Touring * Beginner * Slalom *

From State Highway 60 at Moreno Valley east of Riverside, take the Moreno Beach Drive exit, south. This is also the Lake Perris State Recreational Area exit. Proceed across the valley and climb the hill. Almost three miles from Highway 60, Moreno Beach turns left to go over the hill to Lake Perris. The day-use fee is $6 per car at the entry kiosk. Head toward the lake and park in any lot.

There are so many wide, prime-quality sidewalks on the north shore of Lake Perris, you can almost get lost traversing them from parking lot to picnic area to marina to beach. The place could be a fantastic playland on a clear winter or spring day without the crowds and their various motorized modes of transportation to deal with. In-lines are ideal for getting around, and it's surprising how few people you'll be sharing the sidewalks with. Even at peak summer hours they're relatively empty, because the real action most people come here for is either at their picnic tables, on the beach, or in and on the water. Most of the sidewalks border the parking lots, criss-crossing both lengthwise and up and down from the lots to the picnic and beach areas. In the up/down directions, a slight slope brings up adrenaline levels, and at the east edge of lot 12, another long, gently sloped section bordered by lawn attracts fledgling speed demons. Since this is a very popular family destination, please stay on the alert for children darting across your path, no matter where you skate. On a slow day, you should be able to cruise around some of the concrete picnic areas prevalent at the west end and frolic in the parking lots themselves.