Kilborn Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail
4.7 mi · ▲ 339 ft · 1 hr 44 min
Kilborn Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail is a 4.7-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Soda Springs, CA. The route reaches Kilborn Lake at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It climbs 339 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 54/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Kilborn Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail
4.7 mi · ▲ 339 ft · 1 hr 44 min
Elevation 6,685–6,984 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.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.1 miReach Kilborn Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 500 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Palisade, heading E.
- 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 S.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 200 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 8:32 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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