Martis Valley Trail is a 6-mile out-and-back in Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area near Polaris, CA. It climbs 455 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi5,814 – 6,070 ft6.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Tompkins Trail 39.29544, -120.12396
Nearest town Polaris, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Martis Valley Trail
6 mi · ▲ 455 ft · 2 hr 14 min
Elevation 5,813–6,069 ft
Out & Back · Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area
Trailhead: Tompkins Trail · 39.29544, -120.12396
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
- Start on Tompkins Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Martis Valley Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Matt's Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Sawmill Road, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Martis Valley Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Tompkins Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 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
70% dirt21% paved9% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~66 min). Leave by 5:36 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:24 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
- 2 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
- 3.1 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
- 4.2 mi · loop · via Martis Valley Trail
- 5 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
- 5.5 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
- 6.3 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
- 6.3 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
- 6.6 mi · out & back · via Martis Valley Trail
More from Tompkins Trail Trailhead
- Thompson Memorial Trail 16.1 mi · ▲ 2,827 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 16 mi · ▲ 2,795 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 15.7 mi · ▲ 2,798 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 16 mi · ▲ 2,827 ft
- Perimeter Trail 15.8 mi · ▲ 2,823 ft
- Perimeter Trail 16.1 mi · ▲ 2,820 ft
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