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
Getting there
Directions
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
- Start on Hinckley Basin Fire Road, heading NE.
- 0.4 miPass Olive Springs.
- 2.6 miSharp left onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading N.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Pig Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Lower Bacon Trail, heading E.
- 450 ftBear left onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading NE.
- 1.3 miSharp right onto Upper Bacon Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miPass Aptos Creek Viewpoint.
- 350 ftReach Lone Tree Prairie, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading NE.
- 1.3 miBear right onto Lower Bacon Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear left onto Pig Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Aptos Creek Fire Road, heading S.
- 1.2 miSharp right onto Hinckley Basin Fire Road, heading S.
- 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
Weather
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.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Hinckley Basin Fire Road Trailhead
- Olive Springs–Sand Point Overlook, 5 sights 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,875 ft
- Five Finger Falls–Olive Springs, 6 sights 12.6 mi · ▲ 2,719 ft
- Santa Rosalia Mountain–Olive Springs, 6 sights 13.7 mi · ▲ 2,537 ft
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