# Highway 395



## PeaceLoveHarmony (Jun 26, 2019)

Gonna be heading out in a few weeks and wanted to see if anyone has experience hitching the 395 in the sierras. It looks like such a beautifulll highway and there's a reggae festival I want to check out in mammoth, just dont know how hard it is to get rides. Any experience/feedback is so appreciated. I hope you are amazing!


----------



## Maxnomad (Jun 26, 2019)

I made it about twenty miles south off 26 to wagontire, and then stood the for probably 8 hours before I picked another route. Barely any traffic, but totally beautiful. I wanna try it again some day


----------



## Coywolf (Jun 27, 2019)

Done this route a couple times. The most traffic is between Reno and Barstow (junction with CA hwy 58).

Everything north of there will have little traffic. Susanville to Reno isint bad 

The good part about this route is the ability to bail. The 20 in OR between Bend and Ontario, ID is a good spot to bail (if there is no traffic) so is the 299 (Redding to...Susanville/Alturas?) The I-80 (Sac>Reno>SLC) and CA 120 (Lee Vining>Fresno, summer only)

This entire route is amazing and beautiful, paralleling the Eastern Sierras and going through the Lassen National Forest, ending in the beautiful Mohave near Death Valley (North to south)

It can be very remote, have hardcore random weather, and lack of rides, but worth it.

Lots of hot springs and opportunities to get it away from people, pretty close to towns.

Plan on NOT doing it in the winter. The highway shuts down alot during winter storms.


----------



## Coywolf (Jun 27, 2019)

I would definitely advise this as more of an 'experienced' hitching route. But not bad for people to get their feet wet in summer....lots of tourist and local traffic. Not a lot of long distance rides.


----------



## Coywolf (Jun 27, 2019)

Also, do not expect friendliness getting to Mammoth. Lots of yuppy people and testy local Law.


----------



## DenverS (Jun 27, 2019)

Coywolf said:


> Done this route a couple times. The most traffic is between Reno and Barstow (junction with CA hwy 58).
> 
> Everything north of there will have little traffic. Susanville to Reno isint bad
> 
> ...



The gas station at the 20-26 and 395 in Oregon is not traveler friendly you know the one with the pond and picknick tables ? 12 YEARS of hitching is the worst place ever to try and catch a ride is impossible next to it. I just hitched this route 3 weeks ago and Ontario is a shit hole all truck stops as well the pilot and the loves suck . The river next to Walmart sucks as well due to the high concentrate of homebums . I would not recommend any travelver go this route . You can make it to caldwell Idaho and but I strongly recommend stay in bend and catch south off the tracks south to Reno and then over 80 into Utah . Your right the 20 is cool if you walk a mile from the shell across from Costco and stand at the side road next to road there is a big pull out . 

Memo don't do Ontario it's a bust . Walk into Idaho and get black canyon if east . If the 395 catch out of burns catch targeted rides with sign that reads 395 south 
The truck stop has a bench and is super traveler friendly and the dispensary called tumbleweeds has $2 pre rolls 

Church in town kicks $25 dollar vouchers if bussing it with crew


----------



## Coywolf (Jun 27, 2019)

DenverS said:


> The gas station at the 20-26 and 395 in Oregon is not traveler friendly you know the one with the pond and picknick tables ? 12 YEARS of hitching is the worst place ever to try and catch a ride is impossible next to it. I just hitched this route 3 weeks ago and Ontario is a shit hole all truck stops as well the pilot and the loves suck . The river next to Walmart sucks as well due to the high concentrate of homebums . I would not recommend any travelver go this route . You can make it to caldwell Idaho and but I strongly recommend stay in bend and catch south off the tracks south to Reno and then over 80 into Utah . Your right the 20 is cool if you walk a mile from the shell across from Costco and stand at the side road next to road there is a big pull out .
> 
> Memo don't do Ontario it's a bust . Walk into Idaho and get black canyon if east . If the 395 catch out of burns catch targeted rides with sign that reads 395 south
> The truck stop has a bench and is super traveler friendly and the dispensary called tumbleweeds has $2 pre rolls
> ...



This is useful. Trying GET from Bend east on the 20 is not a good route.

As far as getting south from Bend via Klamath to the 395, don't do that either unless you go all the way down the 5 to SAC, and hitch the 80 to Reno. The highways like the 130 or whatever out of Klamath are next to impossible.

Good advice @DenverS


----------



## DenverS (Jun 28, 2019)

Coywolf said:


> This is useful. Trying GET from Bend east on the 20 is not a good route.
> 
> As far as getting south from Bend via Klamath to the 395, don't do that either unless you go all the way down the 5 to SAC, and hitch the 80 to Reno. The highways like the 130 or whatever out of Klamath are next to impossible.
> 
> Good advice @DenverS


Another good point is DO NOT HITCH 20 East without WATER . You will die towns are 50 and 100 miles apart from Bend to Ontario you have 270 miles of nothing and the towns you do run into are limited and squats are next to none you will have to camp . I'm not directing this at you Coy I'm directing at new people who are in lifestyle . Can someone keyword this thread ?


----------



## DavyHex (Jun 29, 2019)

I see quite a few of the posts are referencing the Oregon 395. Not meaning to be discouraging, but I'm pretty sure Oregon made hitchhiking a crime sometime last year. Don't know how often it's enforced. Can vouch for the loooooonnnngg distances between towns. The Oregon portion is high desert (need lots of water). Best in your travels!


----------



## Coywolf (Jun 30, 2019)

Negative. Oregon has a law, like most states, against hitchhiking FROM a roadway. Which is deifned as basically standing in the middle of it to find a ride.

Oregon is one of the friendliest states for hitchhiking in the US.


----------



## DavyHex (Jun 30, 2019)

Oregon Revised Statute 814.080:
(1)A person commits the offense of unlawful hitchhiking if the person is on a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride.
(2)The offense described in this section, unlawful hitchhiking, is a Class D traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §559; 1995 c.383 §87]


----------



## Coywolf (Jun 30, 2019)

Exactly. We have this discussion all the time:


*"Roadway*” *means* the portion of a *highway* that is improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the shoulder.


----------



## PeaceLoveHarmony (Jul 1, 2019)

Coywolf said:


> Done this route a couple times. The most traffic is between Reno and Barstow (junction with CA hwy 58).
> 
> Everything north of there will have little traffic. Susanville to Reno isint bad
> 
> ...


Cool man I appreciate the reply. It sounds like I'm gonna try it out, if it doesnt work out I'll take your advice on one of the bail routes. I prefer smaller towns and less people so it sounds amazing .


----------



## PeaceLoveHarmony (Jul 1, 2019)

DenverS said:


> The gas station at the 20-26 and 395 in Oregon is not traveler friendly you know the one with the pond and picknick tables ? 12 YEARS of hitching is the worst place ever to try and catch a ride is impossible next to it. I just hitched this route 3 weeks ago and Ontario is a shit hole all truck stops as well the pilot and the loves suck . The river next to Walmart sucks as well due to the high concentrate of homebums . I would not recommend any travelver go this route . You can make it to caldwell Idaho and but I strongly recommend stay in bend and catch south off the tracks south to Reno and then over 80 into Utah . Your right the 20 is cool if you walk a mile from the shell across from Costco and stand at the side road next to road there is a big pull out .
> 
> Memo don't do Ontario it's a bust . Walk into Idaho and get black canyon if east . If the 395 catch out of burns catch targeted rides with sign that reads 395 south
> The truck stop has a bench and is super traveler friendly and the dispensary called tumbleweeds has $2 pre rolls
> ...


Thank you, I will keep that in mind. Much love


----------

