Martis Valley Trail is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area near Polaris, CA. It climbs 1,022 ft. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi5,814 – 6,339 ft11.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.28265, -120.12242
Nearest town Polaris, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Martis Valley Trail
11.3 mi · ▲ 1,022 ft · 4 hr 17 min
Elevation 5,813–6,338 ft
Out & Back · Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area
Trailhead: 39.28265, -120.12242
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
Transit-accessible: stop 474 m from the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Thompson Memorial Trail, heading N.
- 1.7 miSharp right onto Tompkins Trail, heading NE.
- 1.6 miTurn right onto Martis Valley Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Matt's Trail, heading E.
- 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.
- 1.6 miSharp left, heading W.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Thompson Memorial Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 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
53% dirt11% paved36% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.3 mi in (~132 min). Leave by 4:30 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 474 m from the trailhead
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 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
More from this trailhead
- Northstar Service Road 700 15.9 mi · ▲ 2,999 ft
- Northstar Service Road 700 15.8 mi · ▲ 2,953 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 14.7 mi · ▲ 2,854 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 14.6 mi · ▲ 2,885 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 14.8 mi · ▲ 2,914 ft
- Thompson Memorial Trail 14.9 mi · ▲ 2,883 ft
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