Cowlick Look–Decision Point, 5 sights is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Watershed near Byron, CA. The route passes Cowlick Look before reaching Decision Point at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 3,505 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi341 – 2,011 ft · steepest grade: 21%16.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.84126, -121.72516
Nearest town Byron, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Cowlick Look–Decision Point, 5 sights
15.9 mi · ▲ 3,505 ft · 7 hr 3 min
Elevation 343–2,010 ft
Out & Back · Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Watershed
Trailhead: 37.84126, -121.72516
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 7:33 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 1.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Oak Savannah Trail, heading W.
- 2.9 miSharp right onto Adobe Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miBear left onto Miwok Trail, heading SW.
- 1.9 miBear left onto Blue Oak Trail, heading S.
- 150 ftPass Decision Point.
- 50 ftReach Cowlick Look, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 200 ftBear right onto Miwok Trail, heading S.
- 1.9 miBear right onto Adobe Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miSharp left onto Oak Savannah Trail, heading SE.
- 2.9 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 1.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
60% dirt40% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 7:33 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 7.9 mi in (~267 min). Leave by 2:46 PM for the 7:33 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:27 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Los Vaqueros Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,449 ft
- Eagle Ridge Trail & Mariposa Canyon Trail 8.9 mi · ▲ 2,052 ft
- Badger Pass & Oak Savannah Trail 10.7 mi · ▲ 2,218 ft
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