Tucson to Siuslaw National Forest Road Trip Guide

Are you a fan of birds? If you are, then check out the Cascades Raptor Center. No, let’s not confuse this with the dinosaurs named raptors. This is a place that is home to countless numbers of birds. Owls, falcons, bald eagles, and so much more can be found here. This is a place where many of the birds have been rehabilitated after suffering various injuries like being hit by a car, being displaced from their nests, and so much more. Since its inception, more than 2,000 birds have come through here to live for a while before they return out in the wild.

Since this is located near Eugene, you’ll find a lot of RV parks in and outside of the city. The Deerwood RV park has plenty of spaces for RVs. Plus, it’s conveniently located near the Cascades Raptor Center and off of Interstate 5.

As you head farther into northern California, that’s when things around you get a lot more beautiful. Welcome to Shasta-Trinity National Forest. We’re talking some of the tallest trees that you’ve ever seen. Speaking of tall things, this is where Mount Shasta is located. It is one of the tallest mountains in the state of California, standing at well over 14,000 feet. You’ll find plenty of hiking trails, mountain lakes, streams, and so much wildlife here. If you are someone who loves the outdoors, this place might be the closest you get to heaven.

There are a lot of RV parks that can accommodate RVs of almost any size located within the park. Many of them are just off of Interstate 5, which you will be traveling for the duration of your trip from California and well into Oregon.

If you are looking for a kid-friendly place that is fun and educational in Sacramento, then you have to see a place called Safetyville, USA. It’s a one third-sized city in California that teaches kids about various topics involving safety and even city planning. Think of it as one of those small model cities that you see in dioramas on TV. Except this is a real-life setting. Yes, it even has places like you would see anywhere else. Restaurants, dentist offices, grocery stores, police and fire stations, and so much more.

Of course, you have plenty of options on where you can stay in Sacramento. Most of the RV parks in the area will be located mostly on the outskirts of California’s capital city. If you are bringing the dog along for the ride, you might want to check out the Cal Expo RV Park.

While it might feel awkward going through the city of Los Angeles in an RV, there are still a few places to check out in the suburbs. You’ll likely be driving through the city of Pasadena on your way towards Oregon. The Rose Bowl is home to the famous college football game that is played every New Year’s Day. You might catch a sporting event, a show, or whatever else might be going on there. There’s usually an event that happens every week.

There are few RV parks that are located near Pasadena and not a single one in the city of Los Angeles. However, if you are willing to go a bit out of the way the Hollywood RV Park in Van Nuys might be a good place to spend the night before you head out for another day on the road.

From the deserts of Joshua Tree, we head slightly north to San Bernardino National Forest. This is a place where you will never run out of ideas of what to do. You can hike, horseback ride, hunt, and even ski. Located within the national forest is Big Bear, one of the most popular ski resorts in Southern California. Who says all of southern California is all warm and sunny? This place is worth staying at least a day or two.

Of course, there are plenty of campgrounds and RV parks located within the park. In fact, you might want to check out Holloway’s Marina & RV Park if you want to stay close to Big Bear Lake. It can fit many RVs of almost any size. And you’ll have plenty to do while you are staying there for a day or two.

After driving through much of Arizona, you’re now in the High Desert region of southern California. That’s where you’ll find Joshua Tree National Park. One of the distinct things about this park is it is home to the famed Joshua Tree, a hybrid of a cactus and a palm tree. The park was created in the late 1930s since much of the Mojave Desert was uninhabitable and just plain boring to look at. The park covers well over 400,000 acres of land. This is definitely the place to take plenty of pictures, go hiking, rock climb, or bird watch. Keep in mind that if you are visiting the park, be sure to pack plenty of water. Especially on days when the temperatures can get insanely hot. In fact, the best time to go is after the summer.

There are plenty of campgrounds inside the park and others are located outside of the park in nearby cities of Indio and Palm Springs. Depending on your preferences or the size of your RV, there’s always a park that will accommodate what you need. Keep in mind if you are staying inside the park, there won’t be any running water available so plan accordingly.

As you drive through Interstate 10, you’ll be driving through the City of Phoenix. The capital city of Arizona has so much that you can do. But there is one place that you might want to consider checking out. Why not check out the Mystery Castle on the grounds of South Mountain Park? The Mystery Castle was built in the late 1930s by a man who was dying from an unknown illness. The castle was built for his daughter as a final gift from him before his passing. The name alone attracts plenty of visitors. And strangely enough, the castle was made from the most unconventional materials like salvaged railroad tracks, automobile parts, and even old telephone poles. Not to mention, one of the rooms in the castle has a dungeon.

If you want to visit one of the most fascinating places in Phoenix (if not the United States), the Mystery Castle is a pretty cool place to check out. There are plenty of RV parks in the city of Phoenix and the nearby suburbs. Assuming you have a large RV, you might want to check out the Desert Shadows RV Park, located north of the city.

Starting off your road trip, you will be going west of Tucson to Saguaro National Park. This is where you will find plenty of cacti (after all, you’re in the desert of all places). In fact, this park is home to the largest cacti in the world. These prickly but yet beautiful works of nature are a sight to behold and worth taking a few pictures. You can see a whole bunch of them along the 165 miles of trails that are designated for hiking.

Not only that; if you are a fan of sunsets this might be one of the prime places to catch one before things get dark in the desert. After spending the day at the park, you can stay at one of the dozens of RV parks located throughout Tucson. If you are looking for an RV park packed with amenities, we recommend the Prince of Tucson RV Park. Plenty of hookups and space, laundry facilities, and a pool are among some of the amenities they offer.