Caples Lake via Red Cliffs is a 3-mile out-and-back near Kirkwood, CA. The route reaches Caples Lake at the turnaround, 1.5 miles in. It climbs 434 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi7,746 – 7,930 ft · steepest grade: 15%3.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 38.68737, -120.06583
Nearest town Kirkwood, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Caples Lake via Red Cliffs
3 mi · ▲ 434 ft · 1 hr 13 min
Elevation 7,748–7,931 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 38.68737, -120.06583
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 78°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Red Cliffs, heading N.
- 1.2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miReach Caples Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
ClearTemperature 78°F48°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV9Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
80°45°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:10 PM
Tue
78°55°
Wed
83°57°
Thu
83°57°
Fri
83°58°
Sat
83°58°
Sun
83°57°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~33 min). Leave by 7:17 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Caples Crest–Iron Horse Road, 5 sights 3.3 mi · ▲ 763 ft
- Lower Corral–Red Cliffs, 5 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 659 ft
- Red Cliffs–Robey Wolfe, 3 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 769 ft
- Hole 'N Wall–Red Cliffs, 4 sights 5.3 mi · ▲ 1,067 ft
- Red Cliffs–Robey Wolfe, 4 sights 5.6 mi · ▲ 1,099 ft
- Caples Lake–Caples Crest Loop, 7 sights 6.1 mi · ▲ 971 ft
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