Donner Pass - Flickr - Joe Parks.jpg
Joe Parks · CC BY 2.0

Donner Summit Lakes Trail–Hewlett Road, 3 sights is a 9.6-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Donner, CA. It climbs 2,127 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,378 – 7,267 ft · steepest grade: 22%10.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31710, -120.32830
Nearest town Donner, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Donner Summit Lakes Trail–Hewlett Road, 3 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 2,127 ft · 4 hr 16 min

Elevation 6,378–7,267 ft

Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park

Trailhead: 39.31710, -120.32830

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM

Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
  3. 0.1 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SE.
  6. 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
  7. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  8. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  9. 500 ftContinue straight onto Tunnel #8, heading E.
  10. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
  11. 0.2 miSharp left, heading SE.
  12. 200 ftBear right, heading SE.
  13. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  14. 0.7 miSharp right, heading NE.
  15. 0.5 miTurn right onto Over Ridge Road, heading E.
  16. 0.7 miSharp left onto Hewlett Road, heading SE.
  17. 0.8 miReach Donner Summit Lakes Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.8 miSharp right onto Over Ridge Road, heading W.
  19. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  20. 0.5 miSharp left, heading W.
  21. 0.7 miTurn left, heading SW.
  22. 350 ftBear left, heading W.
  23. 150 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  24. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  25. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #8, heading NW.
  26. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  27. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  28. 50 ftSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
  29. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  30. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  31. 0.2 miSharp left, heading S.
  32. 500 ftSharp left onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading NW.
  33. 0.3 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

66% dirt28% gravel6% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 80°F51°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity21%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue 82°59°
Wed 81°55°
Thu 85°54°
Fri 85°55°
Sat 85°56°
Sun 86°54°

Good to know

  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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