Hwy 5 Seattle to LA

[reggink]

Planning to travel in August from Spokane to Seattle to the LA area going toward the grand canyon. Can anyone advise on HW 5 road surface conditions? Any suggestion driving around LA to Flagstaff?

[desertdeals69]

19 minutes ago, reggink said:

Planning to travel in August from Spokane to Seattle to the LA area going toward the grand canyon. Can anyone advise on HW 5 road surface conditions? Any suggestion driving around LA to Flagstaff?

The interstates are in need of repair all over.  I 5 is no different.  If there isn't a need to go to LA I would bypass if entirely possible.  We usually go from Portland south and go across the mountains to Bend Or and down 97, through northern Ca to Fallon Nv, down to Las Vegas then over to the Grand Canyon.  The roads, although not major, are in fairly good condition.  Also much less traffic.

 

[tbutler]

We make similar trips to desertdeals69!  Coming out of the Coburg, Oregon area we like Hwy 20 east to CA 78 to US 95 south.  Those are some little traveled but decent 2 lane roads.  US 95 south through Nevada to Las Vegas is pretty good road and again, not too heavily traveled until you get into Las Vegas proper.  Las Vegas traffic is nothing like Los Angeles.  There are passing lanes on long grades, nothing steep, no high mountains, you are running in the basin and range on the east side of the Sierra Nevada and the road follows the low ground most of the time.  Take US 93 out of Las Vegas, cross the spectacular new bridge at Hoover Dam, on to Kingman where you can pick up I-40 east to Flagstaff.

From Seattle to Portland, I-5 is really heavy traffic.  In southern Oregon you will encounter several passes with curves in the stretch from Wolf Creek to Medford, OR.  Depending on the season, weather can be a problem in this area.  We do everything we can to avoid the Los Angeles area.  We made the run up I-5 from San Diego to Sacramento early in our travels and pretty much decided to avoid it if at all possible.  The traffic in certain locations can be quite heavy.  When we are coming from central California heading for Oregon, we are on I-5 from Sacramento on north and it isn't too bad. 

[obedb]

Your ultimate destination is the Grand Canyon? Seattle is just a waypoint as well as LA? Tom and Desert Deals both have good ideas. Let us know so maybe I can jump in there with a suggestion.

[wildebill308]

6 hours ago, reggink said:

Planning to travel in August from Spokane to Seattle to the LA area going toward the grand canyon. Can anyone advise on HW 5 road surface conditions? Any suggestion driving around LA to Flagstaff?

Welcome to the forum. If you want to go down I-5 it isn't that bad. Do you want to be in LA or by pas it? 

I went around the north side to Pasadena then the 210 to I-15 north to Barstow to pick up I-40 to Williams and the Grand Canyon. Have you made reservations in Trailer Village RV Park (in the park) yet? I would do it now because it is much easier to get around the park. Shuttle buses come to RV park and pick you up. 

Trailer Village RV Park, 100 Trailer Village Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, visitgrandcanyon.com

(928) 638-1006

If you don't want to go into the LA area you can cut a lot of driving off by cutting over to Bakersfield from I-5 and taking 58 into Barstow to pick up I-40 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Bill

[desertdeals69]

21 minutes ago, WILDEBILL308 said:

Welcome to the forum. If you want to go down I-5 it isn't that bad. Do you want to be in LA or by pas it? 

I went around the north side to Pasadena then the 210 to I-15 north to Barstow to pick up I-40 to Williams and the Grand Canyon. Have you made reservations in Trailer Village RV Park (in the park) yet? I would do it now because it is much easier to get around the park. Shuttle buses come to RV park and pick you up. 

Trailer Village RV Park, 100 Trailer Village Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, visitgrandcanyon.com

(928) 638-1006

If you don't want to go into the LA area you can cut a lot of driving off by cutting over to Bakersfield from I-5 and taking 58 into Barstow to pick up I-40 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Bill

Getting a res in Trailer Village is a good idea.  I would still go the route I suggested because of the steep grade up Tahachapi and then Indio.  Both are long and somewhat longer distance.

[wildebill308]

We don't know that DD until the OP reggink comes back and answers some questions. The original question included the LA area,"Planning to travel in August from Spokane to Seattle to the LA area going toward the grand canyon." 

Bill

[dp26]

In Williams now, going to trailer village timorrow. Still feeling the jarring from i40... Also, there are some long delays along i40 because of one lane construction, so be prepared. It added about 40 minutes heading east. The line in the west side looked longer.

We took 58 to Barstow. Lucked into good weather, should be low 80's at TV the next few days.

[wildebill308]

Well at least they are working on I-40. They were doing some work between Williams and Flagstaff in March. The areas that they had finished were nice.

Enjoy your stay at the canyon.

Bill

[obedb]

If the OP lives in the Spokane area and just wants to get to the south entrance of the canyon. Heading east on I-90 to Butte MT and then heading south on I-15 through Salt Lake City to I-70, and then east to US89 would be a good choice.  Take US89 south into  Arizona. Say on US 89, not Alt 89. US89 will take you to Arizona 64 West to the South Entrance. Have traveled US89 several times in a tractor trailer over the years, but wouldn't have been welcome on 64.

[kaypsmith]

On 7/8/2017 at 0:53 PM, reggink said:

Any suggestion driving around LA to Flagstaff?

For all we know LA might mean Lower Arizona. LOL!

[obedb]

To truckers from the south, it meant Lower Alabama. Pinto beans and cornbread, after eating all of that Yankee Food.

[kaypsmith]

Byron, yes being a native Alabamian, I know first hand that LA is lower Alabama, you can have the pinto's, I prefer navy beans with ham, also known as white beans to some yankees. Till the OP comes back though, we'll just have to guess.

[obedb]

City Boy!😄

[reggink]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Our trip is purely recreational, traveling in our 40 ft Allegro Bus MH. My wife an I are in Spokane visiting our son. We are from Buffalo NY. Thought it would be nice to see California and the grand canyon, though have never driven on the west coast. Based on comments the route through Bakersfield, then route 58 to the i40 sounds like the way to go. One other issue will be to avoid wild fire smoke areas. That may be a challenge in August. The alternate route to Butte MT, the i15 south may still be an alternative, though a continued heatwave may make that less attractive.

[wildebill308]

1 hour ago, reggink said:

Thanks for all your suggestions. Our trip is purely recreational, traveling in our 40 ft Allegro Bus MH. My wife an I are in Spokane visiting our son. We are from Buffalo NY. Thought it would be nice to see California and the grand canyon, though have never driven on the west coast. Based on comments the route through Bakersfield, then route 58 to the i40 sounds like the way to go. One other issue will be to avoid wild fire smoke areas. That may be a challenge in August. The alternate route to Butte MT, the i15 south may still be an alternative, though a continued heatwave may make that less attractive.

You may be able to use a map like this.

http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/smoke/

The local news should have updates if the smoke is a problem. 

Going down  through California would give you a chance to see many interesting places. I would stop and spend some time at Yosemite.

Go re read my post about getting reservations at Trailer Village in the Grand Canyon park.

Bill

[obedb]

If you decide on I-5 and then 58 to Barstow and then I-40 east you move over to 99 south to Bakersfield and then onto 58. Or if you want to miss Bakersfield, you  leave I-5 at exit 329 and head east on route 223 to to 58 east. Ran that many times with eastbound produce from Santa Maria.

I-40 across the Mojave in California is always very hot this time of the year. I have seen 113 degrees in Needles CA after dark. Daytime temps will probably be like nothing you have seen elsewhere in the US. And extreme temps are the norm in western AZ on I-40. 

One other thought/ If you want to miss the congestion around Seattle-Tacoma you can take US395 exiting I-90 at ex 220 south to the Tricities (Richland,Pasco,Kennewick). 395 will take you to I-82 east to I-84 west to Portland. I-205 will take you around the busiest parts of the Portland area to I-5.

[reggink]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Our trip is purely recreational, traveling in our 40 ft Allegro Bus MH. My wife an I are in Spokane visiting our son. We are from Buffalo NY. Thought it would be nice to see California and the grand canyon, though have never driven on the west coast. Based on comments the route through Bakersfield, then route 58 to the i40 sounds like the way to go. One other issue will be to avoid wild fire smoke areas. That may be a challenge in August. The alternate route to Butte MT 

[reggink]

Thanks for the wildfire smoke website and the heads up for extreme heat on the i40 at Mojave desert. I need to rethink my timing.

[obedb]

Our Phaeton is in very good mechanical condition. Especially the cooling system. Never  upset on the hardest pulls in Colorado. Could it make it across the Mojave in summer weather. Would bet it could. Would I try it? Nope. Not until cooler weather sets in.

Did it many a time in heavily loaded tractor trailers because it was part of the job. No more.

There are a lot of pretty sites within a reasonable drive of Spokane and  temps are mostly moderate.

[wildebill308]

I didn't find the temps that bad coming across on I-40. I wouldn't go to Death Valley in the summer but the rest isn't all that bad. If you need to you can run the generator and the roof air.

I do recommend staying out of the Southern part of Arizona/Phoenix area.

The Grand Canyon should be great because it is higher elevation.

Bill

[obedb]

Did not say it can't be done. Like any effort in extreme condition's you can have a good day and say "shoot, that was nothing", but Ihave been across the Mojave many times in summer and winter. As I said, I had to do it. Never liked it when high temps were showing up on my thermometer read out. Some of the things that I saw!!! The majority of break downs happen in the summer months. Big trucks, cars, RVs, etc. If there is a weak link on your unit, there is a large risk that you will know it when crossing the Mojave in either direction. There are few reporting points, fire departments can be far away, and cell service used to be spotty, but maybe that has changed. I would never plan to be in an area where I had to cross a desert in the summer months in our coach. Retirees can plan their travels to avoid that. U

If you do choose the Mohave as a route, keep your eyes on the shoulder as "You Keep Your Eyes Moving" ( Smith System of Defensive Driving ) and you will frequently see evidence of vehicle fires. Sometimes quite large indicating a complete burn down. 

[alflorida]

On 7/8/2017 at 10:53 AM, reggink said:

Planning to travel in August from Spokane to Seattle to the LA area going toward the grand canyon. Can anyone advise on HW 5 road surface conditions? Any suggestion driving around LA to Flagstaff?

Some questions to help understand what your plans are:

--  How much time is planned for this route?

--  Are you planning a trip to Olympic Peninsula and then follow the coast on US-101, allowing 2-3 weeks for the coast trip?

-- Or are you just going to visit Seattle and then head to the Grand Canyon. 

It is had to give good advice without more details.