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

Jughandle–Jug Handle Beach, 3 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 518 ft · 3 hr

Jughandle–Jug Handle Beach, 3 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Heeser Addition, CA. The route passes Jug Handle Beach and Jug Handle Beach before reaching Jughandle at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 518 ft. It scores 28/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi10 – 472 ft8.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.37492, -123.77392
Nearest town Heeser Addition, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Jughandle–Jug Handle Beach, 3 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 518 ft · 3 hr

Elevation 9–473 ft

Out & Back · Jug Handle State Natural Reserve

Trailhead: 39.37492, -123.77392

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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.3 miTurn left onto Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop, heading W.
  3. 1.7 miContinue straight onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading S.
  4. 250 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  5. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  6. 1.2 miPass Jug Handle Beach.
  7. 0.2 miPass Jug Handle Beach.
  8. 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  9. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  10. 500 ftReach Jughandle, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  12. 1.5 miBear left, heading NE.
  13. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  14. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop, heading E.
  15. 1.7 miTurn right, heading E.
  16. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/jughandle-jug-handle-beach-out-back-3-beaches-13-km-cc85

Trail surface

10% dirt1% boardwalk89% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 66°F52°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity76%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat 62°52°
Sun 69°48°
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

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Heeser Addition, California