Southern California - Palm Springs area rides

Hey everyone,

I'm headed to Palm Springs for a certain music festival and am planning to bring a road bike. Can anyone recommend some routes in this area? I don't see any roads heading up into San Jacinto; is this mostly mtb territory?

First a word of caution...I'm sitting in La Quinta at this moment at my mother in-laws, and it's 115°...so ride early.

You can get to Hemet/San Jac from highway 74, but that's over in Palm Desert. Most of the good riding is east of Date Palm drive, in the Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells area...but again, ride early and hydrate!!

There are plenty of routes around here to ride. It really depends on what type of ride you want and how how many miles.

From the festival location (Indio polo grounds), you can:

...do a loop taking you through south La Quinta and then east into Coachella or Thermal...or further. Low traffic. Mostly flat and rural with few places to get refreshments. Some good views. The roads become narrow if you head to the groves and farms, but motorists tend to pass safely; the dogs can be another matter, though.

...ride west through Indian Wells, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Good roads, some nice scenery, and a few hills. You can add a few miles by riding further to Palm Springs, if you don't mind some short stretches of rough road in Cathedral City & PS.

...ride east through Box Cyn to Chiriaco Summit if you want a long, steady climb. It's remote between the towns of Mecca (a few miles west of the mouth of the cyn) and Chiriaco Summit; you may not even have phone service in the cyn. Very little traffic. Mecca is an impoverished community comprised largely of farm laborers: not much to offer besides a few rough stretches of road...just ride on through. You can have an early lunch at the popular diner at Chiriaco before descending back to the polo grounds. Takes you from a bit below sea level to around 1800' @ Chiriaco. This isn't a ride for everyone, especially when riding alone, though.

...ride hwy 74! No, not recommending it, but you did mention it. If you've got the legs & lungs and can deal with weekend traffic on a shoulderless, two-lane mtn road, then I won't stop you. It's about a 15-mi ride from the polo grounds to the start of the climb.

...drive to Joshua Tree and ride through the park. Driving somewhere may not be what you intended, though. Just an idea.

There are plenty of routes around here to ride. It really depends on what type of ride you want and how how many miles.

From the festival location (Indio polo grounds), you can:

...do a loop taking you through south La Quinta and then east into Coachella or Thermal...or further. Low traffic. Mostly flat and rural with few places to get refreshments. Some good views. The roads become narrow if you head to the groves and farms, but motorists tend to pass safely; the dogs can be another matter, though.

...ride west through Indian Wells, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Good roads, some nice scenery, and a few hills. You can add a few miles by riding further to Palm Springs, if you don't mind some short stretches of rough road in Cathedral City & PS.

...ride east through Box Cyn to Chiriaco Summit if you want a long, steady climb. It's remote between the towns of Mecca (a few miles west of the mouth of the cyn) and Chiriaco Summit; you may not even have phone service in the cyn. Very little traffic. Mecca is an impoverished community comprised largely of farm laborers: not much to offer besides a few rough stretches of road...just ride on through. You can have an early lunch at the popular diner at Chiriaco before descending back to the polo grounds. Takes you from a bit below sea level to around 1800' @ Chiriaco. This isn't a ride for everyone, especially when riding alone, though.

...ride hwy 74! No, not recommending it, but you did mention it. If you've got the legs & lungs and can deal with weekend traffic on a shoulderless, two-lane mtn road, then I won't stop you. It's about a 15-mi ride from the polo grounds to the start of the climb.

...drive to Joshua Tree and ride through the park. Driving somewhere may not be what you intended, though. Just an idea.

:rolleyes: What he said--just about covered it all ^^^

BTW, it's only about 104 today, with cooler days coming (98!).

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Glad for the warning about route 74; it looks great on the map but I was wondering what kind of road it is. I'll keep it in mind if I find some folks to ride with but I wouldn't want to do it alone.

115, yikes. But it must be that fabled dry heat I've heard so much about as a New Englander. Looking forward to some fun in the desert.

Things have changed dramatically weather-wise. High today was about 81, although it is going to creep up toward 90 by the weekend. Lows in the 50s and low 60s. :thumb:

I'm actually hoping to attempt a long ride this weekend. If the weather holds. ;)

I understand that the route they use for the Tour de Palm Springs is a pretty good century too. Planning to do it in a couple of weekends myself. Any opinions on this route?

Here is a GPS if it:

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=21171

Majority of it seems to be on Dillon Rd.