West Lakes–Castle Peak Trail, 6 sights is a 14.7-mile out-and-back near Norden, CA. The route passes West Lakes and Castle Pass. It climbs 3,053 ft, with sections as steep as 36% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 55/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi7,182 – 9,016 ft · steepest grade: 36%15.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Castle Valley North Road 39.34100, -120.34760
Nearest town Norden, CA
Directions
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West Lakes–Castle Peak Trail, 6 sights
14.7 mi · ▲ 3,053 ft · 6 hr 26 min
Elevation 7,181–9,017 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Castle Valley North Road · 39.34100, -120.34760
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Castle Valley North Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Castle Valley East OHV Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miPass West Lakes.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 1 miReach West Lakes, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Summit Lake Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Warren Lake Trail, heading E.
- 5.3 miSharp left, heading W.
- 1.7 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Castle Peak Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 300 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Castle Pass.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Hole in the Ground, heading SW.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Castle Valley North Road, heading S.
- 0.8 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
63% dirt37% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:03 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.9 mi in (~66 min). Leave by 5:38 PM for the 7:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:08 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Castle Valley North Road Trailhead
- Lily Pond–Castle Valley East OHV Trail, 5 sights 15.8 mi · ▲ 2,183 ft
- Sand Ridge Lake–Castle Valley North Road, 3 sights 10.2 mi · ▲ 1,551 ft
- Snowshed East Face–Snowshed, 11 lakes 10.6 mi · ▲ 1,177 ft
- Signal Hill–Lake Angela, 9 lakes 11.3 mi · ▲ 1,390 ft
- Red Mountain–Castle Valley East OHV Trail, 7 sights 16.1 mi · ▲ 4,018 ft
- West Lakes–Castle Valley East OHV Trail, 3 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 361 ft
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