Castle Rock–Balancing Rock, 7 sights is an 11.8-mile out-and-back in Sanborn County Park near Saratoga, CA. The route passes Lake Ranch Reservoir, Lyme Disease Rock and Balancing Rock before reaching Castle Rock at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It climbs 2,353 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade. It scores 35/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,450 – 3,169 ft · steepest grade: 20%12.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ambrose Road 37.22160, -122.04738
Nearest town Saratoga, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Castle Rock–Balancing Rock, 7 sights
11.8 mi · ▲ 2,353 ft · 5 hr 7 min
Elevation 1,451–3,170 ft
Out & Back · Sanborn County Park
Trailhead: Ambrose Road · 37.22160, -122.04738
Weather Sep 20: Fog, high 69°F / low 51° · precip 1% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:10 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start on Ambrose Road, heading W.
- 1 miPass Lake Ranch Reservoir.
- 100 ftBear right onto John Nicholas Trail, heading W.
- 1.7 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Skyline Trail, heading SW.
- 2.3 miPass Lyme Disease Rock.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miPass Balancing Rock.
- 350 ftBear left onto Castle Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miReach Castle Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Skyline Trail, heading SE.
- 2.4 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto John Nicholas Trail, heading E.
- 1.8 miBear left onto Lake Ranch Trail, heading NE.
- 0.9 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
33% dirt67% unspecified
Weather
FogTemperature 69°F51°
Precip1%Wind3 mphUV6Humidity71%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:55 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:10 PM
Mon
71°48°
Tue
87°52°
Wed
91°50°
Thu
87°53°
Fri
83°52°
Sat
87°50°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.6 mi in (~191 min). Leave by 3:38 PM for the 7:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:52 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Ambrose Road Trailhead
- Parking Lot Rock–Lyme Disease Rock, 8 sights 14.1 mi · ▲ 2,912 ft
- Castle Rock Falls–Saratoga Gap Viewpoint, 8 sights 13.2 mi · ▲ 2,850 ft
- Shady Rock–Platypus, 9 rocks 15.1 mi · ▲ 2,981 ft
- Lake Ranch Reservoir & Ambrose Road via John Nicholas Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 514 ft
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