Idyllwild is a mountain village in the San Jacinto range, high above the hot desert of Palm Springs and the sprawling valleys of the Inland Empire, set among tall pines, cedars and oaks at about 1,600 metres. It has a population of a few thousand, a village centre of wooden buildings, cafés and art galleries, and the cool, clean smell of pine that greets you as soon as you arrive.
The rocks above the village are famous among climbers. Tahquitz Rock and Suicide Rock, two great granite domes, rise above the forest, and in the 1950s climbers here developed the grading system that later became the Yosemite Decimal System, still used across North America today. On a sunny weekend you will see climbers on the walls, small as ants against the granite. Behind them, the San Jacinto peak rises to over three thousand metres, and trails lead up into the wilderness.
Idyllwild also has a quirky side. For many years the town has had an honorary mayor who is a dog, a golden retriever named Max, followed by successors with the same name, and they have become local celebrities. The village is also known for its arts, with an arts academy and many galleries, and it hosts music and arts festivals in summer.
The riding is the main reason to come. The Pines to Palms Highway, Route 74, climbs from the desert near Palm Desert in a series of switchbacks, with spectacular views over the Coachella Valley, and then winds through the mountains to join Route 243, which runs north through Idyllwild and down to Banning with tight curves and steep drops. Both roads are great motorcycle roads, with good surfaces and little traffic on weekdays. Watch for gravel, deer and snow in winter, when the roads can be icy or closed.
Idyllwild has a fuel station, cafés, restaurants and shops in the village centre, and Valle Vista, about sixteen kilometres away by road, is the nearest larger community. Fire is a real risk in these mountains, and the village has been threatened several times, so check conditions in the dry season. Find a slice of pie, sit on a bench in the sun and listen to the wind in the pines.