Frog Lake Overlook–Frog Lake Cliff, 8 lakes is an 11-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Chinese Catfish Pond, Lake Angela, Azalea Lake and 2 more before reaching Frog Lake Cliff at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 2,132 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 27/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi6,815 – 8,649 ft · steepest grade: 22%11.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31859, -120.31981
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Frog Lake Overlook–Frog Lake Cliff, 8 lakes
11 mi · ▲ 2,132 ft · 4 hr 44 min
Elevation 6,814–8,650 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.31859, -120.31981
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 500 ftBear left onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miPass Chinese Catfish Pond.
- 50 ftPass Lake Angela.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.5 miPass Azalea Lake.
- 50 ftPass Flora Lake.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Summit Lake Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Warren Lake Trail, heading E.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Frog Lake Cliff Spur, heading NW.
- 300 ftPass Frog Lake Cliff.
- 300 ftReach Frog Lake Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Warren Lake Trail, heading N.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Summit Lake Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading E.
- 1.6 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 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
83% dirt17% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 81°F51°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
82°60°
Wed
82°55°
Thu
85°55°
Fri
86°56°
Sat
86°56°
Sun
87°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.5 mi in (~183 min). Leave by 4:50 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Goldilocks Wall via Pacific Crest Trail 1.4 mi · ▲ 326 ft
- Mount Stephens & Chinese Catfish Pond via Pacific Crest Trail 2 mi · ▲ 504 ft
- Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 505 ft
- Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 3 viewpoints 3.7 mi · ▲ 856 ft
- Tunnel Rock–Snowshed, 3 cliffs 3.8 mi · ▲ 1,469 ft
- Billy Mac Canyon Viewpoint–Beaver Pond, 3 sights 4 mi · ▲ 920 ft
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