AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mokelumne Wilderness

Upper Blue Lake & Frog Lake via Pacific Crest Trail

14.4 mi · ▲ 3,385 ft · 6 hr 30 min

Upper Blue Lake & Frog Lake via Pacific Crest Trail is a 14.4-mile out-and-back in Mokelumne Wilderness near Kirkwood, CA. The route passes Frog Lake before reaching Upper Blue Lake at the turnaround, 7.1 miles in. It climbs 3,385 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 72/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi8,140 – 9,059 ft · steepest grade: 19%14.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail 38.69484, -119.98928
Nearest town Kirkwood, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Upper Blue Lake & Frog Lake via Pacific Crest Trail

14.4 mi · ▲ 3,385 ft · 6 hr 30 min

Elevation 8,139–9,059 ft

Out & Back · Mokelumne Wilderness

Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail · 38.69484, -119.98928

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 75°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
  2. 1.1 miPass Frog Lake.
  3. 1.1 miBear left, heading E.
  4. 1.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftSharp right onto Forestdale Road, heading NE.
  7. 0.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  8. 1.1 miSharp left onto Evergreen Trail, heading SW.
  9. 1.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  10. 0.5 miSharp right, heading S.
  11. 300 ftReach Upper Blue Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 350 ftSharp left, heading N.
  13. 1.6 miSharp right, heading NW.
  14. 1.1 miBear left, heading N.
  15. 300 ftContinue straight onto Forestdale Road, heading N.
  16. 0.4 miSharp left, heading NE.
  17. 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  18. 0.3 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
  19. 1.4 miSharp left, heading NE.
  20. 2.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/frog-lake-out-back-c52b

Trail surface

22% dirt78% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 75°F52°
Precip0%Wind11 mphUV9Humidity27%
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:10 PM
Tue 76°55°
Wed 77°55°
Thu 81°54°
Fri 81°55°
Sat 81°56°
Sun 81°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 7:47 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:28 PM — 11 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Kirkwood, California