2026 Road Trip Plans

[D-Dey65]

I've had quite a few trips in 2026, and still a couple more left that may or may not happen.
[SNIP]

Good for you, but I don't want to make my list until the year is over. And unfortunately, I've had to pass up a few of them.

[gonealookin]

Mostly because of the long road trip in August, I will have hit 23 states in 2026, which is probably a record for one year.  The two on the map I haven't been to yet but are definites are Arizona (early October) and Georgia (middle of November).

[Quillz]

I leave on Saturday for my Northern California road trip. It'll be the third or fourth time I've done it.

• Los Angeles to Fresno. Hoping to take Sherman Pass, might be closed this time of year. If so, I'll do Walker Pass and then hopefully take some roads on the western slopes so I can avoid CA-99. Ideally my plan is take Sherman Pass, come down CA-190, then take some county routes over to CA-245, then approach Fresno from CA-180. Did this last time I took the trip, but I went earlier in mid-September.
• Fresno to Susanville. I've been taking every trans-Sierra crossing, the first time was Tioga Pass, then Sonora Pass, then the [CA-4 pass], now I'm up to the [CA-88 pass]. That'll bring me to CA-89 and I go through the Tahoe area down to Carson City, a good stopping point for food and gas. Then it's another couple hours or so to reach Susanville. This is the only crossing I've never done, I did both US-50 and I-80 a long time ago.
• A week in Susanville. Will be visiting Lassen Nat'l Park, Lava Beds Nat'l Monument, and Crater Lake on the way out.
• Susanvilla to Arcata. Instead of doing the logical thing which is CA-36 across the state, I'll be going massively out of my way on CA-89 to visit Mt. Shasta and then up to Klamath Falls, OR and spend about a half day at Crater Lake Nat'l Park. I got my "America the Beautiful" pass a couple weeks ago so I've already pre-paid for all national and state parks/monuments. It's $80 annually so you save money if you visit more than two of these places. On the way back from the national park, I usually do OR-62 to I-5, then re-enter California and take all of CA-96 to CA-299 and then finally Arcata. Last time I did this, didn't arrive at my hotel until around 3 AM, so it's going to be take a while.
• A week in Arcata. Usually visit a few redwood groves, go up to Crescent City and walk on the beach. This is the latest I've ever been in the area, so not sure what the weather will be like. Although I was hear for a week last January and it was alright.
• And finally, coming back is almost entirely via the coast, as I overnight in Monterey. One change I've been doing recently is taking CA-1 as far south as CA-116, then cutting across to US-101. Go across the Golden Gate Bridge, then get on CA-35/Skyline Blvd and do the entire Santa Cruz Mountains. Then go down CA-9 back to CA-1 and finally Monterey.
• If it's open, I plan to take CA-1 down the Big Sur coastline, haven't been able to do this for a couple years now. Always a nice drive, but always get stuck behind slow tourists. That brings me down to SLO, I always stop to visit the elephant seals near Hearst Castle, and then it's a boring US-101 drive back home.

[pderocco]

Sherman Pass is open now. If you're leaving next Saturday, there's no guarantee, but it doesn't close until it snows, and precipitation has been pretty scant.

CA-88 is an easy drive. There are various lakes along the route, and the Kirkwood ski resort is pleasant off-season.

Since you've already driven CA-96, you might consider coming down CA-3 to Etna, and then taking Sawyers Bar Rd and Salmon River Rd across to Somes Bar. It's a really skinny paved road, but people actually live out there. You can see it in GSV. Also, from Weitchpec, you could go up to Martins Ferry and then take Bald Hills Rd over to US-101. A little of it is graded dirt, but it's easy.

And of course, there's the Lost Coast. Taking Mattole Rd from Ferndale through Petrolia and Honeydew is fun, and it brings you back to US-101. All paved.

[gonealookin]

A week in Susanville. Will be visiting Lassen Nat'l Park, Lava Beds Nat'l Monument, and Crater Lake on the way out.

Dear God.  I hope you meant a night in Susanville.  Unless you are serving a sentence at the correctional facility.  One night of Susanville is as much as I've ever been able to stand.

[Quillz]

A week in Susanville. Will be visiting Lassen Nat'l Park, Lava Beds Nat'l Monument, and Crater Lake on the way out.

Dear God.  I hope you meant a night in Susanville.  Unless you are serving a sentence at the correctional facility.  One night of Susanville is as much as I've ever been able to stand.

Nope, an entire week. It'll be the third or fourth time I've done that, as mentioned. Reason being it's a good waypoint for the places I want to go to (Lassen, Lava Beds, Crater Lake). If Lassen is having any issues, I can also day trip south to Tahoe.

It's been fine for me. There's a nice park in the area with a good trail system. There's an old railway line that has been torn up and is now a flat path for hiking or biking. I like to circle around Eagle Lake. I've not really had any issues staying there. Time permitting, I might do a big loop of the Modoc Plateau (usually up CA-139 and then come back US-395). One time I took CA-299 to the Nevada border.

[Rothman]

Susanville's a far cry from Crater Lake.

[Quillz]

Susanville's a far cry from Crater Lake.

As I mentioned, I'm doing it on the way out, when I leave for the second week in Arcata:

• Susanvilla to Arcata. Instead of doing the logical thing which is CA-36 across the state, I'll be going massively out of my way on CA-89 to visit Mt. Shasta and then up to Klamath Falls, OR and spend about a half day at Crater Lake Nat'l Park. I got my "America the Beautiful" pass a couple weeks ago so I've already pre-paid for all national and state parks/monuments. It's $80 annually so you save money if you visit more than two of these places. On the way back from the national park, I usually do OR-62 to I-5, then re-enter California and take all of CA-96 to CA-299 and then finally Arcata. Last time I did this, didn't arrive at my hotel until around 3 AM, so it's going to be take a while.

[Quillz]

Sherman Pass is open now. If you're leaving next Saturday, there's no guarantee, but it doesn't close until it snows, and precipitation has been pretty scant.

CA-88 is an easy drive. There are various lakes along the route, and the Kirkwood ski resort is pleasant off-season.

Since you've already driven CA-96, you might consider coming down CA-3 to Etna, and then taking Sawyers Bar Rd and Salmon River Rd across to Somes Bar. It's a really skinny paved road, but people actually live out there. You can see it in GSV. Also, from Weitchpec, you could go up to Martins Ferry and then take Bald Hills Rd over to US-101. A little of it is graded dirt, but it's easy.

And of course, there's the Lost Coast. Taking Mattole Rd from Ferndale through Petrolia and Honeydew is fun, and it brings you back to US-101. All paved.

I did Bald Hills Road back in 2018 or so. Didn't really like it. I'll be doing the Ladybird Grove loop hike one of the days, so I'll be on that road at some point. But I found taking CA-299 a much better option for me.

As for CA-3, it's a possibility. But odds are I'm reentering the state late at night, and I'm familiar with CA-96. I don't want to drive on a road I've never done before at or past midnight, especially if it's skinny. But if I get there earlier than planned, maybe. I've only done short portions of CA-3.