Castle Peak–Lake Angela, 9 lakes is a 12-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Chinese Catfish Pond, Lake Angela, Azalea Lake and 3 more before reaching Castle Peak at the turnaround, 6 miles in. It climbs 2,452 ft, with sections as steep as 36% grade. It scores 34/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi7,071 – 9,075 ft · steepest grade: 36%13.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31854, -120.32947
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Castle Peak–Lake Angela, 9 lakes
12 mi · ▲ 2,452 ft · 5 hr 14 min
Elevation 7,070–9,074 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.31854, -120.32947
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Ski Ranch Lane, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Chinese Catfish Pond.
- 50 ftPass Lake Angela.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Azalea Lake.
- 50 ftPass Flora Lake.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Summit Lake Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass West Lakes.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 2.2 miPass Castle Pass.
- 250 ftBear right onto Castle Peak Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 300 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miReach Castle Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading W.
- 300 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 2.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 1 miBear right onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading NW.
- 1.7 miBear right onto Ski Ranch Lane, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 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
48% dirt1% paved51% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:05 AMSunset 8:12 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.1 mi in (~149 min). Leave by 5:23 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Tunnel Rock–Petroglyph Cliff, 3 cliffs 1.2 mi · ▲ 264 ft
- Mount Stephens–Lake Angela, 3 lakes 1.3 mi · ▲ 150 ft
- Goldilocks Wall–Lake Angela, 3 lakes 1.8 mi · ▲ 261 ft
- Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 3 cliffs 1.9 mi · ▲ 314 ft
- Tunnel Rock & Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 491 ft
- German Ridge via Ski Ranch Lane 2.2 mi · ▲ 328 ft
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