Post Pile–Loon Lake, 4 lakes
13.7 mi · ▲ 1,887 ft · 5 hr 31 min
Post Pile–Loon Lake, 4 lakes is a 13.7-mile out-and-back near Gilberts, CA. The route passes Loon Lake and Post Pile before reaching McKinstry Lake at the turnaround, 6.9 miles in. It climbs 1,887 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 93/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Post Pile–Loon Lake, 4 lakes
13.7 mi · ▲ 1,887 ft · 5 hr 31 min
Elevation 6,018–6,945 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.00055, -120.31463
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 82°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Loon Lake.
- 1.8 miSharp left onto Rubicon Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Post Pile.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Wentworth Springs Road, heading SW.
- 1.3 miSharp right, heading W.
- 1.1 miBear left onto McKinstry Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading NE.
- 1.1 miPass McKinstry Lake.
- 200 ftReach Post Pile, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.9 miBear right, heading S.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Wentworth Springs Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Rubicon Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 2.4 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~11 min). Leave by 7:40 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM — 0 min before dark.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Post Pile & Loon Lake via Rubicon Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 669 ft
- Egg Rock–Buck Island Lake, 6 lakes 11.5 mi · ▲ 1,240 ft
- Loon Lake–Spider Lake, 6 lakes 14.6 mi · ▲ 1,937 ft
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Hikes near Gilberts, California