Twisty routes around Palm Springs, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead?

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Roy Epperson

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Weather permitting, a riding buddy and I are going to Death Valley from Santa Barbara about March 15 and returning later that week.

Neither one of us had ridden the road around Palm Springs, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead. I was thinking of leaving DV and heading down to Palm Springs/Big Bear and the next day (or two?) riding some of the twisties between Palm Springs, Big Bear, and Lake Arrowhead and then slabbing it back to Santa Barbara.

I would appreciate your recommendation(s) on routes. I have attached a couple of possibilities. I'm leading toward the first link and not the second one. Both of us are use too 500 mile days - slab to twisties, ride the twisties, and slab home.

Thanks,

Roy

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Indio,+CA/Bigo+Bear,+CA/Muscoy,+CA/@33.9104507,-117.3719457,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m30!4m29!1m15!1m1!1s0x80daf43543dfd785:0x166ce7cda7235031!2m2!1d-116.2155619!2d33.7205771!3m4!1m2!1d-116.5191413!2d33.5837632!3s0x80dba985e6a54cd9:0x820eb673cf289829!3m4!1m2!1d-116.7787918!2d33.7986348!3s0x80db1358ce28f43b:0x1ba90ca2b50361c7!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c4b153526223df:0x94178b744f8e5d8a!2m2!1d-116.84503!2d34.2611183!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c3505a6deef891:0x5ba5a46b726dc057!2m2!1d-117.3442118!2d34.1541763!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Indio,+CA/Big+Bear,+CA/Muscoy,+CA/@33.4688174,-116.6883901,10z/data=!4m40!4m39!1m20!1m1!1s0x80daf43543dfd785:0x166ce7cda7235031!2m2!1d-116.2155619!2d33.7205771!3m4!1m2!1d-116.2507194!2d33.30373!3s0x80da379e8fbec49b:0x6ed69fcb9ba16da6!3m4!1m2!1d-116.6015456!2d33.5848252!3s0x80dba80f5b935089:0xac3804ee18a9e346!3m4!1m2!1d-116.8057776!2d33.8358558!3s0x80db6b29590682d5:0x37bf4d2e504dd0cb!1m10!1m1!1s0x80c4b153526223df:0x94178b744f8e5d8a!2m2!1d-116.84503!2d34.2611183!3m4!1m2!1d-117.2667806!2d34.2297482!3s0x80c350d34b55e599:0x85469111b8a6df39!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c3505a6deef891:0x5ba5a46b726dc057!2m2!1d-117.3442118!2d34.1541763!3e0

 
Strangely enough I did the bottom half of your second route on Saturday. Nice route, very scenic and the temps aren't that high this time of the year. S22 in Imperial County, that road quality is ****, make sure you've got everything fastened down. I mean I don't think they've paved it since the 70s. No need to really I suppose, it's mostly truck & RV traffic around there, otherwise I don't think it's much of a thoroughfare.

I would also add SR138 from Arrowhead to SR2 (if it's open beyond Wrightwood) and from then on to Upper Big Tujunga to the Los Angeles Forest Higway. It'd be more twisties through the San Gabriel mountains before you have to hit the slab on the way back. Last time I checked, SR2 was closed due to a rock slide, but it may be open by now (even more likely by mid-March).

 
Route 18 Also known as Rim of the World Hwy will take you from Crestline to Big Bear. You may want to stop at Lake Arrowhead and other points of interest along the way.

Since I winter in Palm Springs I enjoy Hwy 74 starting in Palm Desert. It is also called the Palms to Pines Hwy. You could branch off and go to Anza Borrego (Borrego Springs) and Julian. We refer to Julian as the "pie stop."

Both of these routes will offer you beautiful scenery and the twisties you requested.

I hope this helps.

 
Route 18 Also known as Rim of the World Hwy will take you from Crestline to Big Bear. You may want to stop at Lake Arrowhead and other points of interest along the way.
Since I winter in Palm Springs I enjoy Hwy 74 starting in Palm Desert. It is also called the Palms to Pines Hwy. You could branch off and go to Anza Borrego (Borrego Springs) and Julian. We refer to Julian as the "pie stop."

Both of these routes will offer you beautiful scenery and the twisties you requested.

I hope this helps.
Do not miss the pie in Julian!!!

 
Route 18 Also known as Rim of the World Hwy will take you from Crestline to Big Bear. You may want to stop at Lake Arrowhead and other points of interest along the way.
Since I winter in Palm Springs I enjoy Hwy 74 starting in Palm Desert. It is also called the Palms to Pines Hwy. You could branch off and go to Anza Borrego (Borrego Springs) and Julian. We refer to Julian as the "pie stop."

Both of these routes will offer you beautiful scenery and the twisties you requested.

I hope this helps.
Any recommendations on where to stay?

What's the name of the Julian pie stop?

 
It is also called the Palms to Pines Hwy. You could branch off and go to Anza Borrego (Borrego Springs) and Julian. We refer to Julian as the "pie stop."
Any recommendations on where to stay?

What's the name of the Julian pie stop?
The town of Julian is one big pie shop. Or a least that's what I hear ....
coolsmiley02.gif


 
It is also called the Palms to Pines Hwy. You could branch off and go to Anza Borrego (Borrego Springs) and Julian. We refer to Julian as the "pie stop."
Any recommendations on where to stay?

What's the name of the Julian pie stop?
The town of Julian is one big pie shop. Or a least that's what I hear ....
coolsmiley02.gif
Julian Pie Shop is actually in Santa Ysabel. Starting in Indio, I'd head west and climb Palms to Pines (highway 74) and head south on 371 to 79 to 78. After pie, head west on 78 to the S6, north to the 76, which takes you to Palomar mountain (S7), definitely a don't miss ride! This will get you back to 76 and 78 to make a loop back towards the north. That keeps you out of Temecula (the roads get crowded there as they didn't keep up with the housing construction there) and on some great twisty roads. On the northern end, instead of dropping out of Big Bear, I'd take 138 across to Cajon Pass.

 
Route 18 Also known as Rim of the World Hwy will take you from Crestline to Big Bear. You may want to stop at Lake Arrowhead and other points of interest along the way.
Since I winter in Palm Springs I enjoy Hwy 74 starting in Palm Desert. It is also called the Palms to Pines Hwy. You could branch off and go to Anza Borrego (Borrego Springs) and Julian. We refer to Julian as the "pie stop."

Both of these routes will offer you beautiful scenery and the twisties you requested.

I hope this helps.
Any recommendations on where to stay?

What's the name of the Julian pie stop?
If you are going to do these rides, I would stay in the Palm Springs area.

 
I think you may need to choose either Big Bear or Palm Springs.

I'm partial to Hwy 74 - so many places to go and that is God's road when coming out of Palm Springs (IMO).

There's currently still snow up on the hill from last weekends storm and I hear possibility of a storm the weekend you're going.

Best to check out a map and see how far you want to go.

Palomar has a fast side and a slow (very technical and my favorite) side.

As mentione dc above that whole area is great riding and Hwy 76 or 78 will take you to freeways for slab access.

I usually take 76 to 15 to 74 (Ortega Hwy portion) to the 5 to get home.

 
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