Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 7 sights is an 11.8-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Soda Springs, CA. The route passes Donner Pass, Petroglyph Cliff and Pacific Crest Viewpoint before reaching Mount Judah Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It climbs 1,434 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,779 – 7,638 ft · steepest grade: 16%12.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Summit Connection 39.31316, -120.38663
Nearest town Soda Springs, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 7 sights
11.8 mi · ▲ 1,434 ft · 4 hr 39 min
Elevation 6,779–7,640 ft
Out & Back · Royal Gorge
Trailhead: Summit Connection · 39.31316, -120.38663
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Summit Connection, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Summit Connection, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Timberline, heading SE.
- 1.4 miSharp left onto Bill Patterson, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading W.
- 1.9 miPass Donner Pass.
- 50 ftPass Petroglyph Cliff.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 300 ftSharp left onto Mount Judah Loop, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 100 ftReach Mount Judah Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading N.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading SE.
- 1.9 miSharp left onto Bill Patterson, heading NW.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Timberline, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 300 ftBear left onto Summit Connection, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear right onto Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Summit Connection, heading NW.
- 0.2 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
36% dirt8% gravel56% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 81°F53°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
81°59°
Wed
81°55°
Thu
85°55°
Fri
85°56°
Sat
86°56°
Sun
87°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.8 mi in (~166 min). Leave by 5:07 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
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