Follow Along our Travels!

When you think of Southern California mountain towns, most people will come up with Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead or even Mount Laguna as their quick mountain escapes. Admittedly, I grew up in Southern California and had never heard of Idyllwild before I met my then boyfriend (now husband). Now, it is our home away from home and we love sharing this beautiful town with those we think will enjoy it.

What is Idyllwild About?

Idyllwild is a small (okay tiny may be more appropriate) artsy community that is located on the back side of the San Jacinto mountain. If you’ve ever been to Palm Springs, you’ve seen San Jacinto. It is the mountain that is the backdrop of Palm Springs. Our little town has about 3500 full time residents and a lot of part-timers like us. It boasts a highly recognized private arts high school and is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.

What Can You Do in Idyllwild?

It’s sometimes easier to start with what you can’t do in Idyllwild since mountain towns are often equated with certain activities. Idyllwild is not a ski town. While it is surrounded by mountains, it doesn’t have one that can be skied at all. Idyllwild does not have a lake (or even a large body of water) to take boats on. So what does that mean for activities?

Hiking: There is excellent hiking in the Idyllwild-Pine Cove area. There are options for all level of hikers. I included details of all hikes in the PDF “Best of Idyllwild” but here are some top level favorites:

• Ernie Maxwell – Easy 5 mile trail (500ft elevation gain) with great views throughout. Perfect for kids and dogs!
• Deer Springs to Suicide Rock – Moderate hike of ~7 miles and 1800 ft of elevation gain but takes you through the forest and ends with a spectacular view of the valley. Take a picnic and enjoy the view from the top.
• South Ridge Trail to Tahquitz Peak – Moderate/Strenuous hike (at the end) of ~8 miles and significant elevation gain. The trail has views of both sides of the valley on the way up. You can see towards Idyllwild and towards Apple Valley. At the top, you can chill at the firewatch tower. You can see all the way to the desert on the other side.

Rock Climbing + Biking: Idyllwild is also a mecca for rock climbers. Now, I am not a rock climber but on any given spring/fall day, you can see people on the famous Tahquitz/Lily Rock. There are areas all over the valley to rock climb but this is the most popular. Mountain biking is also extremely popular and there are many trails dedicated to this activities.

Sledding: We also get snow!! A typical year sees only 3-5ft total so it isn’t a lot of snow, but enough to coat the mountains and trees a couple times a season. If we get a larger snowfall, expect crowds that come up specifically for sledding. There are designated areas for sledding but watch out for people that park on the side of the road and create their own paths. (Do not recommend this as the town is on the highway!)

Music! Another thing that Idyllwild draws is fantastic musicians. As I mentioned, it is an artsy community with a well-known arts high school plus it is easy driving distance to LA. Because of this, on the weekends, there are at least 3 venues hosting live music at any given time. You have some Grammy winning artist that host jazz nights, guitarists from famous bands performing in the square and really great indie-rock groups that play at some of the bars/restaurants.

Dog Friendly: And the best part of our little town is that it is extremely dog-friendly! In fact, the official mayor is a dog: Mayor Max III. He and his deputy mayor can be found on the main street every weekend around 2pm (or 4pm). Besides the mayor being a dog, nearly every establishment allows dogs inside. You can hike with your pup, shop with your pup, eat/drink with your pup, paint ceramics with your pup and even go to a movie theater with your pup!

How did we fall in love with Idyllwild?

My husband had come to Idyllwild as a kid with Astrocamp (another popular sleep-away camp for kids/teens), but the first time we came together was probably around 2010. We stayed in the smallest little cabin walking distance to town and just loved the vibe of the town. While it is only about 3 blocks total, the weekenders make it feel full and vibrant year round. There are also the the “big” events: 4th of July, Halloween parade and the Christmas tree lighting that draw a lot of out of towners (and locals alike) which are fun. You also have summer music nights in the amphitheater, dance/theater shows put on by the high school, weekly farmers market and art festivals year round.

After coming up quarterly for about 10 years and staying at various properties (private houses, hotels, AirBnBs) we finally committed and bought a place in 2021. Our place is about 2 miles from town proper but has the most stunning view of Lily Rock. So if you have any questions about where to stay (close to or not from town), feel free to contact me and ask!

When is the best time to visit Idyllwild?

As the town is located at 5200ft, Idyllwild experiences 4 seasons! In southern California, this is a rare occurrence. So, depending on what you like to do in mountain towns would determine when to visit. In spring, the creek through town is running and you are likely to see wildflowers on trails. In the fall, you can see leaves change color and the days are warm but the nights are cool. In the winter, you may get some snow but expect to book/use a place with a fireplace as it can be quite chilly! For summer, it gets quite warm (80-90 degrees) during the day and can be dusty on trails, but this is when a lot of town events happen and festivals pop up every weekend. Personally our favorite time to be up there is spring and fall but every season has its perks!

Highlights:

Instead of my usual highlights/itinerary section here, I’m going to attach some of our favorite things to see, places to go, and restaurants to eat at in Idyllwild. Make sure to download!

If you choose to come to Idyllwild, I hope you enjoy our little community as much as we do!