I wonder how many “Zonies” ever realize there is a “back” road from San Diego to Phoenix?
After Julian, the route drops down out of the mountains steeply, across the Anza-Borrego Desert Park (desert camping in the springtime), around the end of the Salton Sea, through the surprisingly large town of Brawley and finally across the northern reaches of the Yuma sand dunes until you reach the Sonoran Desert and the irrigated farmlands along the Colorado River.
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| San Diego to Julian - Click on the map for a larger view! |
Interstate 8 is the quick and obvious route – but if you have a little extra time, you might consider taking the two-lanes to Blythe, and then the remainder of the journey on I-10 (or the reverse). This route is only about 33 extra miles, but the roads are slower-going and it will likely take you two more hours than the faster interstate.
The route winds through Southern California coast-range ranchette country up through Ramona to Julian. Enough is written elsewhere about Julian that you can find much more information than I know about it -- suffice it to say it is an interesting place to visit.
The route winds through Southern California coast-range ranchette country up through Ramona to Julian. Enough is written elsewhere about Julian that you can find much more information than I know about it -- suffice it to say it is an interesting place to visit.
After Julian, the route drops down out of the mountains steeply, across the Anza-Borrego Desert Park (desert camping in the springtime), around the end of the Salton Sea, through the surprisingly large town of Brawley and finally across the northern reaches of the Yuma sand dunes until you reach the Sonoran Desert and the irrigated farmlands along the Colorado River.
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| Julian to Blythe (Click to enlarge) |
While the I-8 route between El Cajon and the I-8 drop-off at Jacumba is a fairly pretty drive, after that, the terrain is flat and un-pretty – not much to see all the way to Phoenix. After driving I-8 so many times, I am bored with it. The two-lane highways mentioned above have a lot more visual interest and are more fun for a driver. Although somewhat similar, even the final stretch of interstate super-slab from Blythe to Phoenix is a bit more visually stimulating than is I-8 in my opinion – more mountains and turns.
Last week, after spending a couple of days in San Diego, my friend Dave and I drove to Julian in time for lunch, then spent the rest of the afternoon on the back roads to Blythe. We encountered a small amount of road work and one short wait for a pilot vehicle to escort us through, but mostly it was wide open and light traffic. The descent out of the mountains into the Imperial Valley is a quick one – at the bottom the road flattens out for a little while until you pass the Salton Sea and Brawley. Every time I drive through Brawley, I have forgotten that it is actually a good-sized little city. We stopped there for a drink and a candy bar and then headed on toward the Yuma dunes.
If you’ve only seen the Yuma dunes from I-8, you probably have no idea how much ground they actually cover; my guess is that from the dunes’ edges near Yuma to their end somewhere north and near the Chocolate Mountains, you’d have to cover about 25 to 30 miles. California Route 78 passes right through the sand and you have only a few feet of pavement to make you feel desolate and somewhat lost – you could be in the Sahara somewhere.
Then, very quickly the sand is behind you and you drive through the desert scrub for a few more miles until you reach the irrigated farmlands along the Colorado River south of Blythe. The highway meanders through the fields and a series of ninety-degree turns until you reach I-10 on the west side of Blythe.
From there, you have a quick jaunt on I-10 to Phoenix; only about 150 miles will put you in city-center. If as I am, you are somewhat bored with Interstate 8, try this route for something new.
Overall, it is a tad over 387 miles and will take you about 7 hours to drive.
Last week, after spending a couple of days in San Diego, my friend Dave and I drove to Julian in time for lunch, then spent the rest of the afternoon on the back roads to Blythe. We encountered a small amount of road work and one short wait for a pilot vehicle to escort us through, but mostly it was wide open and light traffic. The descent out of the mountains into the Imperial Valley is a quick one – at the bottom the road flattens out for a little while until you pass the Salton Sea and Brawley. Every time I drive through Brawley, I have forgotten that it is actually a good-sized little city. We stopped there for a drink and a candy bar and then headed on toward the Yuma dunes.
If you’ve only seen the Yuma dunes from I-8, you probably have no idea how much ground they actually cover; my guess is that from the dunes’ edges near Yuma to their end somewhere north and near the Chocolate Mountains, you’d have to cover about 25 to 30 miles. California Route 78 passes right through the sand and you have only a few feet of pavement to make you feel desolate and somewhat lost – you could be in the Sahara somewhere.
Then, very quickly the sand is behind you and you drive through the desert scrub for a few more miles until you reach the irrigated farmlands along the Colorado River south of Blythe. The highway meanders through the fields and a series of ninety-degree turns until you reach I-10 on the west side of Blythe.
From there, you have a quick jaunt on I-10 to Phoenix; only about 150 miles will put you in city-center. If as I am, you are somewhat bored with Interstate 8, try this route for something new.
Overall, it is a tad over 387 miles and will take you about 7 hours to drive.
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