AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Bucknam Tract Conservation Easement

Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint–Alder Creek Trail, 11 sights

15.6 mi · ▲ 2,557 ft · 6 hr 29 min

Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint–Alder Creek Trail, 11 sights is a 15.6-mile out-and-back in Bucknam Tract Conservation Easement near Donner Pines Tract, CA. The route reaches Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint. It climbs 2,557 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 41/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi6,231 – 7,691 ft · steepest grade: 23%18.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Alder Creek Trail 39.36515, -120.25462
Nearest town Donner Pines Tract, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint–Alder Creek Trail, 11 sights

15.6 mi · ▲ 2,557 ft · 6 hr 29 min

Elevation 6,232–7,690 ft

Out & Back · Bucknam Tract Conservation Easement

Trailhead: Alder Creek Trail · 39.36515, -120.25462

Weather Aug 5: Clear, high 84°F / low 60° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Alder Creek Trail, heading N.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  3. 50 ftBear right onto Cinammon Twist, heading N.
  4. 50 ftTurn left onto Alder Creek Trail, heading NE.
  5. 50 ftContinue straight onto North Fork, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Pony Express, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftBear left onto North Fork, heading NE.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto Cinammon Twist, heading N.
  10. 50 ftSharp right onto White Lightning, heading N.
  11. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  12. 50 ftTurn left onto Wild West, heading NW.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  15. 500 ftBear left, heading SW.
  16. 100 ftBear right, heading SW.
  17. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Flying Squirrel, heading W.
  18. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  19. 450 ftContinue straight onto True Grit, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftBear right onto Crazy Horse, heading SW.
  21. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Hastings, heading SW.
  22. 500 ftBear left onto Everest, heading NW.
  23. 0.4 miTurn left onto Upper Mother Lode, heading S.
  24. 150 ftContinue straight onto Everest, heading S.
  25. 0.5 miSharp right onto Andromeda, heading SW.
  26. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Willie's Wiggle, heading SW.
  27. 0.2 miBear left onto Drifter, heading W.
  28. 50 ftContinue straight onto Donner Lake Rim Trail, heading W.
  29. 0.9 miBear left, heading S.
  30. 50 ftTurn left onto Glacier Way Trail, heading S.
  31. 0.5 miSharp right onto Bergschrund Trail, heading S.
  32. 0.3 miBear right onto Moraine Trail, heading E.
  33. 50 ftContinue straight onto Bergschrund Trail, heading E.
  34. 250 ftBear left onto Teton Way, heading E.
  35. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  36. 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
  37. 200 ftTurn left onto Donner Lake Rim Trail, heading E.
  38. 1.6 miPass Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint.
  39. 0.6 miTurn right, heading SE.
  40. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  41. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  42. 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
  43. 150 ftBear left, heading E.
  44. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  45. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Powerline Trail, heading E.
  46. 100 ftContinue straight onto Donner Lake Rim Trail, heading E.
  47. 100 ftBear right onto Powerline Trail, heading E.
  48. 250 ftReach Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  49. 250 ftBear left onto Donner Lake Rim Trail, heading E.
  50. 100 ftContinue straight onto Powerline Trail, heading E.
  51. 150 ftContinue straight onto Donner Lake Rim Trail, heading E.
  52. 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
  53. 350 ftBear right, heading E.
  54. 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
  55. 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
  56. 450 ftBear right, heading W.
  57. 2.4 miTurn right, heading W.
  58. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  59. 100 ftTurn left onto Teton Way, heading W.
  60. 0.1 miBear right onto Bergschrund Trail, heading W.
  61. 200 ftContinue straight onto Moraine Trail, heading W.
  62. 50 ftBear left onto Bergschrund Trail, heading W.
  63. 0.3 miSharp left onto Glacier Way Trail, heading W.
  64. 0.5 miTurn right onto Donner Lake Rim Trail, heading NE.
  65. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  66. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Drifter, heading SW.
  67. 50 ftBear right onto Willie's Wiggle, heading SW.
  68. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Andromeda, heading W.
  69. 0.2 miSharp left onto Everest, heading W.
  70. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Upper Mother Lode, heading N.
  71. 150 ftTurn right onto Everest, heading N.
  72. 0.4 miBear right onto Hastings, heading NW.
  73. 500 ftContinue straight onto Crazy Horse, heading NW.
  74. 0.3 miBear left onto True Grit, heading NE.
  75. 500 ftBear left onto Flying Squirrel, heading NE.
  76. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  77. 100 ftBear right, heading NE.
  78. 450 ftTurn left onto Wild West, heading NE.
  79. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  80. 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  81. 50 ftBear left onto White Lightning, heading NE.
  82. 0.2 miSharp left onto Cinammon Twist, heading NE.
  83. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  84. 50 ftTurn right onto North Fork, heading NE.
  85. 50 ftBear right onto Pony Express, heading NE.
  86. 50 ftContinue straight onto North Fork, heading NE.
  87. 50 ftContinue straight onto Alder Creek Trail, heading NE.
  88. 50 ftTurn right onto Cinammon Twist, heading NE.
  89. 50 ftBear left onto Alder Creek Trail, heading NE.
  90. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  91. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/donner-lake-rim-viewpoint-out-back-22-km-367b

Trail surface

92% dirt3% gravel2% other3% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 84°F60°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity18%
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Thu 85°59°
Fri 91°58°
Sat 91°61°
Sun 90°60°
Mon 88°57°
Tue 87°56°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Alder Creek Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Donner Pines Tract, California