Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Watershed
Jabba the Hut Rock–Marsh Creek Headwaters Spring, 5 sights
14.8 mi · ▲ 3,418 ft · 6 hr 39 min
Jabba the Hut Rock–Marsh Creek Headwaters Spring, 5 sights is a 14.8-mile out-and-back in Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Watershed near Ulmar, CA. The route passes Frog Pond and Marsh Creek Headwaters Spring before reaching Jabba the Hut Rock at the turnaround, 7.3 miles in. It climbs 3,418 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Jabba the Hut Rock–Marsh Creek Headwaters Spring, 5 sights
14.8 mi · ▲ 3,418 ft · 6 hr 39 min
Elevation 763–2,168 ft
Out & Back · Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Watershed
Trailhead: Black Hills Trail · 37.77314, -121.74058
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 72°F / low 55° · precip 8% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:41 AM · sunset 7:33 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Black Hills Trail, heading W.
- 5.8 miTurn left onto Whipsnake Loop, heading N.
- 0.8 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Volvon Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Condor Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Frog Pond.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftPass Marsh Creek Headwaters Spring.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Volvon Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Jabba the Hut Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Condor Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Volvon Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Whipsnake Loop, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Black Hills Trail, heading S.
- 5.7 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 1.4 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 7:33 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Black Hills Trail Trailhead
- Black Hills Trail–Homestead Trail, 3 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 554 ft
- Cowlick Look–Decision Point, 4 sights 15.6 mi · ▲ 3,723 ft
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Hikes near Ulmar, California