Goat Rock–Parking Lot Rock, 6 sights is an 11.9-mile out-and-back in Castle Rock State Park near San Lorenzo Park, CA. The route passes Goat Rock, Parking Lot Rock and Lyme Disease Rock. It climbs 2,441 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 32/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,369 – 3,153 ft · steepest grade: 16%12.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.25553, -122.11795
Nearest town San Lorenzo Park, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Goat Rock–Parking Lot Rock, 6 sights
11.9 mi · ▲ 2,441 ft · 5 hr 11 min
Elevation 2,369–3,154 ft
Out & Back · Castle Rock State Park
Trailhead: 37.25553, -122.11795
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 90°F / low 68° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Skyline Trail, heading SE.
- 1.3 miSharp right onto Loughry Woods Trail, heading SW.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Service Road Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miPass Goat Rock.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Saratoga Gap Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miPass Parking Lot Rock.
- 250 ftSharp right onto Castle Rock Trail, heading NE.
- 100 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miPass Lyme Disease Rock.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Skyline Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miReach Goat Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Castle Rock Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftSharp left onto Saratoga Gap Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1.8 miTurn right onto Service Road Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Loughry Woods Trail, heading E.
- 1.6 miSharp left onto Skyline Trail, heading W.
- 1.3 miBear left, heading NW.
- 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
86% dirt5% gravel9% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 90°F68°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity42%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue
85°66°
Wed
86°53°
Thu
92°49°
Fri
96°54°
Sat
96°56°
Sun
96°52°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:55 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:15 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:44 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Lookout Tower via Skyline Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 322 ft
- Skyline Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 459 ft
- Skyline Trail & Summit Rock Loop Trail 5 mi · ▲ 1,013 ft
- Loughry Woods Trail & Service Road Trail 5.8 mi · ▲ 967 ft
- Saratoga Gap Trail–Service Road Trail, 3 sights 6.2 mi · ▲ 1,315 ft
- Saratoga Gap & Table Mountain Trail 9 mi · ▲ 1,504 ft
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Hikes near San Lorenzo Park, California