German Ridge–Lake Angela, 4 lakes is a 4.5-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Chinese Catfish Pond and Lake Angela before reaching German Ridge at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 715 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 6/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi7,015 – 7,323 ft · steepest grade: 26%4.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Donner Peak Trailhead 39.31470, -120.32727
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
German Ridge–Lake Angela, 4 lakes
4.5 mi · ▲ 715 ft · 1 hr 51 min
Elevation 7,015–7,322 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Donner Peak Trailhead · 39.31470, -120.32727
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miPass Chinese Catfish Pond.
- 50 ftPass Lake Angela.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Ski Ranch Lane, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.6 miReach German Ridge, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 500 ftSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading E.
- 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
89% dirt2% paved9% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:03 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 6:42 PM for the 7:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:20 PM — 10 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Donner Peak Trailhead Trailhead
- Lake Angela–Flora Lake, 10 sights 13.3 mi · ▲ 1,798 ft
- Andesite Peak–Lake Angela, 9 lakes 12 mi · ▲ 1,496 ft
- Hewlett Road & Over Ridge Road via Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road 8.3 mi · ▲ 1,922 ft
- Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 5 cliffs 3.9 mi · ▲ 983 ft
- Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road 5.4 mi · ▲ 1,345 ft
- Lake Angela–Flora Lake, 5 lakes 3.5 mi · ▲ 359 ft
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