AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Tilden Regional Park 6.jpg
Mliu92 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tilden Regional Park

Convict Viewpoint–Lake Anza, 10 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 1,656 ft · 4 hr 2 min

Convict Viewpoint–Lake Anza, 10 sights is a 9.6-mile out-and-back in Tilden Regional Park near Cragmont, CA. The route passes Jewel Lake, Lake Anza Beach and Lake Anza before reaching Convict Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.8 miles in. It climbs 1,656 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 37/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi515 – 1,624 ft · steepest grade: 17%11.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Loop Road 37.90819, -122.26201
Nearest town Cragmont, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Convict Viewpoint–Lake Anza, 10 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 1,656 ft · 4 hr 2 min

Elevation 515–1,624 ft

Out & Back · Tilden Regional Park

Trailhead: Loop Road · 37.90819, -122.26201

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM

Transit-accessible: Tilden Park Pony Rides stop 263 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Loop Road, heading N.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto Service Road, heading W.
  4. 150 ftTurn right onto Laurel Canyon Trail, heading N.
  5. 50 ftBear left onto Service Road, heading N.
  6. 150 ftTurn right onto Jewel Lake Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Loop Road, heading W.
  8. 100 ftPass Jewel Lake.
  9. 50 ftTurn right onto Jewel Lake Trail, heading W.
  10. 50 ftBear left onto Loop Road, heading W.
  11. 0.1 miTurn right onto Wildcat Creek Trail, heading NW.
  12. 400 ftTurn left onto Lower Packrat Trail, heading W.
  13. 300 ftBear left onto Upper Packrat Trail, heading NW.
  14. 50 ftTurn right onto Lower Packrat Trail, heading NW.
  15. 250 ftBear left onto Upper Packrat Trail, heading NW.
  16. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Memory Trail, heading SE.
  17. 0.5 miTurn left onto Selby Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.6 miBear right, heading S.
  19. 0.4 miPass Lake Anza Beach.
  20. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  21. 150 ftPass Lake Anza.
  22. 0.2 miBear left onto Lake Anza Trail, heading E.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  24. 150 ftBear right onto Selby Trail, heading SE.
  25. 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
  26. 200 ftBear left, heading SE.
  27. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  28. 1 miBear right onto Tower Trail, heading SE.
  29. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  30. 50 ftReach Convict Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  31. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  32. 50 ftBear left onto Grizzly Peak Trail, heading NE.
  33. 1 miTurn right onto Selby Trail, heading SW.
  34. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  35. 150 ftBear left, heading W.
  36. 1 miBear left, heading NW.
  37. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  38. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Anza Trail, heading NW.
  39. 0.1 miBear right onto Selby Trail, heading NE.
  40. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  41. 0.5 miBear left, heading W.
  42. 0.7 miTurn right onto Memory Trail, heading N.
  43. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Upper Packrat Trail, heading W.
  44. 0.3 miBear right onto Lower Packrat Trail, heading NW.
  45. 300 ftTurn left onto Upper Packrat Trail, heading W.
  46. 50 ftBear right onto Lower Packrat Trail, heading W.
  47. 300 ftTurn right onto Wildcat Creek Trail, heading SW.
  48. 400 ftTurn left onto Loop Road, heading NW.
  49. 0.1 miBear right onto Jewel Lake Trail, heading NE.
  50. 50 ftTurn left onto Loop Road, heading NE.
  51. 150 ftContinue straight onto Jewel Lake Trail, heading NE.
  52. 0.1 miTurn left onto Service Road, heading E.
  53. 150 ftBear right onto Laurel Canyon Trail, heading E.
  54. 50 ftTurn left onto Service Road, heading E.
  55. 250 ftTurn right onto Loop Road, heading W.
  56. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/convict-viewpoint-lake-anza-out-back-7-lakes-15-km-8b58

Trail surface

79% dirt6% gravel15% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:16 AMSunset 8:16 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~42 min). Leave by 7:14 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Tilden Park Pony Rides stop 263 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Loop Road Trailhead

Hikes near Cragmont, California