State Scenic Highway 79 79
State Scenic Highway 79 is a scenic drive in California. Within California it covers roughly 60 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along State Scenic Highway 79 with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
State Scenic Highway 79 links the mountain town of Julian to Temecula's wine country across 91 miles of Southern California backroads. Running from Interstate 8 near Descanso north to Interstate 10 in Beaumont, the highway passes through Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Julian, Santa Ysabel, and the high grassland of Warner Valley before reaching Temecula and Hemet. The full drive from Julian to Temecula takes about ninety minutes through pine-covered mountains and oak-studded valleys, connecting two of the region's best-known getaway destinations: Julian's historic gold-mining downtown and Temecula Valley's nearly fifty wineries, known for Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other warm-climate reds. The highway is eligible for inclusion in California's State Scenic Highway System but has not yet completed the formal designation process. Along its middle stretches, the road narrows to a winding two-lane mountain route before widening into a busier suburban arterial as it approaches the Inland Empire's growing suburbs near Hemet and Beaumont.
- Descanso to Beaumont
- 91 miles
- Julian to Temecula (~90 min)
- Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
- Temecula Valley wineries
- eligible for CA Scenic Highway System
Plan a drive on State Scenic Highway 79 →
About this drive
This is a scenic drive — a road worth taking for the views and the journey itself rather than the quickest line between two points.
Where to Stay along State Scenic Highway 79
2 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of State Scenic Highway 79.
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