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

Martis Valley Trail is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area near Polaris, CA. It climbs 482 ft. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,814 – 6,070 ft6.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.29254, -120.11667
Nearest town Polaris, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Martis Valley Trail

5.6 mi · ▲ 482 ft · 2 hr 6 min

Elevation 5,813–6,069 ft

Out & Back · Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area

Trailhead: 39.29254, -120.11667

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  3. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  5. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  6. 0.3 miBear left onto Martis Valley Trail, heading N.
  7. 450 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  8. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NE.
  9. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Matt's Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  11. 1.5 miTurn right onto Sawmill Road, heading S.
  12. 0.7 miTurn left onto Martis Valley Trail, heading S.
  13. 450 ftBear right, heading S.
  14. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  15. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  16. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  17. 250 ftSharp right, heading S.
  18. 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

59% dirt19% paved22% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.4 mi in (~61 min). Leave by 5:41 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:21 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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