Elephant Rock Lake–Elephant Rock Trail, 6 sights is a 15.8-mile out-and-back near Lake Alpine, CA. The route reaches Elephant Rock Lake at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It climbs 2,356 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 41/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi6,907 – 7,809 ft · steepest grade: 23%15.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Emigrant Trail 38.46863, -120.01131
Nearest town Lake Alpine, CA
Directions
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Elephant Rock Lake–Elephant Rock Trail, 6 sights
15.8 mi · ▲ 2,356 ft · 6 hr 27 min
Elevation 6,905–7,808 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Emigrant Trail · 38.46863, -120.01131
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
- Start on Emigrant Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Osborne Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 1 miTurn right onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Lake Alpine to Silver tip Path, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading E.
- 1.1 miBear right onto Bee Gulch Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Three Creeks, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Highland Creek Trail, heading S.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Elephant Rock Trail, heading SE.
- 3 miReach Elephant Rock Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 3 miContinue straight onto Highland Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Three Creeks, heading W.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Bee Gulch Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading W.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Lake Alpine to Silver tip Path, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Osborne Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miBear left onto Emigrant Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 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
89% dirt11% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~34 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
More from Emigrant Trail Trailhead
- Duck Lake Bypass Trail–Emigrant Trail, 5 sights 11.4 mi · ▲ 1,659 ft
- Lake Alpine & Lakeshore Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 169 ft
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