Mount Watson Boulevard Viewpoint
11.9 mi · ▲ 2,597 ft · 5 hr 16 min
Mount Watson Boulevard Viewpoint is an 11.9-mile out-and-back near Ponderosa Palisades, CA. The route reaches Mount Watson Boulevard Viewpoint at the turnaround, 6 miles in. It climbs 2,597 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi6,240 – 7,746 ft · steepest grade: 28%12.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.24975, -120.19060
Nearest town Ponderosa Palisades, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mount Watson Boulevard Viewpoint
11.9 mi · ▲ 2,597 ft · 5 hr 16 min
Elevation 6,240–7,748 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.24975, -120.19060
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Big Chief Trail (Middle), heading E.
- 1.4 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Deer Creek Trail, heading S.
- 1.7 miTurn right onto Western States Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Sawtooth Spur, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 300 ftBear left onto Mount Watson Boulevard, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 200 ftReach Mount Watson Boulevard Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Western States Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Deer Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 1.7 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Big Chief Trail (Middle), heading E.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 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
96% dirt4% paved
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:03 PM
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Pickupsticks–Watson Creek East Trail, 3 sights 15.8 mi · ▲ 1,990 ft
- Watson Creek Trail & Watson Lake Trail via Tahoe Rim Trail 14.7 mi · ▲ 2,198 ft
- Northstar Service Road 700 & Northstar Service Road 706 15.4 mi · ▲ 2,145 ft
- Watson Peak Viewpoint–Watson Lake, 5 sights 15.4 mi · ▲ 1,895 ft
- Big Chief Trail (Middle) 8.9 mi · ▲ 1,007 ft
- Big Chief Trail (Middle) 8.2 mi · ▲ 864 ft
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