Martis Creek Lake and Dam summer.jpg
Michael Nevins, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domain

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

  1. Start on Tompkins Trail, heading N.
  2. 0.8 miTurn right onto Martis Valley Trail, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  4. 0.7 miTurn left, heading N.
  5. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Matt's Trail, heading NE.
  6. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  7. 1.5 miTurn right onto Sawmill Road, heading S.
  8. 0.7 miTurn right onto Martis Valley Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left onto Tompkins Trail, heading W.
  10. 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.

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