AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Alameda Creek from Riverside Avenue (1), April 2024.jpg
Pi.1415926535 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quarry Lakes Regional Park

Alameda Creek–Horseshoe Lake, 10 lakes

5.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 51 min

Alameda Creek–Horseshoe Lake, 10 lakes is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Quarry Lakes Regional Park near Niles Junction, CA. The route passes Kaiser Pond, Shinn Pond, Kaiser Pond and 7 more. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi39 – 79 ft6.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.57529, -121.97061
Nearest town Niles Junction, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Alameda Creek–Horseshoe Lake, 10 lakes

5.5 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 51 min

Elevation 40–80 ft

Out & Back · Quarry Lakes Regional Park

Trailhead: 37.57529, -121.97061

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:15 AM · sunset 8:14 PM

Transit-accessible: Mission Boulevard & Niles Boulevard stop 105 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftBear right onto San Francisco Bay Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.5 miPass Kaiser Pond.
  4. 0.3 miPass Shinn Pond.
  5. 50 ftPass Kaiser Pond.
  6. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  7. 250 ftBear left, heading W.
  8. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  9. 0.2 miPass Alameda Creek.
  10. 0.8 miPass Willow Slough.
  11. 0.1 miTurn right onto Chelmo Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.1 miPass Horseshoe Lake.
  13. 250 ftTurn left onto Old Creek Trail, heading NE.
  14. 0.1 miPass Rainbow Lake.
  15. 100 ftBear right, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miPass Rainbow Lake.
  17. 50 ftPass Niles beach.
  18. 50 ftPass Quarry Lakes Regional Park Beach.
  19. 500 ftContinue straight onto Californio, heading NW.
  20. 350 ftBear right, heading N.
  21. 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 250 ftReach Alameda Creek, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  25. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  26. 0.5 miBear left onto Old Creek Trail, heading SE.
  27. 0.1 miTurn right onto Chelmo Trail, heading S.
  28. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  29. 50 ftContinue straight onto San Francisco Bay Trail, heading SE.
  30. 0.9 miBear left, heading E.
  31. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  32. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  33. 0.8 miBear left, heading E.
  34. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/alameda-creek-horseshoe-lake-out-back-15-lakes-9-km

Trail surface

85% gravel9% dirt3% paved3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:15 AMSunset 8:14 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 7:47 PM for the 8:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM — 6 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Mission Boulevard & Niles Boulevard stop 105 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Niles Junction, California