Ecological Staircase Trail is a 2.5-mile out-and-back in Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Caspar, CA. It is mostly level, with 85 ft of elevation gain. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi171 – 279 ft2.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.37947, -123.80758
Nearest town Caspar, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Ecological Staircase Trail
2.5 mi · ▲ 85 ft · 53 min
Elevation 170–279 ft
Out & Back · Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
Trailhead: 39.37947, -123.80758
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 66°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 400 ftBear left onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading N.
- 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
28% dirt72% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 66°F53°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity78%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat
62°53°
Sun
70°50°
Mon
79°47°
Tue
76°53°
Wed
73°50°
Thu
80°58°
17%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:23 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:43 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:11 PM.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Ecological Staircase Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 87 ft
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Hikes near Caspar, California