Northstar Service Road 900 & Tell No Tales is a 5-mile out-and-back near Carnelian Bay, CA. It climbs 922 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi6,723 – 7,359 ft · steepest grade: 32%5.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Boondocks 39.26752, -120.13177
Nearest town Carnelian Bay, CA
Directions
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Northstar Service Road 900 & Tell No Tales
5 mi · ▲ 922 ft · 2 hr 8 min
Elevation 6,722–7,360 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Boondocks · 39.26752, -120.13177
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 85°F / low 55° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
- Start on Overland Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Boondocks, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Tell No Tales, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Northstar Service Road 900, heading NW.
- 2.1 miReach Tell No Tales, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.1 miSharp right onto Tell No Tales, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Boondocks, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left onto Overland Trail, heading SE.
- 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
100% dirt
Weather
ClearTemperature 85°F55°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
85°55°
Sunrise 6:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue
84°62°
Wed
84°55°
Thu
88°56°
Fri
88°56°
Sat
88°57°
Sun
89°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~31 min). Leave by 7:21 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:02 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
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