California Route 74, otherwise known as Ortega Highway, stretches just over 21 miles from beautiful San Juan Capistrano to growing Lake Elsinore Valley in the east.
With its origins being nothing more than an Indian footpath and a fire trail along the San Juan Creek, construction on the two-lane highway by the State of California, Orange, and Riverside Counties began in 1929. They continued through 1933 when the Elsinore-San Juan Capistrano Highway-to-the-Sea was officially completed.
Today the highway is well-traversed, and traffic can be relatively heavy at times, especially during the weekdays, as it serves commuters traveling to and from Orange County to the Inland Empire.
The road has many tight turns and elevation changes, making it very popular amongst sports bikes and sports car enthusiasts. The speed limit will typically be 55, but for those that want to enjoy the scenery, numerous turnouts can be used for taking breaks and pictures.
Before you begin, make sure you have enough gas to reach Lake Elsinore since there is essentially only wilderness in between.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
We’ll begin our trip in the oldest neighborhood in California, located across the railroad tracks from the Capistrano Train Depot. The Los Rios Historic District. Settled in the late 1700s during the construction of the Mission San Jan Capistrano, Los Rios is on the corner of Ortega Hwy and Camino Capistrano.
After crossing the 405 freeway, Ortega winds through about three miles of suburbia before the road crosses over San Juan Creek and escapes into the backcountry. The route takes you through beautiful rolling hills until it climbs into the Cleveland National Forest.
Things to do Along the Ortega Highway
Your first stop is about an eight-mile drive, Ronald A. Caspers Wilderness Park, an excellent place for hiking, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, mountain biking, photography, and wildlife viewing.
Caspers Wilderness Park
This park has a campground, a vast playground with picnic tables, and numerous trails offering a multitude of altitudes and inclines throughout the scrub and riparian landscapes. It is also an excellent spot for viewing the abundance of migratory birds that frequent the park during the spring and fall seasons.
Guests will want to stop by the Interpretive Center on arrival for more information on the trails and wildlife and some educational and exciting displays. The Center also provides visitors with a great view of the entire valley and San Juan Creek, which runs into the Cleveland National Forest.
Back onto Ortega Highway, another five miles take you to the Ortega Hot Springs. The now-closed hot springs are located just off the Ortega Highway as it enters the western boundary of the Cleveland National Forest.
Only three old San Juan Hot Springs resort buildings remain standing; the rest are shells weathered by the elements. You can explore the ruins and the nearby San Juan Creek here, but be careful. The area is secluded, and emergency services are nearly an hour away.
Ortega Oaks Campground
Back out on Ortega highway, the route narrows and heads up into the mountains through a particularly twisty section of the road. Extreme care must be taken when traveling in this section. Headlights must be turned on while climbing up through the canyon.
After 14 miles of twists and turns, you arrive at Ortega Oaks campground with its adorable little shop, Ortega Oaks Candy Store. For nearly 40 years, the store has been selling confections to satisfy even the most severe sweet tooth.
Ortega Oaks Candy Store
When entering, patrons will be greeted with the most amazing smells that will take them back to their childhood. Inside, you find a fantastic variety of hand-made delights, including dark or milk chocolate-covered honeycomb, Snickerdoodle cookies, and peanut butter cups. Loaded up on a myriad of goodies, you’re on the final leg of the Ortega Highway road trip.
A quick three-mile trip brings you to the little village of El Cariso at the crest of the Santa Ana Mountains. At one time, El Cariso was the hideout for an outlaw gang of horse rustlers. In 1857, a shootout between the team and a large posse ended with the death or capture of the band.
Ortega Highway Restaurants
Hells Kitchen Highway 74
Hell’s Kitchen has permanently closed. The new Hell’s Kitchen Motorsports Bar & Grill is at 530 Crane St, Lake Elsinore, California. The eatery was popular with bikers on the weekends and road trippers during the week. The restaurant featured indoor and outdoor dining, a coffin condiment bar, beer, wine, and good old American-style food. The building was damaged by fire, and its future use has not been announced.
Lookout Roadhouse Highway 74
Your final stop is Lookout Road House which offers a spectacular view of Lake Elsinore, the largest natural freshwater lake in Southern California, with 3,300 surface acres and over 14 miles of shoreline.
Lookout Road House serves country-style breakfast and lunch along with cold beer. You can dine inside or out in the wind on the patio. You can return down Ortega Highway to San Juan Capistrano or head down to Lake Elsinore.
Ortega Falls
One final stop before reaching Lake Elsinore overlook is Ortega Falls. Most of the time, the falls are a trickle, but after a rainstorm, the falls can be spectacular. Ortega falls are a steep but easy half-mile hike from the highway. The falls are located at mile 21 from San Juan Capistrano. There is a small parking lot off the street. Unfortunately, being so close to the road, the falls suffer from graffiti and litter that spoil the region’s beauty.
Lake Elsinore
Visitors to Lake Elsinore will discover plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, top-notch shopping outlets, antique shops, fine restaurants, and even a professional baseball stadium.
So the next time you’re looking for that perfect day trip, load up the family, fill up the gas tank and head down Ortega Highway for a good old-fashioned American road trip.
The food at The Lookout is not to be missed. The country breakfast is something I never pass up, especially with the salsa. The owner Barbara still works there pretty much every day and is as friendly as can be. There is a wood fired heater in the front, patio seating and port-a-potties outside.
There’s no charge for parking and taking in the view, but I know just buying a soda or something small helps keep things running, along with using the garbage can.