Kidd Lake & Kilborn Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail
5.7 mi · ▲ 453 ft · 2 hr 8 min
Kidd Lake & Kilborn Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail is a 5.7-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Soda Springs, CA. The route passes Kilborn Lake before reaching Kidd Lake at the turnaround, 2.9 miles in. It climbs 453 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 53/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Kidd Lake & Kilborn Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail
5.7 mi · ▲ 453 ft · 2 hr 8 min
Elevation 6,691–6,984 ft
Out & Back · Royal Gorge
Trailhead: 39.31343, -120.38980
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.7 miPass Kilborn Lake.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Kidd Lake, heading N.
- 0.6 miReach Kidd Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 300 ftSharp right onto Palisade, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 350 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 7:50 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM — 11 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 280 ft
- Hewlett Rim Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Reindeer & Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail 4 mi · ▲ 310 ft
- Reindeer 4.1 mi · ▲ 498 ft
- Bill & Flora's Point–Serene Lakes, 3 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 401 ft
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 591 ft
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