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  5. State Routes 74 and 243

State Routes 74 and 243

A cool escape from what's often a hot place

If you're in or near Palm Springs and find that you need a break from the heat, consider driving up and around the San Jacinto Mountains via State Routes 74 and 243. Up, up and away you go, away from the desert-valley floor into a heavily forested oasis of cool.

Idyllwild

idyll-00 Road Trippin': Maneuvering around the mountain roads south of Palm Springs (Source: Google Maps)
cs-01 Motorists who are heading up the San Jacinto Mountains can start their journey by exiting I-10 in Banning.
cs-02 After driving for a few miles on State Route 243, motorists are treated to vast views of the desert below.
cs-03 Looking north from State Route 243, you can spot the communities of Banning, Owl and Cabazon along Interstate 10.
cs-04 Several portions of State Route 243 were washed out by Valentine's Day storms in 2019, and had to be repaired.
cs-05 New guardrails recently were installed on portions of State Route 243 about 15 miles south of Interstate 10.
cs--06 Portions of the hillsides below State Route 243 had to be bolstered with many tons of material after the Feb. 14, 2019, damage.
cs--07 Improved drainage constituted a major part of the repair work done along State Route 243 last year.
cs--08 The state highway, shown here near the southern entrance to the mountain town of Idyllwild, is a National Scenic Byway.
cs-09 Idyllwild was left somewhat isolated by the Valentine's Day 2019 wash-outs of State Routes 243 and 74.
cs-10 Motoring along the state routes up, behind and back to Palm Springs, through Idyllwild
cs-11 Up and past Idyllwild, State Route 243 winds its way through the recent site of wildfires.
cs-12 At the junction of State Route 74, motorists can turn right toward Hemet, or go left and meander over and down to Palm Desert.
cs-13 Caltrans' Keen Camp Maintenance Station is off State Route 74, a few miles east of the intersection with State Route 243.
cs-14 This picture was taken off State Route 371, a mountain road that dead-ends onto State Route 74 due south of Palm Springs.
cs-15 As State Route 74 descends toward Palm Desert, the vegetation gets lower and scarcer, and the temperature rises.
cs-16 Motorists on State Route 74 can pull over into this vista point to stretch their legs and admire the vast desert below.
cs-17 At the Cahuilla Tewanet Vista Point off State Route 74, visitors have the chance to take a short stroll out to a viewing platform.
cs-18 The platform at Cahuilla Tewanet Vista Point off State Route 74 has exhibits with buttons that can be pushed to hear native music.
cs-19 As was the case with the connecting State Route 243, part of State Route 74 is designated as a National Scenic Byway.
cs-20 State Route 74 includes hairpin turns as it descends from the San Jacintos back down to the desert floor east of Palm Springs.