Borges Ranch Trail–Franco Ridge Loop Trail, 3 sights
2.9 mi · ▲ 720 ft · 1 hr 20 min
Borges Ranch Trail–Franco Ridge Loop Trail, 3 sights is a 2.9-mile out-and-back in Shell Ridge Open Space near Alamo Oaks, CA. It climbs 720 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 59/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Borges Ranch Trail–Franco Ridge Loop Trail, 3 sights
2.9 mi · ▲ 720 ft · 1 hr 20 min
Elevation 379–704 ft
Out & Back · Shell Ridge Open Space
Trailhead: Borges Ranch Trail · 37.88051, -121.99975
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 99°F / low 67° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
- Start on Borges Ranch Trail, heading NW.
- 500 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Foothills Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Franco Ridge Loop Trail, heading SW.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miReach Borges Ranch Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Franco Ridge Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 500 ftBear left onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Foothills Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Borges Ranch Trail, heading SE.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:54 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM — 12 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
Other ways to reach this destination
- 2.1 mi · loop · via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail
- 2.5 mi · out & back · via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail
- 2.3 mi · out & back · via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail
- 2.9 mi · out & back · via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail
- 4 mi · out & back · via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail
- 6 mi · out & back · via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail
More from Borges Ranch Trail Trailhead
- Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 266 ft
- Sulfur Spring–Buckeye Ravine Viewpoint, 4 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 372 ft
- China Wall Road via Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail 2.8 mi · ▲ 312 ft
- Buckeye Ravine Viewpoint–Buckeye Ravine Trail, 3 sights 4 mi · ▲ 658 ft
- Willow Spring Pond–Twin Ponds, 6 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 630 ft
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