Woodlands Special Treatment Area

Big Dipper–Eagle's Roost Trail, 8 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 2,133 ft · 5 hr 16 min

Big Dipper–Eagle's Roost Trail, 8 sights is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Woodlands Special Treatment Area near Whiskey Springs, CA. It climbs 2,133 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi26 – 997 ft · steepest grade: 22%13.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Thompsom Gulch Trail 39.35738, -123.71135
Nearest town Whiskey Springs, CA

Directions

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Big Dipper–Eagle's Roost Trail, 8 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 2,133 ft · 5 hr 16 min

Elevation 27–998 ft

Out & Back · Woodlands Special Treatment Area

Trailhead: Thompsom Gulch Trail · 39.35738, -123.71135

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

  1. Start on Thompsom Gulch Trail, heading N.
  2. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  3. 1.9 miTurn left onto Woodlands Trail, heading SE.
  4. 150 ftTurn right onto Eagle's Roost Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.3 miBear left onto Staircase, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miSharp left onto Old Jeep Trail, heading W.
  7. 0.8 miSharp left onto Big Dipper, heading E.
  8. 1.2 miReach Thompsom Gulch Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.5 miSharp right onto Wheel Gulch Trail, heading N.
  10. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Big River Haul Road, heading S.
  11. 2.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  12. 200 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail, heading W.
  13. 150 ftBear left onto Marsh Creek Trail, heading W.
  14. 1.8 miContinue straight onto Staircase, heading N.
  15. 0.5 miBear right onto Eagle's Roost Trail, heading E.
  16. 0.3 miTurn left onto Woodlands Trail, heading SE.
  17. 150 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftTurn left onto Thompsom Gulch Trail, heading SE.
  19. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  20. 1.7 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

44% dirt1% gravel55% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:43 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:23 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:43 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:10 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

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