The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park

Lone Tree Prairie–Olive Springs, 6 sights

12 mi · ▲ 2,411 ft · 5 hr 12 min

Lone Tree Prairie–Olive Springs, 6 sights is a 12-mile out-and-back in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park near The Willows, CA. The route passes Olive Springs and Lone Tree Prairie before reaching Aptos Creek Viewpoint at the turnaround, 6 miles in. It climbs 2,411 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 77/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi299 – 2,444 ft · steepest grade: 18%12.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Hinckley Basin Fire Road 37.05490, -121.92401
Nearest town The Willows, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lone Tree Prairie–Olive Springs, 6 sights

12 mi · ▲ 2,411 ft · 5 hr 12 min

Elevation 300–2,446 ft

Out & Back · The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park

Trailhead: Hinckley Basin Fire Road · 37.05490, -121.92401

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:13 PM

  1. Start on Hinckley Basin Fire Road, heading NE.
  2. 0.4 miPass Olive Springs.
  3. 2.6 miSharp left onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading N.
  4. 1.2 miTurn left onto Pig Trail, heading E.
  5. 50 ftBear right onto Lower Bacon Trail, heading E.
  6. 450 ftBear left onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading NE.
  7. 1.3 miSharp right onto Upper Bacon Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.4 miPass Aptos Creek Viewpoint.
  9. 350 ftReach Lone Tree Prairie, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.4 miSharp left onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading NE.
  11. 1.3 miBear right onto Lower Bacon Trail, heading SE.
  12. 450 ftBear left onto Pig Trail, heading S.
  13. 50 ftTurn right onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading S.
  14. 1.2 miSharp right onto Hinckley Basin Fire Road, heading S.
  15. 2.9 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

99% dirt1% gravel

Weather

Sunrise 6:16 AMSunset 8:13 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 6:34 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:21 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

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