AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Sterling

1.9 mi · ▲ 286 ft · 47 min

Lake Sterling is a 1.9-mile out-and-back near Rainbow, CA. The route reaches Lake Sterling at the turnaround, 1 miles in. It climbs 286 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi7,048 – 7,297 ft2.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.34618, -120.49946
Nearest town Rainbow, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Sterling

1.9 mi · ▲ 286 ft · 47 min

Elevation 7,048–7,298 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.34618, -120.49946

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 79°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:12 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  3. 0.6 miReach Lake Sterling, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  4. 0.6 miBear right, heading W.
  5. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/lake-sterling-out-back-3-km

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

ClearTemperature 79°F62°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity21%
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Wed 78°58°
Thu 84°56°
Fri 85°57°
Sat 85°58°
Sun 84°56°
Mon 82°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 7:37 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:43 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Rainbow, California