Going to Arizona

[Tcb]

Hi how is everyone doing today my wife & I are planing a trip to Yuma Arizona never been in the USA before we are from Victoria British Columbia Canada some people say take ferry to port Angeles than the 101 to Olympia than I. 5 others say take ferry to Vancouver than down to Seattle we are planning to leave around end of nov or early dec we are not sure which is the best way to go to try stay out of the snow & mountains how is the I 5 highway I really don't trust my gps even though it is fairly new kind of nervous going wound a person need chains &are the mountains fairly steep haha by the way anyone from the island please let me know maybe we can hook up thanks

 

[Lance & Jo]

Think you will find the ferry to Port Angeles is generally lower fare and the entry to US easier due to shorter lines. I5 is an easy trip south just check weather reports for southern Oregon/ northern California and look for road reports in the Siskiyous. Have a good trip and enjoy the warmer weather in Yuma.

 

[Tcb]

Thank you but I also forgot to ask would we have a hard time to find rv parks open this time of the year & also heard someone mention to me about chains for truck & rv would chains be needed for all tires on the rv & truck at grants pass I think is that very steep or very steep grade

 

[Manzan]

If the conditions are bad in the Siskiyous, not real steep, you can go down 101 and head over to I-5 before you hit San Francisco. I would avoid going through Seattle if you can. Traffic can back up for no reason at all other than I-5 was not designed to move cars through Seattle, just to Seattle. Dumb!. We go down I-5 and cross into Oregon at Longview and head West to Astoria and 101. If you go down 5 all the way, take I 205 around Portland. It can save a lot of time. Traffic can be terrible going over the bridges and through Portland.

 

[brianharrison]

There are a number of passes through the western states that require chains for travel during inclement weather. They do enforce when the weather is bad. When I travel down this time of year, or later - I carry a two sets of cable chains; one for trailer and one for truck (SRW). I have yet to ever put them on - I choose to stay over at the base of a pass, if the weather is bad - then go over when it gets sunny. I plan this flexibility when I travel.

The requirement varies from state to state, but in general, it is one set on the drive axles and one set on a dual axle trailer, when the trailer has brakes (true in all of our scenarios).

No trouble with campgrounds open as you get south. A little planning is required, but normally most interstate accessible CG's are open - you may not get water at every site, but you will get electricity and have to use dump station on the way out, if you choose.

Hope this helps.
Brian

PS - I am not on the Island, but have in-laws in Cobble Hill and Duncan - been there lots. This year we are travelling down through Osoyoos (highway 97) near the end of this month, travelling over to Utah and then into southern California through Vegas. I suggest getting over that way and going through Vegas, Needles, Havasu, and Yuma - to see that territory. You may find Yuma a little windy, depending where on the Island you are from. We choose El Centro (farming area) as it is a little less Metropolis - and the weather is a bit better in the Imperial Valley in the early season (January, February). Have fun!

PSS - Make sure you know the border rules regarding what you can bring across - we choose to bring no meats or vegetables across the US border and stop across the border and shop. Same for pets if you are bringing the furry ones, make sure you have the appropriate papers (ie rabies vaccination confirmation) before you cross.

 

[Lynn1130]

You may want to do some searching on-line for RV parks in and around Yuma and make reservations, especially if you plan on staying for any time. Most of Canada, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and states east are visiting Arizona this time of year. Some parks will have no vacancies until April. A good majority of them are already here. They showed up in October.

 

[TXTiger]

I live in So Calif in San Diego about 2 hours from Yuma. There are many RV parks there open all year. Reservations are suggested since so many from Canada and northern USA will be there already. If you take I-5 south you can stop in San Diego for a couple of days if you have time and then take I-8 to Yuma. Also, we are having a Heartland Rally in Quartzsite, AZ in Jan. just north of Yuma. You can get information on the Rally by clicking on the Events Tab on this Forum and click on Quartzsite. Hope to see you there.

 

[TandT]

I really think you can still get a spot in the Yuma area. The second wave of snowbirds doesn't come until after Christmas.

As Tony mentioned Quartzsite is a good plan B, if you can not get a spot in Yuma. I suspect you can get a spot in that area.
Worst case scenario, you can go to one of the BLM campgrounds in that area. It is boondocking, but at La Posa South they will bring you water and pump out your tanks.

I know the whole area pretty well. If you get in a jam PM me. Trace

 

[wdk450]

You might want to look into a Coast-To-Coast membership if staying in Arizona for an extended period. They have LOTS of campgrounds in Arizona on their system.