Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 7 sights is an 8-mile out-and-back near Norden, CA. The route passes Donner Pass, Petroglyph Cliff, Pacific Crest Viewpoint and Donner Peak before reaching Donner Peak Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4 miles in. It climbs 1,402 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,897 – 7,999 ft · steepest grade: 24%8.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31738, -120.35445
Nearest town Norden, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 7 sights
8 mi · ▲ 1,402 ft · 3 hr 22 min
Elevation 6,895–7,998 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.31738, -120.35445
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 55° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Donner Pass.
- 50 ftPass Petroglyph Cliff.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Mount Judah Loop, heading S.
- 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.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Emigrant Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Mount Judah Loop, heading SW.
- 0.6 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading E.
- 1.7 miBear right, heading NW.
- 250 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
31% dirt12% gravel57% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 81°F55°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity23%
Hourly temperature
85°55°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
81°61°
Wed
81°55°
Thu
85°55°
Fri
85°56°
Sat
86°56°
Sun
87°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~102 min). Leave by 6:10 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:52 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Bill Patterson 3.7 mi · ▲ 292 ft
- Ana's Chute–Claim Jumper Bike Route, 3 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 700 ft
- Tunnel Rock–Petroglyph Cliff, 3 cliffs 4 mi · ▲ 548 ft
- Bill Patterson 4.4 mi · ▲ 294 ft
- Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 3 cliffs 4.5 mi · ▲ 484 ft
- Timberline via Summit Connection 4.7 mi · ▲ 382 ft
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Hikes near Norden, California