Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Chalks Road

6.5 mi · ▲ 1,359 ft · 2 hr 51 min

Chalks Road is a 6.5-mile out-and-back in Big Basin Redwoods State Park near Swanton, CA. It climbs 1,359 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi679 – 1,578 ft · steepest grade: 19%6.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.13635, -122.29764
Nearest town Swanton, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Chalks Road

6.5 mi · ▲ 1,359 ft · 2 hr 51 min

Elevation 680–1,578 ft

Out & Back · Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Trailhead: 37.13635, -122.29764

Weather Aug 3: Fog, high 70°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 1.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  3. 0.9 miTurn left onto Chalks Truck Trail, heading NW.
  4. 350 ftContinue straight onto Chalks Road, heading NW.
  5. 1.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  6. 0.6 miBear left, heading SE.
  7. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Chalks Truck Trail, heading SE.
  8. 350 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 0.9 miTurn left, heading S.
  10. 1.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

38% dirt62% unspecified

Weather

FogTemperature 70°F50°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV6Humidity99%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue 66°54°
Wed 65°53°
Thu 66°54°
Fri 69°55°
Sat 68°54°
Sun 64°52°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 7:50 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:34 PM — 10 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

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