Pygmy Forest - panoramio (1).jpg
Kurt Minard · CC BY-SA 3.0

Jughandle–Miracle Mile Sunset Point, 8 sights is a 12.3-mile out-and-back in Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Caspar, CA. The route passes Miracle Mile Sunset Point, Jugs Sunset Point, Jug Handle Beach and Jug Handle Beach before reaching Jughandle at the turnaround, 6.1 miles in. It climbs 1,299 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 36/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi10 – 551 ft · steepest grade: 15%12.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.36142, -123.78414
Nearest town Caspar, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Jughandle–Miracle Mile Sunset Point, 8 sights

12.3 mi · ▲ 1,299 ft · 4 hr 45 min

Elevation 9–552 ft

Out & Back · Jug Handle State Natural Reserve

Trailhead: 39.36142, -123.78414

Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 66°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left onto Ca Sil Xale Dah, heading SE.
  3. 0.7 miSharp left, heading N.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left onto Widowmaker, heading NW.
  5. 0.8 miBear left onto Charlie Bell, heading NW.
  6. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Miracle Mile, heading NW.
  7. 0.5 miPass Miracle Mile Sunset Point.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  9. 150 ftBear left onto Pygmy Forest Reserve Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NW.
  11. 0.4 miPass Jugs Sunset Point.
  12. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  13. 150 ftBear right onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading NW.
  14. 1.2 miPass Jug Handle Beach.
  15. 0.2 miPass Jug Handle Beach.
  16. 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  17. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  18. 500 ftReach Jughandle, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  20. 1.5 miBear left, heading E.
  21. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  22. 0.8 miTurn right onto Pygmy Forest Reserve Trail, heading E.
  23. 0.6 miBear right, heading SE.
  24. 150 ftTurn left onto Miracle Mile, heading SE.
  25. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Charlie Bell, heading SE.
  26. 0.3 miBear right onto Widowmaker, heading SE.
  27. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 0.4 miSharp right onto Ca Sil Xale Dah, heading W.
  29. 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  30. 250 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

25% dirt75% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 66°F52°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV7Humidity70%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat 62°52°
Sun 69°49°
Mon 77°46°
Tue 75°52°
Wed 72°49°
Thu 79°57° 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 — 11 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

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