Overall Route Rating
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4.73 out of 5 Rider Rating 4.73
40 Reviews

Motorcycle Route Author

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By Guest (0 McR Points) on Oct 31, 2003

Rider Reviews

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Guest
April 8, 2011
Great Ride and like many have said very technical…
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Guest
June 6, 2014
This is a windy road, particularly South Grade.…
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Written Directions

To get to the starting point, you'll need to find route 76 where it crosses I-15 about 15 miles north of Escondido, CA and about 10 miles south of Temecula, CA. Exit I-15 on to Rt. 76 heading east. The route starts about 21 miles east of the Interstate. After you've headed east on 76 for about 15 miles you'll see a sign for Palomar Mtn Rd at this point you'll veer left. About 6 miles further up the road you'll veer left again at a sign that says S-6 (San Diego County Road 6) which is where the fun begins! This part of the route is INCREDIBLE. Take it up the mountain until you come to a 4 way stop sign. There you will see Mother's Kitchen bike bar/diner to the left. You can stop there or take a right and continue this time on E. Grade Road. This is a great road to and will take you all the way down to Lake Heneshaw. After passing Lake Heneshaw you'll come to a stop sign. If you take a right you'll be back on 76 and will end up passing where you veered off of 76 and would have made a complete loop. That section of the road is OK but if I were you, I would just turn around and double back on East Grade road and head back down S-6 ... then turn around and do it again and again and again.

Scenery

Don't take this route for the scenery ... you'll need to keep your eyes on the road! Take it for the challenge as it "is the most technical road in Southern California." The scenery is great though as you'll be climbing mountains and have great vistas of the surrounding areas and you'll be traveling through some lush forests. Overall it is much more than just a technical route as it offers some of the best scenery in Southern California! The route is perched up high in a secluded mountain peak in the Cleveland National Forest. In fact it passes right by the Palomar Mountain Observatory (space telescope). And, you know if the government selected a site in southern California for a high powered telescope that they chose an area that not only has exceptional elevation but also is far removed from civilization and resulting light pollution ... so you know this area has to be pristine ... and it is!.

Drive Enjoyment

Rock solid 5 in the motorcycle road quality category. Multiple decreasing radius turns thrown in to back to back hairpin turns, add a few smooth snake turns and a few long sweepers and you have yourself a darn good ride.

Tourism Opportunities

Mobile gas station @ the Interstate 15/State Road 76 interchange. Two different casinos after you start heading east on 76. Several snack/liquor stores. You have to stop at "Mother's Kitchen" at the top of Mt. Palomar. When I was there the parking lot was entirely filled with motorcycles and everyone was hanging out, trading stories, and having a great time.

Motorcycle Road Additional info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .
 

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BigRyGuy
January 13, 2021
4 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport
This route is awesome. Great scenery and you can stop at Mother's or the convenience store next door for a snack. Lots of twisties. I will mention that riding around the mountain is also very nice if you still want a lot of what the mountain has to offer but don't necessarily want to hit all the twisty roads. Better to go around the mountain if you are a newer rider, then conquer going up once you have more experience.
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HavokMega
February 3, 2021
33 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
Finally made it up Palomar! I'm a new rider so I went early morning mid week and there was no one else there so it was perfect. Once you get to the top there are several other roads you can explore. Hands down one of my best riding experiences so far.
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619Robert
September 16, 2021
14 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Be cautious on weekends. This is a popular route for young military members and sport bikes. California Highway Patrol responds to several serious enjoy and occasional fatal incidents almost every weekend. The famous Palomar Observatory is near the top and the Palomar Mtn. General Store has snacks. (palomarmountainstore.com)
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