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

Martis Valley Trail is a 7.3-mile out-and-back in Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area near Polaris, CA. It climbs 493 ft. It scores 10/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,814 – 6,070 ft7.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.30691, -120.13728
Nearest town Polaris, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Martis Valley Trail

7.3 mi · ▲ 493 ft · 2 hr 41 min

Elevation 5,813–6,069 ft

Out & Back · Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area

Trailhead: 39.30691, -120.13728

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 100 ftTurn left onto Martis Valley Trail, heading S.
  3. 1.5 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. 1.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  10. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

54% paved45% dirt1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~82 min). Leave by 5:21 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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