Bodhidharma Cave–Canyon Trail, 7 sights is a 14.8-mile out-and-back in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route reaches Bodhidharma Cave. It climbs 2,739 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 33/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,289 – 2,412 ft · steepest grade: 28%15.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.28224, -122.14970
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Bodhidharma Cave–Canyon Trail, 7 sights
14.8 mi · ▲ 2,739 ft · 6 hr 18 min
Elevation 1,291–2,412 ft
Out & Back · Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: 37.28224, -122.14970
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 87°F / low 65° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Peters Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 0.6 miPass Bodhidharma Cave.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading N.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Canyon Trail, heading E.
- 3.2 miContinue straight onto Franciscan Loop Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 100 ftReach Bodhidharma Cave, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading SE.
- 3.2 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading W.
- 1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear left onto Portola Heights Road, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
- 300 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
29% dirt71% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 87°F65°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity19%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Wed
87°54°
Thu
94°51°
Fri
98°56°
Sat
98°58°
Sun
93°53°
Mon
91°48°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 7:36 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Gerow's Waterfall–Wallace Stegner Bench Loop, 6 sights 3.1 mi · ▲ 355 ft
- Gerow's Waterfall–Two Moon Lake, 3 sights 6.3 mi · ▲ 1,304 ft
- Horseshoe Lake–Bodhidharma Cave, 5 sights 8.2 mi · ▲ 1,262 ft
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