AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Reflections in Lake Alpine, Alpine County.jpg
Don DeBold · CC BY 2.0

Duck Lake Bypass Trail–Emigrant Trail, 5 sights

11.4 mi · ▲ 1,659 ft · 4 hr 38 min

Duck Lake Bypass Trail–Emigrant Trail, 5 sights is an 11.4-mile out-and-back near Lake Alpine, CA. It climbs 1,659 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 21/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi7,185 – 7,809 ft11.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Emigrant Trail 38.46863, -120.01131
Nearest town Lake Alpine, CA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Duck Lake Bypass Trail–Emigrant Trail, 5 sights

11.4 mi · ▲ 1,659 ft · 4 hr 38 min

Elevation 7,184–7,808 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Emigrant Trail · 38.46863, -120.01131

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM

  1. Start on Emigrant Trail, heading W.
  2. 0.4 miBear right onto Osborne Ridge Trail, heading W.
  3. 1 miTurn right onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right onto Lake Alpine to Silver tip Path, heading E.
  5. 50 ftTurn left onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading E.
  6. 1.1 miBear right onto Bee Gulch Trail, heading SE.
  7. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Three Creeks, heading E.
  8. 0.8 miTurn left onto Highland Creek Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.4 miTurn left onto Duck Lake Bypass Trail, heading E.
  10. 1.3 miReach Emigrant Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 1.3 miTurn right onto Highland Creek Trail, heading W.
  12. 0.4 miTurn right onto Three Creeks, heading NW.
  13. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Bee Gulch Trail, heading W.
  14. 0.5 miBear left onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading W.
  15. 1.1 miTurn right onto Lake Alpine to Silver tip Path, heading W.
  16. 50 ftTurn left onto Osborne Ridge Trail Connector, heading W.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left onto Osborne Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  18. 1 miBear left onto Emigrant Trail, heading E.
  19. 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/duck-lake-bypass-trail-emigrant-trail-out-back-5-sights

Trail surface

70% dirt30% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~33 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Emigrant Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Lake Alpine, California