Summit Lake–Elephant Rock Lake, 6 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 2,118 ft · 6 hr 26 min
Summit Lake–Elephant Rock Lake, 6 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back near Cape Horn, CA. The route passes Elephant Rock Lake and Elephant Rock Lake before reaching Summit Lake at the turnaround, 8.1 miles in. It climbs 2,118 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 48/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Summit Lake–Elephant Rock Lake, 6 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 2,118 ft · 6 hr 26 min
Elevation 6,905–7,926 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Emigrant Trail · 38.50593, -119.94296
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 77°F / low 54° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:08 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Emigrant Trail, heading SW.
- 1.8 miBear left onto Cape Horn Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miSharp left onto Highland Creek Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Elephant Rock Trail, heading S.
- 3 miPass Elephant Rock Lake.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Union Rock Lake Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miPass Elephant Rock Lake.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Forest Route 7N01, heading SW.
- 0.7 miReach Summit Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 100 ftBear right onto Union Rock Lake Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Elephant Rock Trail, heading N.
- 3 miContinue straight onto Highland Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Cape Horn Trail, heading NW.
- 1.4 miBear right onto Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 1.8 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
Weather
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Emigrant Trail Trailhead
- Mosquito Lake–Heiser Lake Trail, 3 sights 3.6 mi · ▲ 377 ft
- Cape Horn Trail & Emigrant Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 465 ft
- Heiser Lake–Heiser Lake Trail Extension, 3 sights 7.7 mi · ▲ 1,525 ft
- Bull Run Lake & Bull Run Lake Trail 7.9 mi · ▲ 1,360 ft
- Mosquito Lake–MCCT Mosquito Lakes to Pacific Valley, 6 sights 11.5 mi · ▲ 1,850 ft
- Cape Horn Trail–Emigrant Trail, 4 sights 11.6 mi · ▲ 1,537 ft
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