Royal Gorge

Hellman Way–Sterling's Canyon Road, 3 sights

9.1 mi · ▲ 933 ft · 3 hr 30 min

Hellman Way–Sterling's Canyon Road, 3 sights is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Kingvale, CA. It climbs 933 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 83/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,670 – 6,926 ft9.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.30666, -120.41615
Nearest town Kingvale, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Hellman Way–Sterling's Canyon Road, 3 sights

9.1 mi · ▲ 933 ft · 3 hr 30 min

Elevation 6,672–6,927 ft

Out & Back · Royal Gorge

Trailhead: 39.30666, -120.41615

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 82°F / low 54° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 1.5 miBear left, heading E.
  4. 200 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 0.7 miTurn right onto Hellman Way, heading SE.
  6. 0.8 miTurn left onto Sterlings Canyon, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sterlings Canyon, heading SE.
  9. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sterling's Canyon Road, heading E.
  10. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail, heading N.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sterling's Canyon Road, heading N.
  12. 0.4 miReach Hellman Way, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail, heading SW.
  14. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sterling's Canyon Road, heading SW.
  15. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Sterlings Canyon, heading S.
  16. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail, heading SW.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Sterlings Canyon, heading SW.
  18. 50 ftTurn right onto Hellman Way, heading SW.
  19. 0.8 miTurn left, heading N.
  20. 0.7 miTurn right, heading SW.
  21. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  22. 1.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 0.4 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

90% dirt10% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 82°F54°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV8Humidity19%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue 82°61°
Wed 85°58°
Thu 85°58°
Fri 86°59°
Sat 86°59°
Sun 87°58°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.9 mi in (~53 min). Leave by 7:00 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:14 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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