Lake Margaret–Kirkwood Lake, 4 sights is a 7-mile out-and-back near Kirkwood, CA. The route passes Kirkwood Lake and Kirkwood Lake before reaching Lake Margaret at the turnaround, 3.5 miles in. It climbs 703 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 34/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi7,491 – 7,753 ft7.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Kirkwood Lake Loop 38.70668, -120.08757
Nearest town Kirkwood, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Lake Margaret–Kirkwood Lake, 4 sights
7 mi · ▲ 703 ft · 2 hr 41 min
Elevation 7,489–7,754 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Kirkwood Lake Loop · 38.70668, -120.08757
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Kirkwood Lake Loop, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Kirkwood Lake.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Kirkwood Lake.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Lake Margaret Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 1.5 miReach Lake Margaret, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Kirkwood Lake Loop, heading NW.
- 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
72% dirt28% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~85 min). Leave by 5:17 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
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