Best Motorcycle Roads in California: 15 Rides to Know

Before you pick

How to use this list of the best motorcycle roads in California

California is big enough that a best-roads list is really six lists. Southern California's canyons ride all year. The Central Coast is at its best when the fog stays offshore. The Sierra passes only open for part of the year, the deserts are a winter and spring game, and the far north trades crowds for distance. Pick the region first, then the road.

Closures are part of riding here. Slides cut coast highways, storms wash out mountain roads, fire shuts whole forests, and snow gates close the high passes from late fall into spring. Check Caltrans QuickMap before every long ride. For the state overview, start at the California motorcycle rides hub, and pair this list with the best time to ride in California.

Southern California

San Diego, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire

1. Palomar Mountain, South Grade Road (County S6)Why: A famous stack of tight switchbacks climbing from SR 76 near Pauma Valley toward the Palomar Observatory, with East Grade Road (County S7) as the smoother way down. Watch for: Sand and gravel in the hairpins, cyclists on the climb, a crowded weekend morning scene, and fog or ice up top in winter. Best season: Year-round, weather permitting.
2. Sunrise Highway to Julian (County S1 and SR 79)Why: Runs north from I-8 through the Laguna Mountains at around 6,000 feet, with big views east over the Anza-Borrego desert, then on toward Julian and its pie shops. Watch for: Deer, cyclists, fog on the ridge, and snow or ice in winter. Best season: Spring through fall.
3. Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2)Why: The classic Los Angeles mountain road, about 66 miles from La Canada Flintridge over the San Gabriels to Wrightwood, climbing past 7,000 feet with long sweepers. Watch for: Rockfall, patrols, and the upper sections, which close in winter and have closed for long stretches after storms and fires. Best season: Spring through fall.
4. Mulholland Highway and the Malibu canyonsWhy: Mulholland Highway, Decker Canyon (SR 23), Kanan Dume and Latigo Canyon tie the Santa Monica Mountains together, with ocean views and the Rock Store on Mulholland as the long-running weekend rider stop. Watch for: Heavy enforcement, cyclists, blind corners, sand after rain, and fire or slide closures. Best season: Year-round, early mornings.
5. Ortega Highway (SR 74)Why: Orange County's closest real mountain road, climbing east out of San Juan Capistrano through the Cleveland National Forest and over the Santa Anas to a lookout high above Lake Elsinore. Watch for: Commuters, impatient passing and cars over the line in blind corners. It has a reputation for crashes, so ride it with margin. Best season: Year-round, early or midweek.
6. Palms to Pines (SR 74 and SR 243)Why: SR 74 climbs a wall of switchbacks above Palm Desert into the San Jacinto Mountains, and SR 243 carries on north past Idyllwild before dropping to Banning. You leave the palms and arrive in the pines within the hour. Watch for: A big temperature drop on the climb, sand on the lower switchbacks and slow sightseers. Best season: Fall through spring.

Mountains and coast

Big Bear, Big Sur, the Los Padres and the Santa Cruz Mountains

7. Rim of the World Highway (SR 18) and SR 38Why: SR 18 climbs from San Bernardino along the rim past Crestline and Lake Arrowhead to Big Bear Lake. Come home on SR 38 over Onyx Summit, above 8,000 feet, and down Mill Creek Canyon to Redlands. Watch for: Weekend tourist traffic, winter ice and chain controls. Best season: Late spring through fall.
8. Highway 1 through Big Sur (SR 1)Why: Roughly 90 miles of cliffs between Carmel and San Simeon, with Bixby Bridge and the Pacific below almost the whole way. Watch for: Closures first. Landslides have cut parts of this road for months at a time in recent years. Then fog, slow RVs, turnout traffic and no cell signal. Best season: Late summer and fall, when the fog backs off.
9. Maricopa Highway (SR 33)Why: North from Ojai through the Wheeler Gorge tunnels and over Pine Mountain Summit in the Los Padres National Forest, then out into the open Cuyama Valley. One of the best rides within reach of LA. Watch for: Rockfall, storm closures, deer and long stretches with no services. Best season: Spring and fall.
10. Skyline Boulevard (SR 35)Why: Runs the spine of the Santa Cruz Mountains above Silicon Valley, through redwoods and along open ridges. Alice's Restaurant at the SR 84 junction is the Bay Area's classic rider stop, and SR 84, SR 9 and Page Mill Road make easy loops. Watch for: Cyclists, patrols, damp shaded corners and fog. Best season: Year-round, best when dry.

The Sierra Nevada

Gold Country and the high Sierra passes

11. Highway 49 through the Gold Country (SR 49)Why: Nearly 300 miles through Gold Rush towns from Oakhurst north to the Sierra Valley. The northern end, from Nevada City through Downieville and over Yuba Pass, is the twistiest and quietest. Watch for: Slow traffic in the old towns, summer heat in the foothills, and deer. Best season: Spring and fall in the foothills, summer up north.
12. Tioga Pass (SR 120)Why: The highest highway pass in California, close to 10,000 feet, through Yosemite's high country past Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake, then a long drop to Mono Lake. Watch for: The winter closure, which usually runs from about November into late spring or early summer, park fees and any entry rules in effect that year, and cold at the top. Best season: Summer and early fall.
13. Sonora, Ebbetts and Monitor passes (SR 108, SR 4 and SR 89)Why: Three high passes close enough to link in one big day. Sonora is steep and dramatic, Ebbetts narrows to a road with no center line in places, and Monitor drops toward the Eastern Sierra with huge views. Watch for: Grades up to 26 percent near Sonora's summit, hot brakes on the way down, cattle in open range, and winter closures on all three. Best season: Summer and early fall.

The far north and the desert

Long, quiet roads at both ends of the state

Two more for the far north: SR 299 from Arcata to Redding along the Trinity River, and SR 96 along the Klamath River from Willow Creek toward I-5 near Yreka. Both are long, remote and worth a full day. In the south, Montezuma Valley Road (County S22) drops in switchbacks from Ranchita down to Borrego Springs, a good winter add-on to Palomar or Sunrise Highway.

14. Highway 36, Fortuna to Red Bluff (SR 36)Why: Around 140 miles of nearly nonstop curves from US 101 near Fortuna, through Bridgeville, Mad River and Platina, to the Sacramento Valley. Plenty of riders put it at the top of their California list. Watch for: Narrow sections near the coast end, few gas stations, little cell service, logging trucks and deer. Best season: Late spring through fall.
15. Death Valley (SR 190)Why: From the Panamint Valley over Towne Pass, down past Stovepipe Wells to Furnace Creek below sea level. Empty road at an enormous scale, with Zabriskie Point and Badwater Road as short detours. Watch for: Lethal summer heat, long gaps between fuel, the park entry fee, and flash floods that have closed park roads for months. Best season: November to March.

Summary

California motorcycle roads at a glance

Road	Region	Best season
Palomar South Grade (S6)	San Diego County	Year-round
Sunrise Highway (S1)	San Diego County	Spring to fall
Angeles Crest (SR 2)	Los Angeles	Spring to fall
Mulholland and the Malibu canyons	Los Angeles	Year-round
Ortega Highway (SR 74)	Orange County	Year-round
Palms to Pines (SR 74 and SR 243)	Inland Empire	Fall to spring
Rim of the World (SR 18) and SR 38	San Bernardino Mountains	Late spring to fall
Highway 1, Big Sur	Central Coast	Late summer and fall
Maricopa Highway (SR 33)	Los Padres	Spring and fall
Skyline Boulevard (SR 35)	Bay Area	Year-round
Highway 49	Gold Country	Spring to fall
Tioga Pass (SR 120)	High Sierra	Summer and early fall
Sonora, Ebbetts and Monitor	High Sierra	Summer and early fall
Highway 36	Far north	Late spring to fall
Death Valley (SR 190)	Desert	November to March

Rider-added roads

California roads riders have added in Rippin'

Southern California is where Rippin' began, and it's where the map has filled in most so far, with full ride guides for San Diego and Los Angeles. Northern California and the Sierra are much emptier. The live list right after this section shows the California roads on the map today.

To add a road, ride it with Rippin' recording, open Segments and tap Create a Segment: set a start gate and a finish gate and trace the line. A person on our team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it. Every rider who rides through it after that is timed automatically and lands on its board. Rippin' never rewards speed on public roads, so a board is about who owns the road and who rides it. More on segments and leaderboards.

Loops claim turf too. A loop up SR 18 to Big Bear and home on SR 38 draws a closed shape, so everything inside it becomes your turf on the live map. See how Turf Wars works.

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California on Rippin' right now.

94 upcoming events and 172 rider-added roads in California on the map today. This list updates whenever the site is rebuilt; the app always has the latest.

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FAQ

Questions riders ask.

What is the best motorcycle road in California?

Highway 36 from Fortuna to Red Bluff, Highway 1 through Big Sur, Angeles Crest, Palomar's South Grade and Tioga Pass come up most. Pick by region and season: the high passes are summer rides and the deserts are winter rides.

What are the best motorcycle roads near Los Angeles?

Angeles Crest (SR 2), Mulholland Highway and the Malibu canyons, the Maricopa Highway (SR 33) out of Ojai, and Rim of the World (SR 18) up to Big Bear. Ortega Highway is close by in Orange County.

What are the best motorcycle roads near San Diego?

Palomar Mountain's South Grade, Sunrise Highway to Julian, Montezuma Valley Road down to Borrego Springs, and Palms to Pines a little farther north. The Rippin' San Diego ride guide puts them on a map.

When do the Sierra passes open?

Tioga, Sonora, Ebbetts and Monitor close every winter and usually reopen between late spring and early summer, depending on snow. Check Caltrans QuickMap and, for Tioga, Yosemite National Park before you go.

Is Highway 1 through Big Sur open?

It changes. Landslides have closed parts of Big Sur for long periods in recent years. Check Caltrans QuickMap before planning a through ride.

Which California roads are good for newer riders?

Skyline Boulevard on a quiet weekday, Highway 49 through the Gold Country and SR 190 through Death Valley in winter are open and forgiving. Save Palomar's South Grade, Ebbetts Pass and Highway 36 for when you're comfortable.

Can I add a California road to Rippin'?

Yes. Any rider can add a road with Create a Segment. A person on the Rippin' team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it.

The best motorcycle roads in California