Southern California - Where can I park to ride Palomar? (quick - 7am tomorrow)

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View Full Version : Where can I park to ride Palomar? (quick - 7am tomorrow)

sac02

01-12-09, 08:23 PM

I'm visiting my brother in San Diego, staying in Mission Beach, and I want to ride Palomar tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan 13). I'm trying to find somewhere to park and do maybe 50-ish miles, including climbing the South grade and descending the East grade.

Looking around on Google and such shows Lake Wohlford nearby - do they have free/cheap parking?

I'm not considering riding from my hotel because I'm from a relatively flat area and don't want kill myself with 100 miles PLUS more elevation than I've ever seen in my life.

Thanks,

Mac

Indolent58

01-12-09, 08:34 PM

We always park in the overflow lot next to the Harrah's Rincon Casino. The parking is free.

Starting from the casino involves much more climbing that just South Grade itself but starting from there is the "real" Palomar climb. If you don't want to do that you can park at the base of South Grade Road and Hwy 76. Not a formal parking lot but I see cars parked there all the time.

sac02

01-12-09, 08:55 PM

I am not very familiar with the area - where is the casino?

Indolent58

01-12-09, 09:01 PM

33750 Valley Center Rd, Valley Center, CA‎

Google or Mapquest it.

merlin55

01-12-09, 11:02 PM

Alternative is to park at Dudley's Bakery in Santa Ysabel, and ride Mesa Grande road to and from Palomar mountain. Mesa Grande has some very steep switchbacks....but is a nice low traffic road to get to Palomar.

couchweight

01-13-09, 12:15 AM

You can park across the street from the cafe at Lake Wolford. It works out to around 50 miles if you go up south and back down south. I was planning on doing that same route tomorrow. You might want to rethink it though. There's a high wind advisory in affect for tomorrow. Winds can get very scary out there. And when I say scary, I mean dangerous.