Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 5 sights is a 4.7-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Pacific Crest Viewpoint and Donner Peak before reaching Donner Peak Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 1,211 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade. It scores 22/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,815 – 7,999 ft · steepest grade: 27%5.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31859, -120.31981
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 5 sights
4.7 mi · ▲ 1,211 ft · 2 hr 10 min
Elevation 6,814–7,998 ft
Out & Back
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 SW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Mount Judah Loop, heading SW.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Emigrant Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Donner Peak Spur, heading E.
- 0.1 miPass Donner Peak Viewpoint.
- 150 ftReach Donner Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Emigrant Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Mount Judah Loop, heading NE.
- 0.6 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 350 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
59% dirt41% 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°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~61 min). Leave by 6:52 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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