AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Sunset Dunes

Lower Great Highway Trail

4.2 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 24 min

Lower Great Highway Trail is a 4.2-mile out-and-back in Sunset Dunes near Sunset District, CA. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi23 – 43 ft4.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: The Esplanade 37.76808, -122.51090
Nearest town Sunset District, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lower Great Highway Trail

4.2 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 24 min

Elevation 23–42 ft

Out & Back · Sunset Dunes

Trailhead: The Esplanade · 37.76808, -122.51090

Weather Aug 4: Fog, high 61°F / low 55° · precip 2% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:17 AM · sunset 8:17 PM

Transit-accessible: Ocean Beach Parking Lot stop 51 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on The Esplanade, heading S.
  2. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  3. 0.8 miTurn left, heading SE.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto Lower Great Highway Trail, heading SE.
  5. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  6. 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
  7. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  8. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  9. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  10. 0.1 miReach Lower Great Highway Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  12. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  14. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  15. 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  17. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  18. 0.8 miBear left onto The Esplanade, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miArrive 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/lower-great-highway-trail-the-esplanade-out-back-7-km-fba8

Trail surface

65% paved35% sand

Weather

FogTemperature 61°F55°
Precip2%Wind12 mphUV8Humidity100%
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:17 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:17 PM
Wed 62°55°
Thu 76°61°
Fri 77°60°
Sat 75°58°
Sun 70°58°
Mon 71°57°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:57 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:17 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:46 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Ocean Beach Parking Lot stop 51 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Sunset District, California