AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Little Chief & North Pass via Big Chief Trail (Middle)

3 mi · ▲ 460 ft · 1 hr 14 min

Little Chief & North Pass via Big Chief Trail (Middle) is a 3-mile out-and-back near Ponderosa Palisades, CA. The route passes Little Chief before reaching North Pass at the turnaround, 1.4 miles in. It climbs 460 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 72/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,916 – 7,133 ft · steepest grade: 31%3.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.24336, -120.18268
Nearest town Ponderosa Palisades, CA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Little Chief & North Pass via Big Chief Trail (Middle)

3 mi · ▲ 460 ft · 1 hr 14 min

Elevation 6,917–7,133 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.24336, -120.18268

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Big Chief Trail (Middle), heading W.
  4. 1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  5. 0.1 miPass Little Chief.
  6. 50 ftPass North Pass.
  7. 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
  8. 0.4 miBear left onto Big Chief Trail (Lower), heading NE.
  9. 400 ftTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  11. 0.3 miTurn left onto Big Chief Trail (Middle), heading SE.
  12. 0.6 miTurn left, heading E.
  13. 50 ftArrive 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/little-chief-north-pass-out-back-5-km

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 8:11 PM

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Ponderosa Palisades, California