Rever
RIDER MAGAZINE: Palms to Pines to the Pacific on California Route 74
This 177-mile paved route begins in Palm Desert, CA and ends in Dana Point on the Pacific Coast. Most of the route follows State Route 74, beginning with the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway that ascends thousands of feet from the Coachella Valley into the San Bernardino National Forest. At Mountain Center, there is an optional (but highly recommended) out-and-back on State Route 243 that goes through Idyllwild (a good lunch stop) and drops down to Banning. The route descends to Hemet, crosses Interstate 15, and follows the famed Ortega Highway over the mountains and through Cleveland National Forest. Then it goes out to the Pacific Coast and ends at Dana Point.