AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Big Chief Trail (Middle)

9.8 mi · ▲ 1,096 ft · 3 hr 49 min

Big Chief Trail (Middle) is a 9.8-mile out-and-back near Ponderosa Palisades, CA. It climbs 1,096 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 77/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,880 – 7,533 ft10.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.25217, -120.19457
Nearest town Ponderosa Palisades, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Chief Trail (Middle)

9.8 mi · ▲ 1,096 ft · 3 hr 49 min

Elevation 6,879–7,535 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.25217, -120.19457

Weather Sep 20: Overcast, high 70°F / low 43° · precip 2% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:03 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 150 ftBear right, heading W.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left onto Big Chief Trail (Lower), heading SW.
  4. 4.4 miTurn left onto Sawtooth Spur, heading E.
  5. 250 ftContinue straight onto Northstar Service Road 700, heading N.
  6. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  7. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Sawtooth Spur, heading NW.
  8. 250 ftTurn right onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading S.
  9. 4.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  11. 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/big-chief-trail-middle-out-back-16-km-c56f

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

OvercastTemperature 70°F43°
Precip2%Wind8 mphUV6Humidity26%
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 7:03 PM
Mon 72°49°
Tue 75°46°
Wed 75°45°
Thu 70°45°
Fri 69°42°
Sat 70°41°

Other ways to reach this destination

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Hikes near Ponderosa Palisades, California