US West Any scenic off road detours/stops between Redding, CA<>Bend, OR -> Bend, OR <> Eugene, OR and Eugene, OR <> Mendicino, CA?

[theoutbackdream]

Planning a road trip from the bay area, but our first stop is in Redding, CA and slowly make our way up north to Bend, OR by I5-N and then 97N. Then cut over to Eugene, OR VIA 58N, then down south to Mendicino CA with I5- S, 199 and 101.

Are there any scenic off road detours that are relatively quick/easy to get to? I'll be driving a lifted 4runner, but since I'll be going solo rig, with 3 others, I'd like the trail to be relatively easy, and the scenic point to get to (Maybe 30min 1 way at most)

Any recommended stops?

Currently our main stops are:
- Mossbrae falls
- Lake Siskiyou
- Klamath Falls
- Crater Lake
- Benham west trail
- Fort Bragg

 

[MoreGravelPlease]

Hey there, I have some ideas that you might like for your trip through Oregon. Some are dependent on when your trip is (still snow in some places)

Starting in Dorris, CA (right on HWY 97), consider heading east out of town and take the Topsy Grade road into K-falls. The road is an old wagon road (dirt/gravel) that runs high above the Klamath River. Sometimes you can see rafters down below.


The turnoff for Eugene via HWY 58 is about 60 miles south of Bend, so if you head to Eugene that way, it means backtracking from Bend.

If you’re going to be in the Bend area overnight, there are two observatories you can visit, one in Sunriver, and one outside of Bend on Pine Mountain. Looks like Sunriver is open and you need tickets/reservations. PMO doesn’t open up until Memorial Day weekend, and no indication that it will or won’t.


Also around Bend are some lava-centric sites like the Lava Lands Visitor Center (on top of a cinder cone, opens 5/20), and the Lava Cast Forest.

Tumalo Falls is about 15 miles outside of Bend.


If you’re heading from Bend to Eugene, I highly recommend taking the Mackenzie River Scenic Byway, (aka HWY 242). It’s closed right now, (snow) but is scheduled to open 6/21/21. If you go, definitely stop at the Dee Wright Observatory (not stars, mountains!)


Lots of opportunities to do some dune/beach driving from Florence (due east of Eugene on HWY 126) south to Horsfall Beach in North Bend/Coos Bay.


If you’re in Coos Bay for lunch or dinner, I can’t recommend Sumin’s Restaurant highly enough.

Sounds like a great trip!

 

[slomatt]

I'll second the Dee Wright Observatory, it's a pretty cool place to visit.

Heading north out of Crater Lake I recommend taking the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway past Davis Lake and up to Mt Bachelor. From there you can take some dirt roads east towards Bend.

There are a lot of dirt roads around Newberry Volcano, and opportunities to visit ice caves.

Up near Black Butte Ranch you can take the Old Santiam Wagon Road west towards Hoodoo Ski Area and check out the Skylight Cave along the way.