Frosty sunset (Unsplash).jpg
Denys Nevozhai dnevozhai · CC0

Lake Margaret & Lake Margaret Trail is a 5-mile out-and-back near Kirkwood, CA. The route reaches Lake Margaret at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It climbs 458 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 39/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi7,491 – 7,717 ft5.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 38.70299, -120.07205
Nearest town Kirkwood, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Margaret & Lake Margaret Trail

5 mi · ▲ 458 ft · 1 hr 54 min

Elevation 7,489–7,718 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 38.70299, -120.07205

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 78°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  4. 0.3 miBear right onto Lake Margaret Trail, heading N.
  5. 1.5 miReach Lake Margaret, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 1.4 miBear right, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
  8. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  10. 0.4 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

100% dirt

Weather

ClearTemperature 78°F48°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV9Humidity27%
Hourly temperature
80°45°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:10 PM
Tue 79°55°
Wed 79°57°
Thu 83°57°
Fri 83°58°
Sat 83°58°
Sun 84°57°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~37 min). Leave by 7:13 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:02 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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