Wallace Stegner Bench–Canyon Trail, 8 sights is a 14.5-mile out-and-back in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route reaches Wallace Stegner Bench at the turnaround, 7.2 miles in. It climbs 2,829 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade. It scores 35/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,289 – 2,556 ft · steepest grade: 25%14.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Franciscan Loop Trail 37.32640, -122.17944
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
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Wallace Stegner Bench–Canyon Trail, 8 sights
14.5 mi · ▲ 2,829 ft · 6 hr 15 min
Elevation 1,291–2,555 ft
Out & Back · Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: Franciscan Loop Trail · 37.32640, -122.17944
Weather Aug 3: 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.
- 3.2 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading SE.
- 1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Long Ridge Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miReach Wallace Stegner Bench, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading SE.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading NE.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading S.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Canyon Trail, heading NW.
- 3.2 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
30% dirt70% 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 6.3 mi in (~189 min). Leave by 4:46 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:40 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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
- Black Mountain–Monte Bello Road (Trail) Viewpoint, 5 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 855 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
- Gerow's Waterfall–Two Moon Lake, 9 sights 16.1 mi · ▲ 2,995 ft
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