Prettiest Driving Route Between Portland and Bend (Eugene, Salem: home, move to)

[timberledge]

I know this has to have been covered on this forum but I'm not seeing it with my searches, so my apologies if this is redundant. We'll be driving this in a couple of weeks and I was wondering how I could best impress my wife with the beauty of the area. I'm trying to persuade her to move to Central Oregon. The time length of the drive doesn't matter. These are the routes I see, from north to south: (1) I-84 to 35 to 26 to 97; (2) I-84 to 197 to 97; (3); I-5 to 22 (Salem) to 126; (4) I-5 to 20 (Corvallis) to 126; and, (5) I-5 to 126 (Eugene). Thank you for any opinions.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by timberledge

I know this has to have been covered on this forum but I'm not seeing it with my searches, so my apologies if this is redundant. We'll be driving this in a couple of weeks and I was wondering how I could best impress my wife with the beauty of the area. I'm trying to persuade her to move to Central Oregon. The time length of the drive doesn't matter. These are the routes I see, from north to south: (1) I-84 to 35 to 26 to 97; (2) I-84 to 197 to 97; (3); I-5 to 22 (Salem) to 126; (4) I-5 to 20 (Corvallis) to 126; and, (5) I-5 to 126 (Eugene). Thank you for any opinions.

There are a few threads that cover this topic, but most are specifically about driving routes in the winter. So this is a good thread to cover the prettiest route(s). I just happened to do your route (2) I-84 to 197 to 97 last weekend and it's a nice drive. It shows a lot of what the high desert country is like, with views of the Cascade Peaks. I also love route (1) in the spring time, with all the blossoms in the orchards in Hood River. However, that's at the beginning of the drive and not really showcasing Bend.

I'm confused with routes (3, 4 & 5). I wonder if you mean I-5 to 22 to 20 to 126 to 242 (McKenzie Pass) back to 20 and then 97? You can't get to Bend via 126. Personally, I would take one of the last 3 routes as long as McKenzie pass is open. It closes in the winter due to snow and reopens in June or July (sometimes later). The route I described would be my choice if the pass is open. Even if McKenzie pass is not open, Santiam Pass is via 126/20 is a nice route too. However, you will miss much of the high desert country. Smith Rock and the Crooked River Gorge are both areas worth visiting on your trip. They are north of Redmond, near the town of Terrebonne. So, you could do one route on the way down and one on the way back.

[Nightdiver13]

Can we assume you're from Portland and have driven east along the gorge before? If so, I'd skip that route since the gorge portion is great but then you're just driving down through monotonous high desert terrain. It's pretty, but not very interesting to look at for several hours.

I'd try to incorporate 242 into the drive, whether that's coming or going. Maybe start with your Corvalis route of I-5 to 20, to 126 to 242. Then on the way home try out 97 to 26. Or keep going up to the gorge if you've never driven along it.

[Steve Pickering]

Route 2.

[timberledge]

Clarifications:

We're from Georgia.
I omitted the obvious 26 to 97 route
For the routes off of I-5, once on 126, we'd take it to Sisters, then 20 to Bend.
I believe 242, McKenzie Pass is closed in the first half of June when we'll be in Bend, so we'd have to take 126 thru the Santiam Pass if we drive one of the mountain routes.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by timberledge

Clarifications:

We're from Georgia.
I omitted the obvious 26 to 97 route
For the routes off of I-5, once on 126, we'd take it to Sisters, then 20 to Bend.
I believe 242, McKenzie Pass is closed in the first half of June when we'll be in Bend, so we'd have to take 126 thru the Santiam Pass if we drive one of the mountain routes.

Ah, yes, if you are coming in early June it's doubtful McKenzie Pass will be open. If you are coming from GA, then definitely take the route through Santiam, at least one of the ways. I would do the other route, through Hood River and the Gorge the other way. They are definitely the prettiest routes, IMO. However, I actually like the obvious route of 26. It never gets old seeing Mt. Hood up close. But you will get that with route 1. Route 2 is also very pretty, but covers a lot more desert and may be a harder sell coming from GA.

[karlsch]

You might want to visit Timberline Lodge along the way:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bend...45.5234515!3e0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP5Z47_hMyo

[redguard57]

I'm going to say that the most unique looking route is up 97, fork onto 197 through Maupin to the Dalles, then west to Portland along the gorge.

All the routes to Portland are pretty until you get to I-5.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by redguard57

... ...

All the routes to Portland are pretty until you get to I-5.

Nothing wrong with I-5, it just isn't the gorge.

[whirnot]

I prefer the drive over Santiam pass, the east side of the pass is beautiful year round. If you have not seen the gorge, I would consider it one way. Just be careful and don't put full trust in a gps. We did that once and ended up on single lane dirt forest roads, but they did get us there!

I have traveled the Hood route a few times and just think the drive between Redmond and Hood isn't too special. FWIW, time wise from PDX to Downtown Bend is within about 6 or 7 minutes whether you go over Hood, or Santiam.

And I have to agree with Steve, the drive up I5 is pretty seeing the lush farmland.