AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Waterfall in Russian Gulch State Park.jpg
Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0
Russian Gulch State Park

Russian Gulch–East Trail, 7 sights

14.9 mi · ▲ 1,707 ft · 5 hr 49 min

Russian Gulch–East Trail, 7 sights is a 14.9-mile out-and-back in Russian Gulch State Park near Mendocino, CA. The route passes Russian Gulch and Russian Gulch. It climbs 1,707 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 62/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi20 – 663 ft · steepest grade: 16%15.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: South Headlands Trail 39.32523, -123.80350
Nearest town Mendocino, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Russian Gulch–East Trail, 7 sights

14.9 mi · ▲ 1,707 ft · 5 hr 49 min

Elevation 19–663 ft

Out & Back · Russian Gulch State Park

Trailhead: South Headlands Trail · 39.32523, -123.80350

Weather Sep 5: Fog, high 66°F / low 51° · precip 2% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on South Headlands Trail, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Russian Gulch.
  3. 0.5 miBear right onto South Trail, heading E.
  4. 50 ftPass Russian Gulch.
  5. 2.3 miBear left onto Falls Loop Trail, heading NE.
  6. 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading SE.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  9. 250 ftTurn right onto North Boundary Trail, heading NE.
  10. 0.4 miBear right onto Parallel Action, heading SE.
  11. 1.2 miTurn right onto Nitro, heading S.
  12. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Little Lake-Sherwood Trail, heading S.
  13. 1.3 miBear left, heading S.
  14. 0.3 miReach Russian Gulch, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 1.6 miContinue straight onto Nitro, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  17. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Parallel Action, heading NW.
  18. 0.7 miBear left, heading NW.
  19. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NW.
  20. 250 ftTurn left onto East Trail, heading NW.
  21. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  22. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Falls Loop Trail, heading SE.
  23. 0.6 miBear right onto Fern Canyon Trail, heading SW.
  24. 2.3 miBear left onto South Headlands Trail, heading W.
  25. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/blair-east-trail-out-back-5-sights

Trail surface

65% dirt35% unspecified

Weather

FogTemperature 66°F51°
Precip2%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity91%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sun 65°51°
Mon 80°47°
Tue 80°56°
Wed 82°54°
Thu 89°62°
Fri 77°55° 20%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:22 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

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Mendocino, California