Goat Rock–Lookout Tower, 5 sights is an 8.7-mile out-and-back in Castle Rock State Park near San Lorenzo Park, CA. The route passes Lookout Tower and Goat Rock. It climbs 1,821 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 42/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi2,385 – 2,979 ft9.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.24591, -122.11049
Nearest town San Lorenzo Park, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Goat Rock–Lookout Tower, 5 sights
8.7 mi · ▲ 1,821 ft · 3 hr 49 min
Elevation 2,387–2,981 ft
Out & Back · Castle Rock State Park
Trailhead: 37.24591, -122.11049
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 87°F / low 67° · precip 0% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 350 ftPass Lookout Tower.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Skyline Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Service Road Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Loughry Woods Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Service Road Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miPass Goat Rock.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Saratoga Gap Trail, heading E.
- 0.6 miReach Goat Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miSharp left onto Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 1.8 miTurn right onto Service Road Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Loughry Woods Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Service Road Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading E.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Skyline Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miSharp left, heading N.
- 350 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
96% dirt2% paved2% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 87°F67°
Feels like80°Precip0%Wind1 mphUV8Humidity39%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue
84°63°
Wed
83°50°
Thu
94°50°
Fri
99°57°
Sat
97°59°
Sun
92°51°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:53 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:32 PM — 12 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Summit Rock–Lookout Tower, 3 summits 2.6 mi · ▲ 414 ft
- Saratoga Gap Trail & Service Road Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 840 ft
- Lookout Tower–Loughry Woods Trail, 4 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 829 ft
- Emily Smith Observation Point & Service Road Trail via Ridge Trail 5.2 mi · ▲ 1,015 ft
- Goat Rock Overlook & Service Road Trail via Ridge Trail 5.9 mi · ▲ 1,212 ft
- Lookout Tower–Goat Rock Overlook, 3 summits 7.5 mi · ▲ 1,412 ft
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Hikes near San Lorenzo Park, California