Black Mountain–Monte Bello Road (Trail) Viewpoint, 5 sights is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Black Mountain before reaching Monte Bello Road (Trail) Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 855 ft. It scores 47/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,083 – 2,815 ft5.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Franciscan Loop Trail 37.32640, -122.17944
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Black Mountain–Monte Bello Road (Trail) Viewpoint, 5 sights
4.9 mi · ▲ 855 ft · 2 hr 4 min
Elevation 2,084–2,814 ft
Out & Back · Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: Franciscan Loop Trail · 37.32640, -122.17944
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 89°F / low 66° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Franciscan Loop Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Bella Vista Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Monte Bello Road (Trail), heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Monte Bello Road (Trail) Viewpoint.
- 50 ftReach Black Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Bella Vista Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Franciscan Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 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 surface
38% gravel32% dirt30% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 89°F66°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity29%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue
84°63°
Wed
81°50°
Thu
89°50°
Fri
95°56°
Sat
90°53°
Sun
82°46°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~28 min). Leave by 7:27 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Franciscan Loop Trail Trailhead
- Canyon Trail–Franciscan Loop Trail, 3 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 230 ft
- Franciscan Loop Trail–Lost Creek Loop Trail, 3 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 369 ft
- Canyon Trail & Franciscan Loop Trail 8.6 mi · ▲ 1,243 ft
- Ewing Hill–Bella Vista Trail, 9 sights 13.4 mi · ▲ 3,101 ft
- Wallace Stegner Bench–Canyon Trail, 8 sights 14.5 mi · ▲ 2,829 ft
- Gerow's Waterfall–Two Moon Lake, 9 sights 16.1 mi · ▲ 2,995 ft
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