Lake Sterling
5.9 mi · ▲ 791 ft · 2 hr 22 min
Lake Sterling is a 5.9-mile out-and-back near Troy, CA. The route reaches Lake Sterling at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It climbs 791 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 87/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lake Sterling
5.9 mi · ▲ 791 ft · 2 hr 22 min
Elevation 7,048–7,391 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.36247, -120.46307
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 79°F / low 59° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 500 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.6 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.6 miReach Lake Sterling, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 1.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~35 min). Leave by 7:18 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:59 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Lake Sterling 2.8 mi · ▲ 413 ft
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Hikes near Troy, California