California Zephyr - November 2021 - Sarah Stierch 12.jpg
Missvain · CC BY 4.0

Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 5 sights is a 7.8-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Donner, CA. The route passes Donner Pass and Petroglyph Cliff. It climbs 1,210 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi6,779 – 7,195 ft · steepest grade: 28%8.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31859, -120.31981
Nearest town Donner, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 5 sights

7.8 mi · ▲ 1,210 ft · 3 hr 12 min

Elevation 6,779–7,197 ft

Out & Back · Royal Gorge

Trailhead: 39.31859, -120.31981

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
  3. 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  7. 50 ftPass Donner Pass.
  8. 50 ftPass Petroglyph Cliff.
  9. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading W.
  10. 1.9 miSharp left onto Bill Patterson, heading W.
  11. 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
  12. 150 ftContinue straight onto Nose Dive, heading SW.
  13. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  14. 300 ftTurn right onto Ana's Chute, heading W.
  15. 0.2 miBear right onto Nose Dive, heading SE.
  16. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 500 ftTurn right onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading W.
  18. 0.2 miBear left onto Aster, heading SW.
  19. 50 ftContinue straight onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading SW.
  20. 0.2 miReach Petroglyph Cliff, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Aster, heading W.
  22. 50 ftBear right onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading SW.
  23. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  24. 500 ftTurn left onto Nose Dive, heading E.
  25. 250 ftBear left onto Ana's Chute, heading E.
  26. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  27. 300 ftBear right onto Nose Dive, heading NE.
  28. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Bill Patterson, heading NW.
  29. 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  30. 0.6 miSharp right, heading NW.
  31. 2 miTurn right, heading E.
  32. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  33. 50 ftTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
  34. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  35. 150 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

39% dirt12% gravel49% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 81°F51°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue 82°60°
Wed 82°55°
Thu 85°55°
Fri 86°56°
Sat 86°56°
Sun 87°54°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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