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For those that do the long drive which way do you go and why?
I'm in the Antelope Valley in the desert north of LA. I've gone the I-15 to I-90 route and it's an extra long way. The drive is nice though once you get past Las Vegas and the speed limit goes up to 75 but the traffic can be heavy from Provo to north of SLC. Went though there during rush hour last time. But there are areas that let you drive 80 in Utah. I really enjoyed the drive past SLC all the way to CDA.
I've also gone another way up the 14 to the 395 past Mammoth Lakes and turned east past Mono lake to Hawthorne, NV then up the 95 to the I-80 east to Winnemucca. It was sure hot in the Carson Sink last July and the scenery isn't very nice in that area. From Winnemucca headed north on the 95 all the way to Fruitland/Ontario and got on the I-84 toward Portland.
The part of the drive from Winnemucca to the Idaho border on the 95 was pretty desolate and when you hit the Oregon border at McDermitt about 60 miles north of Winnemucca, the speed limit drops from 70 to 55 for no apparent reason. Boy, that was a bummer all the way until past Jordan Valley. I sure was glad to get into Idaho so I could drive at a more reasonable speed. Was bummed out again when I hit Oregon after a short time on the I-84 in Idaho and the speed limit dropped from 75 to 65.
Then went on the I-82 for a short time and got on the 395 again near Kenniwick and headed north until the I-90 then east to CDA.
This drive is about 200 miles shorter than going on the I-15 but I think the I-15 is a more scenic drive. Since the speed limit is higher on the I-15, it's supposed to only take about 1 hour longer for the 200 extra miles.
Anyone been on the 95 north of Fruitland to CDA? Looks like a pretty curvy two lane road on the map.
I think another option is going up the I-5 but I'm pretty sick of that ugly drive along the Central Valley after doing that drive a bunch of times when I was in school in SF. The smell near the Kettleman exit is really bad too. LOL It's nice around the Shasta area though. Anybody go this way?
Should be heading up to Spirit Lake again in the near future. Hope the yellow jacket numbers have gone down by then.
i think I-15 north to Butte then picking up I-90 west just outside of Butte is the fastest. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive from Idaho Falls to the Butte interchange up to Missoula, and about 1 1/2 hours from Missoula to C d'A. In good weather, 75mph is easy. And, as you say, it's pretty scenic. There are few real spectacular parts, but the terrain changes a lot, and a lot of it follows the river as you approach Missoula.
95 is a narrow twisty 2-lane with a lot of blind curves, just as you thought. It's the most scenic drive of all, and usually the coolest in hot weather, but I never go faster than 60 on it, and I'm always prepared to hit the brakes on every blind turn. The locals use it heavily, as most of the towns along it are very small, and it's easy to get caught behind a string of cars that are going 40 for extended periods, because most often there isn't a straight stretch that allows passing of more than one car at most at a time. if you decide on taking that route, just be prepared to amble along and don't get frustrated by the low speeds.
The drive from Winnemuca becomes a speed trap once you cross into Idaho. That big long straight stretch is a natural for the bored cops that patrol it. There have been several times when one followed me the entire 75 miles into Twin Falls. If you choose that route, set your speed control right on the legal limit and forget you have a gas pedal. The cops are expert lurkers.
i think I-15 north to Butte then picking up I-90 west just outside of Butte is the fastest. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive from Idaho Falls to the Butte interchange up to Missoula, and about 1 1/2 hours from Missoula to C d'A. In good weather, 75mph is easy. And, as you say, it's pretty scenic. There are few real spectacular parts, but the terrain changes a lot, and a lot of it follows the river as you approach Missoula.
95 is a narrow twisty 2-lane with a lot of blind curves, just as you thought. It's the most scenic drive of all, and usually the coolest in hot weather, but I never go faster than 60 on it, and I'm always prepared to hit the brakes on every blind turn. The locals use it heavily, as most of the towns along it are very small, and it's easy to get caught behind a string of cars that are going 40 for extended periods, because most often there isn't a straight stretch that allows passing of more than one car at most at a time. if you decide on taking that route, just be prepared to amble along and don't get frustrated by the low speeds.
The drive from Winnemuca becomes a speed trap once you cross into Idaho. That big long straight stretch is a natural for the bored cops that patrol it. There have been several times when one followed me the entire 75 miles into Twin Falls. If you choose that route, set your speed control right on the legal limit and forget you have a gas pedal. The cops are expert lurkers.
Thanks for the good info. I figured that part of the 95 might be slow going but scenic. I think I might check if out once I'm moved up to Spirit Lake and have a lot of time to take the drive. Probably won't work too well for me now since I'm just looking to get from point A to B ASAP.
When I did the drive on the 95 north of Winnemucca last summer, I didn't see any police cars but I made sure I kept the speed down. Sure would be hard to stay right at 55 though. Wonder if they would be bored enough to ticket at 60 even on such a desolate road? Kind of reminds me of the 55 MPH days on the interstates in the 70's after the oil embargo.
The drive from Butte to CDA on the I-90 was very nice. The scenery was great. Had the cruise set right at 75. A car kicked up a rock put a nice crack in my windshield near the Beaverhead River on the way to CDA. It grew to about 3 feet long by the time I got back to CA. It was right above the steering wheel and at eye level. It was driving me nuts all the way home. LOL
How about during winter? we'll be driving up with a truck in December and I was thinking the weather would be better if we took the 5 out of CA, the 97 through OR and 395 through WA to the 90.
Or do you think it would be better to cut over to Utah then up?
I think by now we have gone every route possible, except for 93 up through NV. Sometimes we've been in a hurry, and sometimes we've had time to go scenic routes.
In the summer I wouldn't want to go I-15 to I-90 anymore, simply because we've been stuck in traffic twice in Montana on I-90 because of road work! But if you can plan ahead and check out road conditions, it is generally a fast and unproblematic drive. The last few times we have not wanted to go through NV because of the extreme summer heat, so we've gone up I-5 to 97, and along the Columbia Gorge to Kennewick, then 395 to 90 and Spokane. But the fastest route we've ever done was going back to SoCal in August: From Spokane down 395 and all the way on 84 to just before Portland, then south on 205 to I-5, bypassing Portland, and then just south on I-5. We made it to L.A. in 48 hours, and then the usual schlep down to San Diego East County.
There are two routes I prefer, if we have time: 395 the whole way up through Lone Pine, Bishop, Bridgeport etc all the way to Burns, OR, and then either further up 395 to Pendleton, then 125/11 to Walla Walla, and 12 to Lewiston, and then 95 up through Moscow to CdA and Sandpoint (and 200 to Clark Fork). It adds a day, but you get beauty and sanity all the way! The other alternative is to go east out of Burns on 20 to Fruitland, and up 95 which is really a favorite stretch of mine, up through Riggins. Yes, it's wiggly, but it's gorgeous. If you're really adventurous and have time to spare, go up 13 by Grangeville to 12 north through Kamiah and Orofino to Lewiston, and then on up 95. But of course you can also do that when you live in NID!
Flee, we haven't driven from SoCal to NID in winter yet, so your imagination is as good as mine, but I would absolutely go the way you suggest, or even just 5 (watch Shasta weather reports) to 205 to 84 and up 395, and not go up 95 in December with daylight already disappearing at 4 pm! Maybe 15 to 90 could work, but I wouldn't want to bet on the Lookout Pass (going into Idaho from Montana) being free of snow/blizzard conditions in Dec.!
I think by now we have gone every route possible, except for 93 up through NV. Sometimes we've been in a hurry, and sometimes we've had time to go scenic routes.
In the summer I wouldn't want to go I-15 to I-90 anymore, simply because we've been stuck in traffic twice in Montana on I-90 because of road work! But if you can plan ahead and check out road conditions, it is generally a fast and unproblematic drive. The last few times we have not wanted to go through NV because of the extreme summer heat, so we've gone up I-5 to 97, and along the Columbia Gorge to Kennewick, then 395 to 90 and Spokane. But the fastest route we've ever done was going back to SoCal in August: From Spokane down 395 and all the way on 84 to just before Portland, then south on 205 to I-5, bypassing Portland, and then just south on I-5. We made it to L.A. in 48 hours, and then the usual schlep down to San Diego East County.
There are two routes I prefer, if we have time: 395 the whole way up through Lone Pine, Bishop, Bridgeport etc all the way to Burns, OR, and then either further up 395 to Pendleton, then 125/11 to Walla Walla, and 12 to Lewiston, and then 95 up through Moscow to CdA and Sandpoint (and 200 to Clark Fork). It adds a day, but you get beauty and sanity all the way! The other alternative is to go east out of Burns on 20 to Fruitland, and up 95 which is really a favorite stretch of mine, up through Riggins. Yes, it's wiggly, but it's gorgeous. If you're really adventurous and have time to spare, go up 13 by Grangeville to 12 north through Kamiah and Orofino to Lewiston, and then on up 95. But of course you can also do that when you live in NID!
Flee, we haven't driven from SoCal to NID in winter yet, so your imagination is as good as mine, but I would absolutely go the way you suggest, or even just 5 (watch Shasta weather reports) to 205 to 84 and up 395, and not go up 95 in December with daylight already disappearing at 4 pm! Maybe 15 to 90 could work, but I wouldn't want to bet on the Lookout Pass (going into Idaho from Montana) being free of snow/blizzard conditions in Dec.!
Wow! You've really have gone every way possible. I have to keep a copy of this so I can try some of your routes later on. Sounds like a lot of fun when I have time.
I might try the I-5 one of these days if I'm in a super rush but I really dislike the section from the Grapevine to Sacramento. One of the reasons might be the memories of the 55 MPH limit and the slow going back in the 70's going back and forth from the Bay Area.
Do you usually make the drive with one night rest along the way? I know from SD, it's a really long drive. You must need a new car every other year. I have a feeling I'm going to be going back and forth from the CDA area more than a few times by the time my house is done.
I have tried every which-way too. Fastest is 5 to 84 like CFF said but the 5 is about as disgusting as it gets until Shasta and speaking of Shasta, I have been stuck in a snowstorm there before out of nowhere. Shoot even the Grapevine can be iffy and they close it at the drop of a hat. I like turning on 97 at Weed and stopping in Klamath Falls for the night. Usually a stop in Bend on the way up to go to Costco tax free. I have never tried one day, it is two marathon days as it is. There is also a snow belt on the 97 just out of Klamath and snow just happens there out of nowhere too. I have gone up through Nevada and got stopped for like 30 in a 25 in some little podunk town with more radar hardware than Nasa. I was doing a buck-twenty minutes before haha. Lot of nothing, but Winnemucca is a decent stop. The 95 is really nice just above Boise and McCall is a nice place to stop. Like CFF said though it makes for an extra day.
Yeah, a one day drive would be a killer. My brother did that earlier this year towing a trailer from Acton, CA to Spirit Lake nonstop. It took him two days to recover before he could do any work on his house. It would have actually saved him time to sleep over on the way. He will never do that again. LOL
I think by now we have gone every route possible, except for 93 up through NV. Sometimes we've been in a hurry, and sometimes we've had time to go scenic routes.
In the summer I wouldn't want to go I-15 to I-90 anymore, simply because we've been stuck in traffic twice in Montana on I-90 because of road work! But if you can plan ahead and check out road conditions, it is generally a fast and unproblematic drive. The last few times we have not wanted to go through NV because of the extreme summer heat, so we've gone up I-5 to 97, and along the Columbia Gorge to Kennewick, then 395 to 90 and Spokane. But the fastest route we've ever done was going back to SoCal in August: From Spokane down 395 and all the way on 84 to just before Portland, then south on 205 to I-5, bypassing Portland, and then just south on I-5. We made it to L.A. in 48 hours, and then the usual schlep down to San Diego East County.
There are two routes I prefer, if we have time: 395 the whole way up through Lone Pine, Bishop, Bridgeport etc all the way to Burns, OR, and then either further up 395 to Pendleton, then 125/11 to Walla Walla, and 12 to Lewiston, and then 95 up through Moscow to CdA and Sandpoint (and 200 to Clark Fork). It adds a day, but you get beauty and sanity all the way! The other alternative is to go east out of Burns on 20 to Fruitland, and up 95 which is really a favorite stretch of mine, up through Riggins. Yes, it's wiggly, but it's gorgeous. If you're really adventurous and have time to spare, go up 13 by Grangeville to 12 north through Kamiah and Orofino to Lewiston, and then on up 95. But of course you can also do that when you live in NID!
Flee, we haven't driven from SoCal to NID in winter yet, so your imagination is as good as mine, but I would absolutely go the way you suggest, or even just 5 (watch Shasta weather reports) to 205 to 84 and up 395, and not go up 95 in December with daylight already disappearing at 4 pm! Maybe 15 to 90 could work, but I wouldn't want to bet on the Lookout Pass (going into Idaho from Montana) being free of snow/blizzard conditions in Dec.!
Thanks for the valuable info! I'll take your advice and take the 5 to 205 to 84 to 395
I also live in the Antelope Valley and made the trip to northern Idaho this past April, specifically to scout out possible retirement places and to visit my grandparent's and great-grandparent's graves in Payette and Hailey. When I make the trip, I take the 15 and plan it such so to avoid SLC rush hour. Another reason for me is that along the 15, spaced at the appropriate intervals, are Costco gas stations. I bust the trip up into two days, with Cedar City a convenient mid-point for an overnight stay. If I get an earlier start, I'll go further before stopping, to either just before or just after SLC. Even though a beautiful drive, I stop at the bookstore or library beforehand and take along a couple of books-on-tape to listen to. A good story makes the miles fly by quickly.
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But there are areas that let you drive 80 in Utah. 
I really enjoyed the drive past SLC all the way to CDA. 
I have a feeling I'm going to be going back and forth from the CDA area more than a few times by the time my house is done. 
