Sylvan Meadows Trail Idyllwild

Sylvan Meadows Trail — Idyllwild California

Ride Type: Many different routes
Distance: Up to 20+ Miles depending on route
Elevation Gain: 1500 feet depending on route taken
Climbing: Moderate steep routes

SYLVAN MEADOWS TRAIL Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, (951) 677-6951 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (951) 677-6951 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Although these trails are not directly in Idyllwild, they did require information because they are in between Idyllwild and Palm Springs. Santa Rosa Plateau is a 20 – 30 minute drive from Idyllwild.

Trail: This seven-mile path cuts through grasslands, oak tree groves and seasonal streams. The area is home to 185 species, including golden eagles and other birds, deer, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions. Permits/Fees: Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children 2 to 12. Parking is free near the reserve’s visitor’s center on Clinton-Keith Road, west of Murrieta, off the Temecula Valley Freeway (15).

Shlebski Hemet

Shlebski - Hemet California

Location: Hemet, California
Ride Type: Loop
Trail Type: Single Track 90%
Fire/Gravel Road 10%
Distance: 8.00 miles (12.87 KM)
Duration: not specified.
Elevation Gain: 700 Feet (213 Meters)
Climbing: Steep At Times
Skill Level: Weekend Warriors
User Density: Not Specified.

Trail Description:
This loop varies from easy to fairly difficult. It starts out with a tame gravel road ride then when it hits singletrack can get steep and rocky with some gnarly downhills and sharp turns.

How to get there:
Take the I215 freeway to highway 74(florida ave)go stanford st and turn right. Follow until you come to crest drive and turn right.go to vista del valle and turn left. drive all the way up the hill until you come to simpson park. Follow park road until ranger station.

May Valley Idyllwild

May Valley – Idyllwild CA

Ride Type: Single Path — can end in Garner Valley
Distance: 4 miles — Closed gate will not allow access (Private Property)
Duration: Not specified
Climbing: Moderate climb — fun on the way down, challenge on the way up.
Skill Level: Beginner to Moderate

May Valley offers some nice paths and nice scenery. The scenery will show you the Garner Mountain side of Idyllwild. The trail begins with a small uphill then immediately begins a downhill for a couple of miles. You will get to a closed gate at the bottom. From there you can take South Ridge Trail for a bit or just troll around.

Hurkey Creek Idyllwild

Hurkey Creek — Idyllwild Ca

Ride Type: Loop
Trail Type: Single Track 85%
Dirt Road 15%
Distance: 8.00 miles (12.87 KM)
Duration: not specified.
Elevation Gain: 1500 Feet (457 Meters)
Climbing: Rolling Terrain
Skill Level: All levels can enjoy
User Density: not specified.

Trail Description:
This is the Official 24Hour course for the popular 24 hours of Adrenaline Series Race held in the area.

THE LOOP:
After passing thru the campgrounds, you will come to a gate you have to zig-zag thru, roughly 40yards from the gate you will make a hard switchback left onto a singletrack(tracked)…follow this up a technical climb to a fireroad, go left and keep right at the gate onto another singletrack, this will loop around and thru a huge valley, keep to the main path(tracked) After a short grunt you will come to another fireroad, go left. you will climb to a gate(unlocked)pass thru and SHUT THE GATE!!!! Shortly after you will see a huge oak tree and a faint trail to the right, here the fun starts. Take this trail to another fireroad go right and downhill, and at the “T” section make a hard left and shoot straight down to the creek. Cross and up a very technical section, then a descent much the same, keep to this trail until it comes to another “T” section and go left. After passing thru another gate(CLOSE IT!) several doubletracks lead to the road where u go right and back to where your parked….

How to get there:
Hurkey Creek Campgrounds is near Idyllwild and Hemet Lake on Hiway74 about 5miles east of Mountain Center and Hiway243. Look for signs indicating the campgrounds and/or Apple Canyon Rd.

Additional Notes:
If you do NOT have an adventure pass, park in the campgrounds, its only $2. Otherwise park anywhere

COMMENTS:
Posted by: Gary 7/2/02 10:41:21 AM
This trail rocks. There is a reason the 24hrs of Adrenalin guys chose this trail for one of their races and have held the 24rh solo championship here. The camp ground is also fantastic – clean, friendly, hot showers ….

Posted by: james 4/17/00 6:57:08 PM
This was a great ride! For a group of eight, we had ever level of rider. A hired guide showed us a great time for a humble price. There is some great single track on the back side of the loop which we made. We pushed the loop up into Idyllwild for a lunch break. It ended up as a 23 mile ride taking about 5.5 hours. Remember we had some beginners with us, so your ride may be faster. Good Luck and I highly recommend this ride. The rangers were really friendly too!

Posted by: The Dude 8/15/99 11:49:03 PM

U CAN GET A FREE MAP AT THE CAMP OFFICE HOURS: 9A TO 5P DAILY

Fobes Ranch Road

Fobes Ranch Road – Idyllwild, CA

Ride Type: Single Path will require turn arounds. Although if you know the area it can loop.
Distance: Over 20 miles of dirt paths
Duration: Not specified
Skill Level: All levels

Fobes Ranch Road offers many miles of beginner to intermediate trails that all skill levels can enjoy. The trail starts out by Lake Hemet in Garner Valley, so if you are camping at Lake Hemet this is an ideal ride. The trail has has some significant inclines at times. The road is also slippery in some points due to rain and other trail hinderances.

Coyote Run

Coyote Run — Idyllwild, CA

Location: Idyllwild, California
(Hurkey Creek Park)
Ride Type: Loop
Distance: 2.8 miles
Duration: 1/2 hour – 1 hour depending on type of ride
Climbing: Little to Moderate steepness

This ride begins at Hurkey Creek county campground. The ride is great for beginners or skilled riders. This ride is great for taking in some scenery or as a warm-up for the more difficult rides in Hurkey Creek. The ride concludes at the waterfalls on Hurkey creek (might be dry duing summer months). This is an excellent trail for the whole family, kids, mom and dad.

Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail

Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail
Idyllwild California

Ride Type: Intermediate levels
Distance: 2.5 Mile
Elevation Descent: 1000
Climbing: Moderate steepness

ERNIE MAXWELL SCENIC TRAIL San Bernardino National Forest, near Humber Park, (951) 659-2117 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (951) 659-2117 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Trail: This 2.5-mile route travels through a forest of Jeffrey, ponderosa and coulter pines.

It offers views of Suicide Rock and Tahquitz Peak. Level: Intermediate. A mountain bike is recommended. Permits/Fees:

A National Forest Adventure Pass is required to park at the trailhead off Fern Valley Road.

How to get there: Follow signs to Humber Park

Alvin Meadows

Alvin Meadows – Idyllwild California

Ride Type: Many different routes — some loop, some end Pine Cove or Hemet
Distance: Up to 20+ Miles depending on route
Elevation Gain: 3000 feet depending on route taken
Climbing: Moderate steep routes, as well as very steep routes

Alvin Meadows (aka “The Control Roads” by Idyllwild Locals)offers many miles of dirt riding. The road starts with a choice – if you go up right expect an extremely steep road to Pine Cove (nicknamed “The Heavens”. If you go straight right you will begin a great ride that can either take you to pine cove or will loop you back to your starting point if you stay to your left when approaching other forks. Or you can go left at the beginning and if you stay to your left you can ride all the way down close to Hemet.

How to get there: Hwy 243 turn on Tollgate Road. Follow Tollgate Road to the end and this is the trail head.

Additional Notes: Beware of off-roading cars, this road is open to vehicles so stay alert. Also summer months keep an eye ou

Rock Climbing in Idyllwild

Idyllwild California is one of the reputable places where the sport of rock climbing took its hold. The rocks of Tahquitz and Suicide are not only popular because of the wide variety of climbs, but are also snuggled in the Southern California mountains which gives climbers excellent weather to climb in.

Tahquitz rock is much more identifiable than its counter-part Suicide Rock. Tahquitz rock can be seen from miles away. It appears from a distance as a little rock stuck in the side of the mountain, but when you are at the base of this rock the term little no longer fits its description. The Idyllwild rocks are both multi-pitched crags, and will require rock climbing gear.

If you are in the mood to climb, but dont have the experience, gear or bravery of heights, you will also find “bouldering” a nice alternative. The term bouldering refers to climbing boulders to learn skills that are used in rock climbing. The nice thing about bouldering, is that many rocks are only several feet of the ground and falling is less of a tragedy. Either way you choose, be careful, be smart and be considerate of others (both present and future).

Hiking in Idyllwild

The Idyllwild area is located about 45 minutes (depends on how fast you drive . . .) from the Palm Springs area. There are several great trails that range from easy to very strenuous.

Some hiking trails are located in the 35,000 acre San Jacinto Wilderness area managed by the US Forest Service. Other trails are within the 10,000 acre Mt San Jacinto State Wilderness, administered by Mt. San Jacinto State Park.

A National Forest Adventure Pass is required for parking at the trailhead and wilderness permits (free) are required for both the National Forest and the State Park Wildernesses. Wilderness permits are available at no cost from the San Jacinto State Park headquarters on Highway 243 or at the Idyllwild Ranger Station at Highway 243 and Pine Crest Drive.

You can also purchase the National Forest Adventure Pass at many Big 5 Sporting Goods store locations, or at many other locations in both in Idyllwild and the Coachella Valley. There is a daily pass which will cost you $5, or you can buy a yearly pass for $30. When purchasing the yearly pass you can also purchase a Secondary Vehicle pass for an additional $5, which is worth it if you are going with several people in two vehicles. For more information on the National Forest Recreation pass.

« Previous Page — Next Page »