AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mendocino Headlands State Park

Big Tree Trail via Big River Haul Road

12.2 mi · ▲ 1,649 ft · 4 hr 53 min

Big Tree Trail via Big River Haul Road is a 12.2-mile out-and-back in Mendocino Headlands State Park near Melbourne, CA. It climbs 1,649 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 62/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi13 – 929 ft · steepest grade: 18%12.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.27369, -123.68902
Nearest town Melbourne, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Big Tree Trail via Big River Haul Road

12.2 mi · ▲ 1,649 ft · 4 hr 53 min

Elevation 13–930 ft

Out & Back · Mendocino Headlands State Park

Trailhead: 39.27369, -123.68902

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 68°F / low 46° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  3. 1.4 miBear right onto Boyle's, heading N.
  4. 3.3 miBear right onto Big River Haul Road, heading NW.
  5. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 150 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail, heading E.
  7. 1 miReach Big Tree Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  8. 1 miTurn left, heading W.
  9. 200 ftTurn left onto Big River Haul Road, heading W.
  10. 100 ftBear left onto Boyle's, heading W.
  11. 3.3 miBear left, heading S.
  12. 1.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  13. 0.3 miArrive 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-tree-trail-out-back-20-km-9c1f

Trail surface

15% dirt85% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 68°F46°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV7Humidity66%
Rained 0.1″ yesterday
Hourly temperature
70°45°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat 66°49°
Sun 68°47°
Mon 76°44°
Tue 73°50°
Wed 70°47°
Thu 77°56° 16%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 7:17 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:04 PM — 6 min before dark.

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