Lake Sterling
5.5 mi · ▲ 845 ft · 2 hr 15 min
Lake Sterling is a 5.5-mile out-and-back near Rainbow, CA. The route reaches Lake Sterling. It climbs 845 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi6,992 – 7,392 ft5.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.35173, -120.49318
Nearest town Rainbow, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Lake Sterling
5.5 mi · ▲ 845 ft · 2 hr 15 min
Elevation 6,992–7,391 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.35173, -120.49318
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 80°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Lake Sterling.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading E.
- 1.6 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftReach Lake Sterling, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.6 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.6 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 80°F62°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV8Humidity19%
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Wed
80°56°
Thu
84°56°
Fri
86°58°
Sat
86°59°
Sun
84°57°
Mon
82°55°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~10 min). Leave by 7:44 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 PM — 8 min before dark.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Lake Sterling–Glacier Lakes Basin Trail, 4 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 432 ft
- Lake Sterling–Mossy Pond, 5 sights 5.3 mi · ▲ 476 ft
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Hikes near Rainbow, California