Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 8 sights is a 12-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, 6 miles in. It climbs 1,822 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 19/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,779 – 7,638 ft · steepest grade: 22%12.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Rowton Peak Trail 39.29456, -120.38100
Nearest town Soda Springs, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mount Judah Viewpoint–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 8 sights
12 mi · ▲ 1,822 ft · 4 hr 55 min
Elevation 6,779–7,640 ft
Out & Back · Royal Gorge
Trailhead: Rowton Peak Trail · 39.29456, -120.38100
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 55° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Switchback, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Claim Jumper, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Aster, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Nose Dive, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear left onto Ana's Chute, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 300 ftBear right onto Nose Dive, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Bill Patterson, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 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.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 300 ftSharp left onto Mount Judah Loop, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 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 N.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading E.
- 1.9 miSharp left onto Bill Patterson, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Nose Dive, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Ana's Chute, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Nose Dive, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 500 ftTurn right onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Aster, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Claim Jumper Bike Route, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Claim Jumper, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Switchback, heading W.
- 0.3 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
43% dirt8% gravel49% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 81°F55°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity23%
Hourly temperature
85°55°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
81°61°
Wed
82°55°
Thu
85°55°
Fri
86°56°
Sat
86°56°
Sun
87°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.9 mi in (~175 min). Leave by 4:58 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Rowton Peak Trail Trailhead
- Benches Viewpoint–Overload Loop, 3 sights 1.8 mi · ▲ 342 ft
- Serene Lakes–Reindeer, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 204 ft
- Switchback 3.4 mi · ▲ 284 ft
- Rowton–Aster Loop, 5 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 759 ft
- Lyle's Lookout–Serene Lakes, 3 sights 4 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Pine Marten via Switchback 4.8 mi · ▲ 388 ft
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