Grant's Pass to the Coast - Which Route?

We%26#39;re traveling up the northern California (from Humboldt Redwoods park) and Oregon coasts to Portland. From Grant%26#39;s Pass, where we will be for a jet boat trip, we need help with planning the route north. We definitely want to stay along the coast, not inland, so Crater Lake is out for this trip. We have adrenaline junkie teenage boys who don%26#39;t tolerate more than about four hours in a car without stopping for something to make their hearts race.

Should we take I-5 to Hwy 42 and then west to Coos Bay or should we take I-5 up to Hwy 38 and west to Reedsport? I don%26#39;t want to miss anything spectacular on the south coast but I also have to keep in mind that at that point, we will have only five days left on our trip and need to be in Portland within 3 days of leaving Grant%26#39;s Pass. And we want to spend at least one day in the Newport/Yachats section of the coast. Is 101 between Coos Bay and Reedsport a must see? Is there a significant driving time difference between the two routes from Grant%26#39;s Pass to the coast?

Grant's Pass to the Coast - Which Route?

If it is a given you jet boat in Grants Pass not Gold Beach I would head back to coast at Sutherlin on OR-138 then OR-38 to Reedsport.. That is prettier and shorter to Reedsport than OR-42.

You see half the Dunes north from Reedsport to Florence. and in my view the better half. Though I might go out to Winchester Bay and Umpqua LH south a bit from Reedsport. nice views from Umpqua LH of dunes and river

Grant's Pass to the Coast - Which Route?

I was about to make our reservations at Grant%26#39;s Pass...but I%26#39;m willing to listen to another suggestion. Tell me about Gold Beach, specifically about jet boat trips.

Jet boat rides at Gold Beach go up the Rogue River. the shortest takes a half day. The one at Grants Pass goes down river and takes less time, shorter trip.

Personally I much prefer Gold Beach, you start in area with some development, but soon get into mostly just river and forest and wildelife. Netiher trip get into really white water. to do that you need a longer trip from Gold Beach

GP trip to me never really leaves developed areas though riverside vegeatation pretty much hides it for much of trip.

The drive from Crescent City to GP on US-199 is 80 miles and part is slow, maybe 2 hour trip CC to Gold Beach 50 miles. In that sem two hours you can make a couple of stops and get to Gold Beach.

But do not go into Gold beach without reservations, room and boat, mostly room

As usual, phirl is right on the money. If you%26#39;re staying in Grants Pass, Drive I-5 to Sutherlin, then 138-38 to Reedsport.

The Boat Rides themselves from Gold Beach are much more interesting and the river is more beautiful in this area IMO, but it will be as much as 30 degrees warmer in Grants Pass. So, now for the tough decision...................warmth or beauty.

Den

Right now, it%26#39;s 102 degrees in Salt Lake City. I%26#39;ll go for beauty. I%26#39;ve had enough warmth thank you.

O.K., sounds like Gold Beach is the new destination. I%26#39;ve looked at two different jet boat companies. Does anyone have a preference? It%26#39;s the same river either way, so unless one boat company is significantly better, I%26#39;ll just book with whomever has room.

If we do the long 104 mile trip, do we get to any actual white water? We%26#39;ve run the Snake River and the Colorado with our sons so the whitewater would have to be pretty dang good to make the longer trip worth the money...

Speaking of booking rooms... The Tu Tu Tun is out of our price range and they frown on children, even teenagers...maybe especially teenagers...Is the Sun n Sea a good alternative?

How far on Snake did you go. we did lower 3/4s some fair white water, but class 3 at most. I stood at Hells Canyon Dam and siad don%26#39;t think I wnat to get in boat here. Looked pretty rough.

We only got to Agness on Rogue, white water above that. hope someone else can help more. I have bee further up river to Foster Bar on road and it does get more white, but abov there is best I think.

Seemed to me Jerrys was a bit more venturesome, doing spinnies in the river. good for teens, I was glad we were on mail boat

Sand n Sea? Yes, it is nice. Clean, comfortable and walking paths down to the beach. A small indoor pool there, not a resort by any means, just a nice motel. Get the oceanview room there! :)

I have taken the Mailboats for a mothers day ride in their covered boat. Very nice and scenic but might be too tame for your adventure seekers. Now on the other hand I have taken Jerry%26#39;s with my son%26#39;s 6th grade class. Now that was a little wild. They spun us and got the kids pretty wet. When we left GB it was foggy and cool but as we went up river it got sunny and quite hot so by the time we hit Agness the water splashing was quite welcome. But when we returned they asked the kids if they wanted to get wet on the way back and they said YES!!. I told them it was a bad idea, ';Remember the temp when we left Gold Beach?';. Do they listen to an adult that tends to think things through before making rash decisions? Not a chance! There was 30+ soaked and uncontrolably shivering kids saying ';We should have listen to you.'; and 4 semi-dry laughing chaperones. But it was a blast. You get to see wildlife along the banks, beautiful forests, and even some nice fish if anything is running at the time. Many of the fisherman will raise their catch for you to see. We saw deer, black bears, %26amp; Bald Eagles on our trip.

I drive the road between Coos Bay and Reedsport 12+ times a week and there is not much along the highway itself unless you leave the the main highway. There is a couple of pretty sites just before you reach Reedsport. There is Clear Lake on the East side of the highway after you go up the hill from Lakeside which is a very beautiful lake but unfortunately not anywhere to really stop and enjoy it. It%26#39;s breathtaking in the morning when then water is perfectly flat. Then just past Clear Lake is an overlook that looks over the dunes, the Umpqua lighthouse, the Umpqua river mouth and the ocean. Very nice views if it%26#39;s clear.

Have a great trip!

Dreamin, %26lt;%26lt; When we left GB it was foggy and cool but as we went up river it got sunny and quite hot so by the time we hit Agness the water splashing was quite welcome.%26gt;%26gt;

That sounds sooo appealing! :)

I bet it does. It was getting close to 90 here yesterday and is suppose to do the same today. I hope not. The fog got sucked in this morning so that could be good for us and bad inland.