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
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Donner Pass.
- 50 ftPass Petroglyph Cliff.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading W.
- 1.9 miSharp left onto Bill Patterson, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Nose Dive, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Ana's Chute, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Nose Dive, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 500 ftTurn right onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Aster, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading SW.
- 0.2 miReach Petroglyph Cliff, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Aster, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Nose Dive, heading E.
- 250 ftBear left onto Ana's Chute, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 300 ftBear right onto Nose Dive, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Bill Patterson, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 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
More from this trailhead
- Goldilocks Wall via Pacific Crest Trail 1.4 mi · ▲ 326 ft
- Mount Stephens & Chinese Catfish Pond via Pacific Crest Trail 2 mi · ▲ 504 ft
- Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 505 ft
- Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 3 viewpoints 3.7 mi · ▲ 856 ft
- Tunnel Rock–Snowshed, 3 cliffs 3.8 mi · ▲ 1,469 ft
- Billy Mac Canyon Viewpoint–Beaver Pond, 3 sights 4 mi · ▲ 920 ft
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Hikes near Donner, California