AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Pygmy Forest - panoramio (1).jpg
Kurt Minard · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jug Handle State Natural Reserve

Jug Handle Beach & Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop via Ecological Staircase Trail

7.1 mi · ▲ 519 ft · 2 hr 38 min

Jug Handle Beach & Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop via Ecological Staircase Trail is a 7.1-mile out-and-back in Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Caspar, CA. The route reaches Jug Handle Beach. It climbs 519 ft. It scores 29/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi10 – 430 ft7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.37624, -123.81721
Nearest town Caspar, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Jug Handle Beach & Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop via Ecological Staircase Trail

7.1 mi · ▲ 519 ft · 2 hr 38 min

Elevation 9–429 ft

Out & Back · Jug Handle State Natural Reserve

Trailhead: 39.37624, -123.81721

Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 65°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftPass Jug Handle Beach.
  3. 100 ftTurn left onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading NE.
  4. 1.5 miBear left, heading NE.
  5. 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  6. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop, heading N.
  7. 1.7 miReach Jug Handle Beach, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  8. 1.7 miContinue straight onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading S.
  9. 250 ftSharp right, heading W.
  10. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  11. 1.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  12. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/jughandle-jug-handle-beach-out-back-3-beaches-13-km-9c2f

Trail surface

12% dirt1% boardwalk87% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 65°F52°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity85%
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat 61°52°
Sun 59°51°
Mon 59°54°
Tue 59°57°
Wed 59°57°
Thu 61°59° 17%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:22 PM for the 7:43 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:59 PM — 12 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Caspar, California