would require any multiple attempts to make a turn. Can you tell me where that might be? Thanks. Chuck

 

[Chad Heiser]

36 minutes ago, chuckbear said:

Thanks Chad.  Is there some reason our GPS does not want us to go through Fort Bragg? Chuck

Not sure.  We live in Northern CA and camp in and around Fort Bragg fairly regularly.  We will be in Westport (just north of Fort Bragg) at the end of September.  We always take highway 101 and Highway 20 and have no issues with our HDT and fiver at around 61' overall length.  Highway 1 is a neat road, but there are several sections of it I would not attempt in an RV.  You can usually go a little ways north and south of some of the larger towns on highway 1 in an RV with no problem, but once you get further out in the "middle of nowhere" there can be some tight hair pin turns along some of the cliffs and hills.  It is a great drive in a car or on a motorcycle, but not in an RV.

By the way, Westport is a great spot to to stay.  They have some sites that open up right onto sandy beach (with full hook ups).  We also like Caspar, but it is a lot tighter (but doable).

[JCZ]

Between Leggett and FB there are many, many 20 mph curves and you will not be able to stay in your lane with an RV that size.....especially with a toad.  And, the locals drive very fast on 1.  There's a reason that your GPS tells you not to take 1 north of FB.  Even south of FB it's going to be a very slow drive and you will still be in the other lane on all those switch backs and narrow lanes, bridges, etc.

[Chad Heiser]

22 minutes ago, chuckbear said:

Chad, Just found this video and I am indeed seeing a winding road but nothing that would require any multiple attempts to make a turn. Can you tell me where that might be? Thanks. Chuck

 

The particular turn I was thinking of is actually on a different section of highway 1, which I got it confused with this section.  I ran over the route with google maps to remind myself of this section.  This video is somewhat deceptive due to the speed it is run at.  There are still multiple 10 and 15 mph turns on this section of highway 1 and one that you may be scraping the rear of your motorhome on depending on how much overhang you have.  I would still recommend highway 101 to highway 20 over this section of highway 1 with a motorhome and a toad.  There are more turnouts and a little more leeway on highway 20 than on this section of highway 1 that will make it a less stressful trip with the motorhome.  A good chunk of this section of highway 1 is inland also, so you aren't really missing much coast driving by taking the other, easier route.

[Kirk W]

11 hours ago, chuckbear said:

Chad, Just found this video and I am indeed seeing a winding road but nothing that would require any multiple attempts to make a turn.

Want to trust an unknown videographer or a member of the forums?  Your call but Iknow that I would do. 

[mrfrank]

I drove it 17  years ago in a 31 ft coach pulling a Jeep Cherokee. (A real Cherokee!) Had to drive slowly. Biggest problems were logging trucks and cows in the road. The area was open range at the time.

[chuckbear]

We finally decided to take 101 to 20 to 1. Made it to Fort Bragg with no issues at all and we are settled in a campground for a couple of days. There are plenty of sharp turns and 15 and 20 MPH turns on 20. The RV handled it all with no problem. Not sure highway 1 would have been worse or not. But since all went well, it doesn't matter. As to Kirk's comment about an unknown videographer or a forum member, who takes the video makes little difference in the images the video shows. As long as the camera is pointed on the road, it is what it is, no matter who turns the camera on. But anyway, it was a good day and a pleasant drive. In a few days we tackle highway 20 west from 101 heading toward Sacramento. Our biggest concern is going to be the heat. Chuck

[Chad Heiser]

Glad your trip was uneventful.  Highway 20 out to the coast isn't exactly a freeway, but it is an OK road for big rigs.  It is how the trucks get to Fort Bragg to deliver goods.

Highway 20 east from 101 to Sacramento is a much easier drive.  It is a main truck route, so you will have no problems with that section of road.  I drive it regularly and even do it sometimes double towing my Jeep behind the 5th wheel at 75' + in length.  There are some climes and curves, but nothing as bad as highway 20 to Fort Bragg has.

[pethier]

Not current, but I had no trouble at all in 2009 driving a Coachmen Freelander 33' with a 20' enclosed car trailer on Highway 1 from Leggett to the campground in Westport and on the next day to Fort Bragg.  Measured length of the combination was 57 feet.  Trust me:  That rig did not bend in the middle all that well.  The ladder was in danger on right turns in many places, but not on this road.

It was a heck of a lot more fun driving back from the campground to Leggett in the Triumph TR4 to drive through the Chandelier Tree.

Biggest problem for us in that neck of the woods was complete lack of cellphone or internet service.  Maybe that is better now.

The only place on the whole trip where I was terrified by the road was coming into Crater Lake from the north.

IMG_1955  Chandelier tree by philethier, on Flickr

Here we are on the beach in Westport California:

IMG_1989 by philethier, on Flickr

 

[JCZ]

Ca.20 east, you might want to consider Ca16 south through Woodland to I-5.  A much nicer drive (and cooler) than the east side of Ca20 all the way into Williams and then down that barren part of I-5 into Sacramento.  

Sacramento is my home town but like any large city, avoid it during the commute hours.  Fortunetly you stay on I-5 all the way through and don't have to deal with any interchanges so that's in your favor.

[Chad Heiser]

Is 16 opened back up now?  I haven't been that way in a while.  I know it was closed for some time due to a slide.

[JCZ]

8 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

Is 16 opened back up now?  I haven't been that way in a while.  I know it was closed for some time due to a slide.

Yes, it's open all the way to Davis.  East of Sacramento there's a couple of issues.....  http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi?roadnumber=16&submit=Search