|
How to Find It |
20681 State Park Road
Palomar Mountain, CA 92060
From San Diego or thereabouts:
![]() |
Left at the T-intersection stop sign at the top. You're on County Road S7. Almost immediately you will see a couple of shops, Mother's Kitchen restaurant, and the post office on your left. |
![]() |
Left before Mother's Kitchen (following the sign pointing to the State Park). This puts you on State Park Road, which is officially still County Road S7. If you miss this turn you'll end up at the Observatory. |
![]() |
Then look for the county service yard on your left. It includes several metal buildings, and a prominent antenna mast near the road with a big dish on it. There's a largish glow-in-the-headlights sign at the driveway of the service yard. The driveway of the service yard on the left is just about opposite Fern Meadow Road on the right. |
If you are just looking for snow to play on or wandering the mountain, please continue on State Park Road to the park. Fern Meadow Road and my driveway are private property. | |
![]() | There's no sign that says "Fern Meadow Road", just some small family name signs that say "Stearns", "Bill and Helen McKinley", and of course "Williamson". There's a swinging gate that's usually open and always unlocked. Feel free to open it if it's closed; it's just closed to discourage tourists. |
![]() |
Left into the second driveway. There's another little sign that says "Williamson", if it hasn't blown down. You should turn before the road starts sloping uphill toward the McKinley's. |
![]() |
Go to the end of the driveway. You're there. |
As above for 1 through 5, then:
6. Right at the sort of Y intersection, the "Lake Henshaw" fork. Go 10 more miles on State Road 76.
7. Left onto County Road S7, aka the East Grade Road. You don't get much warning here, just one small sign right before the turn. It says "Palomar Mountain 17 miles". If you miss the turn, you'll see Lake Henshaw a few curves later. Go 17 miles of windy road, not as steep or as twisty as the South Grade. Watch out for cattle on the road. Look for the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department station on your right. Not far after the fire station you'll see Mother's Kitchen on the left.
Resume the instructions above at 8.
Updated September 11, 2004. Copyright 2000 - 2004, Paul Williamson. kb5mu@amsat.org