Highway 79 (Descanso to Julian)
- mapped
- 32.2 mi
- mapped
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2025
- 122
- motorcycle crashes, 2021–2025
- serious or fatal
- 19
- serious or fatal
- fatal
- 5
- fatal
Is Highway 79 (Descanso to Julian) safe to ride on a motorcycle?
We don't rate roads as safe or unsafe: crash counts can't say how risky a road is, and popular riding roads have more crashes partly because more people ride them. What the records show: 122 motorcycle crashes were reported along its 32.2 mapped miles from 2021–2025, 19 of them serious or fatal (5 fatal). 69% involved no other vehicle. What to watch for: Deer and cyclists, weekend traffic to Julian, and snow and ice in winter.
This week's weather
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How riders crash here
69% of crashes here involve only the motorcycle, usually running wide or losing grip in a corner. Enter corners slower, look through the bend, and watch for gravel, sand and diesel.
Places along the way
Common questions about Highway 79 (Descanso to Julian)
- What is Highway 79 (Descanso to Julian) like to ride?
- Rolling road through Cuyamaca Rancho State Park between Descanso and Julian.
- How long is Highway 79 (Descanso to Julian)?
- About 32.2 miles as mapped in OpenStreetMap, for the stretch we cover.
- Is Highway 79 (Descanso to Julian) open?
- Check Caltrans QuickMap (quickmap.dot.ca.gov) for closures, chain controls and roadwork before you go. Mountain roads close for snow, rockslides and fire, and some sections close every winter.
Other riding roads nearby
Crashes: motorcycle crashes reported within 60 m of the road, 2021–2025, from the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS). Road: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Weather: National Weather Service. Distances to other roads are between their middles, in a straight line. How the data works.