90 miles with 8,100 feet of elevation gain*
Locate ride on interactive map.
[Interactive Course | enlarge]
[Route Profile]
Mount Palomar Century - Counties Visited:
Riverside County and San Diego County
Mount Palomar Century - Cities/Towns Visited:
Temecula, Pala, Pauma Valley, and Rainbow
Mount Palomar Century - Climbs:
Mile 12 (cat. 4), 18 (cat. 1), 32 (cat. 3), 38 (cat. 4), 57 (cat. 4), and 80 (cat. 3)
Mount Palomar Century - Stops (Self-Supported):
Mile 24 (Oak Knoll Campground), 31 (Mount Palomar), and 76 (Pala)
Mount Palomar Century - Description:
According to Bicycling Magazine article «Ride Here: 5 Great Cycling Routes from 5 Top Pro Racers», this is a favorite training ride of Floyd Landis. Please note that the actual distance and elevation gain is less than what is published in the article.
The ride starts in Temecula and descends into Pala, before leading east on Route 76. After Pauma Valley, the first half of the ascent towards Mount Palomar begins, followed by the second half on South Grade Road. Some extra miles and climbing can be added via an optional out-and-back visit to the observatory (the highest point at 5,550 feet).
The ride then descends via East Grade Road towards Lake Henshaw, and returns back west on Route 76. The final climb leads up Rice Canyon and Rainbow Canyon, before a short downhill into Temecula. This ride passes through several Indian reservations, including Pechanga, Pala, Pauma, and La Jolla.
Mount Palomar Century - Pictures:
[South Grade Road]
[Observatory]
[Lake Henshaw]
Mount Palomar Century - Personal Notes:
Mount Palomar is one of the best climbs in Southern California. The total ascent is about 14 miles long, the last seven miles with many hairpin turns. While the grade is not very steep, the temperature in summer can make the climb challenging (we left Temecula at 8:00 AM, and recorded an average temperature of 95 degrees).
On weekends, Mount Palomar is popular with motorcyclists who race up and down South Grade Road. Also, Route 76 is busy with traffic visiting the Indian casinos.
Mount Palomar Century - Current Weather:
See also Top Bike Climbs in California.