Willow Spring Pond–Bramhall Pond, 7 sights
5.5 mi · ▲ 940 ft · 2 hr 18 min
Willow Spring Pond–Bramhall Pond, 7 sights is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Shell Ridge Open Space near Walnut Heights, CA. The route passes Willow Spring Pond and Bramhall Pond. It climbs 940 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Willow Spring Pond–Bramhall Pond, 7 sights
5.5 mi · ▲ 940 ft · 2 hr 18 min
Elevation 218–574 ft
Out & Back · Shell Ridge Open Space
Trailhead: 37.88769, -122.01444
Weather Aug 3: Mostly clear, high 101°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 200 ftBear left onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miPass Willow Spring Pond.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Fossil Hill Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Bramhall Pond.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Indian Creek Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Fossil Hill Trail, heading NW.
- 250 ftBear right onto Kovar Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Indian Creek Trail, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Summit Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Indian Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miReach Willow Spring Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Summit Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Indian Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right onto Kovar Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Fossil Hill Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Indian Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Fossil Hill Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
- 150 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~17 min). Leave by 7:39 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM — 3 min before dark.
Other ways to reach this destination
- 10.3 mi · out & back · via Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail
- 15.5 mi · out & back · via Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail
- 4.1 mi · out & back · via Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail
- 3.4 mi · out & back · via Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail
- 3.4 mi · out & back · via Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail
More from this trailhead
- Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail & Twin Ponds Loop Trail Loop 2.1 mi · ▲ 363 ft
- Franco Ridge Loop Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 410 ft
- Foothills Trail via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 451 ft
- Bob Pond–Twin Ponds, 6 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 447 ft
- Twin Ponds–TwinPonds, 5 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 458 ft
- Franco Ridge Ridge Trail & Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 474 ft
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