Crows Nest–Snowshed, 7 cliffs is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Onion Creek Experimental Forest near Donner, CA. The route passes Snowshed, Snowshed North Face, Donner Pass and Petroglyph Cliff before reaching Crows Nest at the turnaround, 4.2 miles in. It climbs 1,654 ft, with sections as steep as 42% grade. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,779 – 7,832 ft · steepest grade: 42%9.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31710, -120.31915
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Crows Nest–Snowshed, 7 cliffs
8.4 mi · ▲ 1,654 ft · 3 hr 38 min
Elevation 6,779–7,833 ft
Out & Back · Onion Creek Experimental Forest
Trailhead: 39.31710, -120.31915
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Snowshed.
- 50 ftPass Snowshed North Face.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear left, 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 SE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Nose Dive, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Ana's Chute, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Nose Dive, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Razorback, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.4 miReach Crows Nest, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Nose Dive, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Ana's Chute, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 300 ftBear right onto Nose Dive, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Bill Patterson, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right, heading E.
- 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
32% dirt12% gravel56% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:03 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.6 mi in (~109 min). Leave by 4:55 PM for the 7:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 5 sights 7.8 mi · ▲ 1,210 ft
- Tunnel Rock–Snowshed, 5 cliffs 7.7 mi · ▲ 2,074 ft
- Frog Lake–Lake Angela, 9 lakes 15.1 mi · ▲ 3,375 ft
- Frog Lake Overlook–Frog Lake Cliff, 8 lakes 11 mi · ▲ 2,132 ft
- Mount Disney–Petroglyph Cliff, 5 sights 9.4 mi · ▲ 2,079 ft
- Crest Divide Road & Emigrant Trail 7.6 mi · ▲ 1,725 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Donner, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Donner, California