AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Wilder Ranch State Park

Arboretum Pond–Mailboxes, 4 sights

7 mi · ▲ 990 ft · 2 hr 50 min

Arboretum Pond–Mailboxes, 4 sights is a 7-mile out-and-back in Wilder Ranch State Park near Rincon, CA. The route reaches Arboretum Pond at the turnaround, 3.5 miles in. It climbs 990 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi322 – 1,122 ft · steepest grade: 17%7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Chinquapin Road 37.01772, -122.07933
Nearest town Rincon, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Arboretum Pond–Mailboxes, 4 sights

7 mi · ▲ 990 ft · 2 hr 50 min

Elevation 320–1,122 ft

Out & Back · Wilder Ranch State Park

Trailhead: Chinquapin Road · 37.01772, -122.07933

Weather Aug 3: Overcast, high 76°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM

Transit-accessible: Empire Grade (Mile 13) stop 589 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Mailboxes, heading SE.
  2. 1.7 miBear right, heading S.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Mailbox, heading S.
  4. 0.8 miTurn right onto Wally World, heading W.
  5. 200 ftSharp left onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading W.
  6. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 0.1 miReach Arboretum Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 0.8 miSharp right onto Wally World, heading W.
  11. 200 ftTurn left onto Red Mailbox, heading N.
  12. 2.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mailboxes, heading N.
  14. 450 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/arboretum-pond-mailboxes-out-back-4-sights

Trail surface

40% dirt12% gravel48% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 76°F50°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity58%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue 73°49°
Wed 85°52°
Thu 90°53°
Fri 100°60°
Sat 102°59°
Sun 89°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~13 min). Leave by 7:42 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Empire Grade (Mile 13) stop 589 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Chinquapin Road Trailhead

Hikes near Rincon, California