Best route (Salt Lake City, UT to Portland, OR)
- Thread starter jackplanet514
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ponyfool
Well-known member
You have a lot of slab on your proposed route.
Not a lot of choice though to get through Idaho. Taking Hwy 26 all the way across would work, but your idea of cutting north before Mt Hood is taking you up a nice road. When you get to I-84, you may want to consider going to the Washington side and taking Hwy 14. Same gorge, just prettier and non-interstate.
Not a lot of choice though to get through Idaho. Taking Hwy 26 all the way across would work, but your idea of cutting north before Mt Hood is taking you up a nice road. When you get to I-84, you may want to consider going to the Washington side and taking Hwy 14. Same gorge, just prettier and non-interstate.
FJR_pig
Bud Light Real Man of Genius
Yes, your plan is a boring one. No offense.
I just came home from Salt Lake while returning from NAFO. I sucked it up and took I-80 to Winnemucca, then headed north. That got me up to Hwy 140, which I loved. Great, great ride, especially once you got into Oregon. Took that to 395, went north to 31, took that to 97 in LaPine, south to 58 via Crescent Cutoff Road, then north to I-5. SR 58 is another beauty all the way up to the Springfield area.
Here is a map link: Ditch your map and follow this route
Not sure how long you have for this ride. I did most of it in one day, but it was a long one. (I had gone Golden, CO to Wendover the day before and started from there at 5:30 a.m. PST. Got home to Portland area at 7:30 p.m. PST)
If you go this route, or at least take SR 140, watch out for the wild burros. Seriously. There are a lot of them out there on or near the road. If you miss them, I suspect that burro poo is slippery if you hit it and there's plenty of it on the road at times. (I had pics of these guys, but somehow managed to erase my NAFO return trip photos). I would also plan out your gas stops. Denio has gas, but only premium right now and cash only. There is gas in Paisley, but no too many other places on SR 31.
I just came home from Salt Lake while returning from NAFO. I sucked it up and took I-80 to Winnemucca, then headed north. That got me up to Hwy 140, which I loved. Great, great ride, especially once you got into Oregon. Took that to 395, went north to 31, took that to 97 in LaPine, south to 58 via Crescent Cutoff Road, then north to I-5. SR 58 is another beauty all the way up to the Springfield area.
Here is a map link: Ditch your map and follow this route
Not sure how long you have for this ride. I did most of it in one day, but it was a long one. (I had gone Golden, CO to Wendover the day before and started from there at 5:30 a.m. PST. Got home to Portland area at 7:30 p.m. PST)
If you go this route, or at least take SR 140, watch out for the wild burros. Seriously. There are a lot of them out there on or near the road. If you miss them, I suspect that burro poo is slippery if you hit it and there's plenty of it on the road at times. (I had pics of these guys, but somehow managed to erase my NAFO return trip photos). I would also plan out your gas stops. Denio has gas, but only premium right now and cash only. There is gas in Paisley, but no too many other places on SR 31.
LDRydr
A Homeless Nomad
At the Denio Jct. at 140 you could also continue north on 201, 202, and 205, following this up to Burns. Your GPS may not say so, but this route is all paved (and fast!), and there is gas in Fields and Frenchglen. It skirts right along the Steens Mountains. You'll have to zoom the map waaayyy in to see Frenchglen but it's worth the effort. You could stay at the historic Frenchglen Hotel. Have a cheeseburger, they're great.
From Burns follow 395 north to John Day, make a left on 26 and follow it up over Mt. Hood and into Portland. Or after John Day look on your map for Fossil, Antelope, Shaniko and Maupin and route yourself through these on the way to Mt. Hood for some exceptional twisties. This is where we're all going on this ride.
From Burns follow 395 north to John Day, make a left on 26 and follow it up over Mt. Hood and into Portland. Or after John Day look on your map for Fossil, Antelope, Shaniko and Maupin and route yourself through these on the way to Mt. Hood for some exceptional twisties. This is where we're all going on this ride.
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