Mosquito Lake–MCCT Mosquito Lakes to Pacific Valley, 5 sights is a 10-mile out-and-back near Cape Horn, CA. The route reaches Mosquito Lake. It climbs 1,608 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi7,727 – 8,409 ft · steepest grade: 19%10.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Sandy Meadow Trailhead 38.51516, -119.92817
Nearest town Cape Horn, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mosquito Lake–MCCT Mosquito Lakes to Pacific Valley, 5 sights
10 mi · ▲ 1,608 ft · 4 hr 8 min
Elevation 7,728–8,409 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Sandy Meadow Trailhead · 38.51516, -119.92817
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 77°F / low 54° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:09 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Mosquito Lakes to Stanislaus Meadow, heading NE.
- 1.1 miPass Mosquito Lake.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Heiser Lake Trail, heading SE.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto MCCT Mosquito Lakes to Pacific Valley, heading E.
- 1.2 miBear right onto Pacific Valley Road, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Marshall Canyon Jeep Trail, heading E.
- 1.4 miReach Mosquito Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Pacific Valley Road, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear left onto MCCT Mosquito Lakes to Pacific Valley, heading NW.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Heiser Lake Trail, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Mosquito Lakes to Stanislaus Meadow, heading NW.
- 1.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.5 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
22% dirt78% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 77°F54°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV9Humidity29%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:09 PM
Tue
78°59°
Wed
78°55°
Thu
82°55°
Fri
83°56°
Sat
83°56°
Sun
83°55°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.0 mi in (~151 min). Leave by 5:18 PM for the 8:09 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Sandy Meadow Trailhead Trailhead
- Mosquito Lake & Mosquito Lakes to Stanislaus Meadow 3.1 mi · ▲ 400 ft
- Heiser Lake–Mosquito Lake, 5 sights 7 mi · ▲ 1,410 ft
- Duck Lake Bypass Trail–Emigrant Trail, 3 sights 12.2 mi · ▲ 1,508 ft
- Bee Gulch Trail–Cape Horn Trail, 5 sights 15.6 mi · ▲ 2,704 ft
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