Palomar Mountain (South Grade)
North San Diego County · near Pauma Valley / Valley Center · San Diego
Road Cycling
At a glance
- Distance
- medium
- Best season
- Spring–fall; hot at the base in summer; cool up top
What is here
- Scenery
- mountain
- Amenities
- ~20 legendary stacked switchbacks · Palomar Observatory near the top · Mother's Kitchen café reward · Tour of California climbing pedigree
- Best for
- One of America's great switchback climbs
- Features
- Switchback-stacked masterpiece climb · ~4,200 ft of steady gain · Palomar Observatory summit · Legendary San Diego ascent
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Sustained steady gradient; exposed lower section · Narrow switchback road — descend with control · Traffic & motorcyclists on weekends · Cool up top; carry a layer
- Beginner friendly
- No
Road Cycling detail
- Ride types
- climb
- Road
- quiet
- Climbing
- 5
- Ride notes
- One of the greatest climbs in the country — the South Grade Road up Palomar Mountain stacks roughly 20 sweeping switchbacks and about 4,200 feet of gain into some 12 glorious miles, topping out near the famous observatory, with Mother's Kitchen the traditional reward
- Stats note
- ~12 mi, ~4,200 ft gain; ~20 stacked switchbacks to ~5,500 ft; Tour of California pedigree
- Seasonal
- No
- Intl tip
- Widely regarded as one of the greatest climbs in the US — the South Grade Rd up Palomar Mountain stacks roughly 20 sweeping switchbacks and ~4,200 ft of gain into ~12 near-perfect miles, at a steady, rhythmic gradient, topping out near the historic Palomar Observatory (with pie at Mother's Kitchen the traditional reward). Genuine Tour of California pedigree. Exposed and hot at the base in summer, cool up top — ride milder seasons, carry a layer, watch for weekend traffic/motorcyclists, control the switchback descent.
The guide
The South Grade Road up Palomar Mountain in North San Diego County is widely regarded as one of the greatest climbs in the Unit…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Palomar Mountain (South Grade) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 33.32, -116.87