Lake Van Norden–Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, 3 sights
7.8 mi · ▲ 962 ft · 3 hr 5 min
Lake Van Norden–Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, 3 sights is a 7.8-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Soda Springs, CA. The route reaches Lake Van Norden at the turnaround, 3.9 miles in. It climbs 962 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 40/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lake Van Norden–Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, 3 sights
7.8 mi · ▲ 962 ft · 3 hr 5 min
Elevation 6,695–7,054 ft
Out & Back · Royal Gorge
Trailhead: 39.31343, -120.38980
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:04 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear left onto Summit Connection, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Summit Connection, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.1 miReach Lake Van Norden, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Summit Connection, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
- 250 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 350 ftArrive 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 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:41 PM for the 7:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:22 PM — 8 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 9 sights 14 mi · ▲ 1,970 ft
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 6.8 mi · ▲ 880 ft
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail–Pine Marten, 3 sights 8.4 mi · ▲ 934 ft
- Kilborn Lake & Deer Lake via Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 6.2 mi · ▲ 423 ft
- Point Mariah–Hellman Way, 4 sights 7.7 mi · ▲ 1,061 ft
- Hewlett Rim Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 405 ft
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