Alameda Creek–Horseshoe Lake, 10 lakes is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Quarry Lakes Regional Park near Niles Junction, CA. The route passes Kaiser Pond, Shinn Pond, Kaiser Pond and 6 more before reaching Quarry Lakes Regional Park Beach at the turnaround, 2.7 miles in. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi39 – 89 ft6.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: San Francisco Bay Trail 37.57818, -121.96909
Nearest town Niles Junction, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Alameda Creek–Horseshoe Lake, 10 lakes
5.8 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 1 hr 57 min
Elevation 40–88 ft
Out & Back · Quarry Lakes Regional Park
Trailhead: San Francisco Bay Trail · 37.57818, -121.96909
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:15 AM · sunset 8:14 PM
Transit-accessible: Mission Boulevard & Niles Canyon Road stop 277 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on San Francisco Bay Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miPass Kaiser Pond.
- 0.3 miPass Shinn Pond.
- 50 ftPass Kaiser Pond.
- 0.2 miPass Alameda Creek.
- 0.8 miPass Willow Slough.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Chelmo Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass Horseshoe Lake.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Old Creek Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miPass Rainbow Lake.
- 150 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miPass Rainbow Lake.
- 50 ftPass Niles beach.
- 50 ftPass Quarry Lakes Regional Park Beach.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 400 ftReach Alameda Creek, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Chelmo Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto San Francisco Bay Trail, heading E.
- 2.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
96% gravel4% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:15 AMSunset 8:14 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~12 min). Leave by 7:42 PM for the 8:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM — 1 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Mission Boulevard & Niles Canyon Road stop 277 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
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