Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 5 sights is a 4.7-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Lake Mary and Donner Peak before reaching Donner Peak Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 1,002 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 31/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi7,015 – 7,999 ft · steepest grade: 26%5.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31465, -120.32985
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 5 sights
4.7 mi · ▲ 1,002 ft · 2 hr 4 min
Elevation 7,014–7,998 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.31465, -120.32985
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Lake Mary.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lake Mary Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Mount Judah Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Donner Peak Spur, heading E.
- 0.1 miPass Donner Peak Viewpoint.
- 100 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.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Lake Mary Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 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
85% dirt15% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 80°F51°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity17%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
81°59°
Wed
85°55°
Thu
85°54°
Fri
85°55°
Sat
85°56°
Sun
86°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.3 mi in (~46 min). Leave by 7:06 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:02 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Tunnel Rock–Petroglyph Cliff, 3 cliffs 1.2 mi · ▲ 264 ft
- Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 5 viewpoints 4.1 mi · ▲ 911 ft
- Bill Patterson 4.2 mi · ▲ 218 ft
- Pacific Crest Viewpoint–Petroglyph Cliff, 5 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,113 ft
- Bill Patterson 6.1 mi · ▲ 315 ft
- Mount Lincoln Viewpoint–Lake Mary, 5 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 1,575 ft
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Hikes near Donner, California