Tolowa Dunes State Park

Dead Lake Trail & Sweetwater Creek Trail

3.9 mi · ▲ 82 ft · 1 hr 20 min

Dead Lake Trail & Sweetwater Creek Trail is a 3.9-mile out-and-back in Tolowa Dunes State Park near Crescent City, CA. It is mostly level, with 82 ft of elevation gain. It scores 74/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi16 – 85 ft3.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sand Hill Road 41.79633, -124.22373
Nearest town Crescent City, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Dead Lake Trail & Sweetwater Creek Trail

3.9 mi · ▲ 82 ft · 1 hr 20 min

Elevation 17–87 ft

Out & Back · Tolowa Dunes State Park

Trailhead: Sand Hill Road · 41.79633, -124.22373

Weather Aug 3: Partly cloudy, high 72°F / low 54° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:34 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Sand Hill Road, heading SW.
  2. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  3. 0.6 miBear right, heading S.
  4. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left onto Dead Lake Trail, heading S.
  6. 0.4 miReach Dead Lake Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 0.4 miBear left onto Sweetwater Creek Trail, heading N.
  8. 1.8 miBear left, heading E.
  9. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Sand Hill Road, heading E.
  10. 0.1 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

51% dirt49% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 72°F54°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV8Humidity78%
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:14 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:34 PM
Tue 73°51°
Wed 74°52°
Thu 80°56°
Fri 81°56°
Sat 89°58°
Sun 92°59°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 8:14 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:34 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 9:05 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Sand Hill Road Trailhead