Road Trip Honey Moon

O

OneArmGuy

Member
The future Wife and i are planning a Camping trip Honey Moon to Oregon to see all the waterfalls. We live in the San Joaquin Valley area of CA and are looking to purchase a tent trailer to save money by staying in Campgrounds vs hotels every night I have a 99' 4 cylinder 2.7L 4wd tacoma i bought used a few years ago before i knew i would be getting married and I am trying to get information as to how much weight everyone is pulling with their 4 bangers The manual says it can pull upwards of 3,500lbs but i highly doubt that would be good on my truck or the gas mileage for a 2,000 mile plus trip especially since we will be going up steeper grades and not be on flat lands all the time. I am hoping to find a 8' tent trailer (when folded) under 1000lbs but will have to get whatever is available, plus the added weight of camping gear, water, food, Fire Wood, and such I'm hoping to keep the total weight under 1,800lbs but we'll see....

the Wife and i would appreciate any information y'all have with your own experiences and some cheaper performace upgrade ideas to help us on our trip and yes i realize a larger truck would be the most obvious upgrade if we are pulling anything lol Also we are both also under the age of 25 so renting anything is not possible for us due to the rental restrictions based on age

some basic info
Automatic Transmision
truck has 235k miles
Transmission rebuilt last year
Engine replaced before i purchased it with newer engine
does not have upgraded suspension to help with tongue weight (im considering AirBags)
it has no performance upgrades
 
Welcome! We are neighbors. Someone who has a four banger can answer your questions. You'll get lots of good advice here...
 
My 4 banger easily pulls a 2500 lbs trailer to 60 mph. I have no doubt that yours can tow a tent trailer with a few extra lbs. A bit lazy in the climbs but will always come up!

2002 extended cab
2.7l 3RZ-FE engine
5 speed manual
 
Hude001 said:
My 4 banger easily pulls a 2500 lbs trailer to 60 mph. I have no doubt that yours can tow a tent trailer with a few extra lbs. A bit lazy in the climbs but will always come up!

2002 extended cab
2.7l 3RZ-FE engine
5 speed manual
Click to expand...

What kind of gas mileage are you getting on average?
 
So far for upgrades on my taco I've done a AFE dry filter, E3 spark plugs, and will soon be getting a cad back exhaust done with magnaflow and upping my pipe to 2.5"
Decided not to do anything with cold air intake as I haven't seen or heard anything making it worth it
 
This is just suggestions and I'm sure you have researched the water falls and your trip but I have to say... On the way up from cali take I-205 by Oregon city stop at Willamette falls its is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest by volume, and the seventeenth widest in the world. After go up to The Highland Stillhouse in Oregon city and eat and check it out. Cool old house converted into a pub. Great fish and chips and Scottish eggs. Lots of little rooms and places to sit. You can see willamette falls from the upstairs patio area.
Multnomah falls is the tourist trap it's a must see but parking is going to be lame. I wouldn't try to park off the I-84 falls exit after 11am most days its closed because to many people. If you get there early enough you'd be ok.
If you can leave your trailer at a camp site take the old Columbia hwy from exit 22 on I-84 it will take you up past crown point which is a really cool view point of the gorge. Head down and stop at Latourell falls it is a must see (one of my favorite falls in the gorge) and make sure to hike up to the upper falls. You can actually get in it which is cool. It's about a 2mile loop easy trial though. Shepperd's Dell is the next one it's not far from the road like .2 miles in and out. Bridal Veil Falls is nice and a quick hike in and out parking is usually easy. Multnomah Falls should be next and when you are on the old hwy try to find parking along the road. Kind of pull off and slow down and watch for someone leaving. The hike to the top is brutal but worth it. Horsetail Falls, Wahclella Falls, Eagle Creek & Lower Punchbowl Falls are all after Multnomah.
If you want to get ice cream cones go out to cascade locks and stop at Eastwind drive-in. They have the biggest soft served cones I've ever seen.
Hood river isn't that much further and has a neat down town. Lots of cool shops and Resturants and breweries. If you are in that area and want to go over hwy 35 it will dump you out on hwy 26 (42miles) and timberline lodge access road is almost right there. 6 miles up that road is the Timberline lodge. Historical and the outside was in the movie the shining. Best hot chocolate in the Rams head bar. Back down in government camp there is a place called Huckleberry inn that has the best maple bars and huckleberry milkshakes.
You can take hwy 26 west to sandy to gresham/Portland.
Do what you want with any of that info. Research any of what I'm saying.
You both are going to have a great time regardless. It's all beautiful up through there.
Your tacos going to be fine.
OneArmGuy said:
So far for upgrades
Click to expand...
 
OR17TRD said:
This is just suggestions and I'm sure you have researched the water falls and your trip but I have to say... On the way up from cali take I-205 by Oregon city stop at Willamette falls its is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest by volume, and the seventeenth widest in the world. After go up to The Highland Stillhouse in Oregon city and eat and check it out. Cool old house converted into a pub. Great fish and chips and Scottish eggs. Lots of little rooms and places to sit. You can see willamette falls from the upstairs patio area.
Multnomah falls is the tourist trap it's a must see but parking is going to be lame. I wouldn't try to park off the I-84 falls exit after 11am most days its closed because to many people. If you get there early enough you'd be ok.
If you can leave your trailer at a camp site take the old Columbia hwy from exit 22 on I-84 it will take you up past crown point which is a really cool view point of the gorge. Head down and stop at Latourell falls it is a must see (one of my favorite falls in the gorge) and make sure to hike up to the upper falls. You can actually get in it which is cool. It's about a 2mile loop easy trial though. Shepperd's Dell is the next one it's not far from the road like .2 miles in and out. Bridal Veil Falls is nice and a quick hike in and out parking is usually easy. Multnomah Falls should be next and when you are on the old hwy try to find parking along the road. Kind of pull off and slow down and watch for someone leaving. The hike to the top is brutal but worth it. Horsetail Falls, Wahclella Falls, Eagle Creek & Lower Punchbowl Falls are all after Multnomah.
If you want to get ice cream cones go out to cascade locks and stop at Eastwind drive-in. They have the biggest soft served cones I've ever seen.
Hood river isn't that much further and has a neat down town. Lots of cool shops and Resturants and breweries. If you are in that area and want to go over hwy 35 it will dump you out on hwy 26 (42miles) and timberline lodge access road is almost right there. 6 miles up that road is the Timberline lodge. Historical and the outside was in the movie the shining. Best hot chocolate in the Rams head bar. Back down in government camp there is a place called Huckleberry inn that has the best maple bars and huckleberry milkshakes.
You can take hwy 26 west to sandy to gresham/Portland.
Do what you want with any of that info. Research any of what I'm saying.
You both are going to have a great time regardless. It's all beautiful up through there.
Your tacos going to be fine.
Click to expand...



Awesome! Thank you for the info I started looking up some of the falls you mentioned I really liked that latourell falls we'll have to see that for sure do you happen to have a suggestion on federal campgrounds near there that would be nice to stay at?
 
I'm also thinking of upgrading my lights since I'm sure we will be doing some night driving anyone have suggestions on plug and play bulbs that would be a lot brighter than what I have stock?
 
Most of the camping along the gorge is going to be around and out side of cascade locks or near hood river. Ainsworth Campground is the only one that comes to mind. They have an RV camp site in troutdale next to the sandy river called Sandy Riverfront RV Resort. If you stay there check out Edgefield just up the road good food and a neat place to walk around and unwind in the evening before heading back to the RV camp.
 
OneArmGuy said:
Awesome! Thank you for the info I started looking up some of the falls you mentioned I really liked that latourell falls we'll have to see that for sure do you happen to have a suggestion on federal campgrounds near there that would be nice to stay at?
Click to expand...
There is some good spots that aren't right in the gorge but fairly close. Dodge park is nice it's on the sandy river and oxbow park but I've never camped oxbow. The other thing I've done a lot of when traveling is KOA camp. I think there is one in cascade locks.
 
IMG_2311.jpg

1st stop of our trip we camped out on the beach at pismo and made s'mores 4wd for the win to get out here people were gettin stuck left and right!!!
 
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