Must do backpack between Eugene and Santa Cruz ….??

Stay away from Sykes unless you enjoy camping in trashed, overused campsites and being in close proximity to noisy people. It's just a hot spring, stay away. Try exploring up the Big Sur or Little Sur rivers. Lots of canyons to swim through and explore and no people away from the campsites.

The lost Coast is nice.
The Trinity Alps aren't too far from the Coast.

What month you going?

So much to choose from.

Thanks for the feedback Justin! @Kthompson: I'm going to be free from 9/10 on …..

September and October would be pretty much the best time of year up here. Lost Coast will quiet down after the holiday weekend. Anywhere in the Trinity Alps, Could still be quite warm during the day. Sublime evenings. Like volcanoes? How about Lassen? Crater Lake?

Thanks man, volcanoes sounds great! Will look into Trinity Alps, Crater Lake and Lassen!

This thread has a map of a 3.5 day loop I did years ago in the Trinity Alps.

It's beautiful up there!

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=33899

Rogue River National Recreation Trail follows the Wild & Scenic Rogue River for 40-47 miles.
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/rogue/rogue-river-trail.php

That section of the Rogue River is beautiful and mostly wild, with bountiful wildlife, lots of side creeks, a few with swimming holes, waterfalls, historic sites, fishing, and more.

One end of the trail is a short drive from I-5, the other end is not far from 101.

You can hike this as a one-way trip by paying to have your car shuttled to the other end. I’ve rafted this section dozens of times, the shuttle service from Galice Resort has always been dependable http://www.galice.com/.

You’ll want a bear canister, or you’ll want to stay in camps with cables, bear boxes, or electric bear fences. http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/rogue/bears.php.

The trail is closed right now due to fire danger, might be open in early September. Call the ranger office for details.

— Rex

PS – I’ve seen bears swim across the river, don’t assume they won’t!

Thanks again guys …. also taking a look at more options in Oregon … Rogue River is looking pretty nice ….. if any thoughts on any Oregon trips come up, I'm all ears. :)

Inland from Eugene are the Three Sisters, including a "glass" (obsidian) mountain (cliff). Or head north from there towards Mt. Jefferson. All great hiking country.

Thumbs up on the Rogue River – beautiful area!

Any hikes through the coast redwoods are worth it, especially if you've never been in those groves before. As far as I'm concerned, that's pretty much heaven!

As for driving home, if you take the I-5 south from Eugene, when you get to Grant's Pass (right next to the Rogue River!), take the road to to the coast. You'll go through Jedediah Smith State Park (California), with some nice redwoods, then hit the coast and go past the Redwoods national park. Don't miss those two, even if you just camp a night or two in each and day hike. Then follow the coast road on down toward Point Reyes / San Francisco.

You can go straight to the coast from Eugene, but then you'll miss Jedediah.

Have fun!!!

they just re-opened Rogue – it was closed by wildfire

wait a month or two and it won't be so hot

If you end up driving down 101, get off the highway and drive on the avenue of the giants in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The park had back country camping but I haven't hit those trails at all. The groves are amazing.

The park is near the trailheads for Lost Coast.