AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Jonathan Cook-Fisher · CC BY 2.0
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Old Grist Mill Road

14.2 mi · ▲ 3,582 ft · 6 hr 31 min

Old Grist Mill Road is a 14.2-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Kingswood Estates, CA. It climbs 3,582 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,510 – 8,517 ft · steepest grade: 19%15.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31382, -120.05015
Nearest town Kingswood Estates, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Old Grist Mill Road

14.2 mi · ▲ 3,582 ft · 6 hr 31 min

Elevation 6,509–8,518 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: 39.31382, -120.05015

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  4. 1.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  5. 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 500 ftBear left, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  11. 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
  12. 0.7 miBear right, heading SE.
  13. 300 ftTurn left, heading E.
  14. 150 ftSharp right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  16. 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
  17. 0.8 miSharp right, heading SW.
  18. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  19. 1 miBear left onto Kings Beach Trail, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  21. 150 ftBear left onto Lake Vista Road, heading SW.
  22. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  23. 0.1 miSharp right, heading S.
  24. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  25. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  26. 0.3 miSharp left, heading SE.
  27. 0.3 miSharp left onto Beaver Tail Trail, heading SE.
  28. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  29. 300 ftTurn left onto Old Grist Mill Road, heading E.
  30. 150 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  31. 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  32. 300 ftBear left onto Beaver Tail Trail, heading S.
  33. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  34. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SE.
  35. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  36. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  37. 0.3 miSharp left, heading N.
  38. 0.1 miBear left onto Lake Vista Road, heading W.
  39. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  40. 150 ftTurn right onto Kings Beach Trail, heading NW.
  41. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  42. 1 miTurn right, heading N.
  43. 0.3 miSharp left, heading W.
  44. 0.8 miBear right, heading E.
  45. 0.4 miTurn right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading NW.
  46. 0.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
  47. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  48. 300 ftBear left, heading W.
  49. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
  50. 400 ftBear right, heading NW.
  51. 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  52. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  53. 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
  54. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  55. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  56. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
  57. 1.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  58. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  59. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/old-grist-mill-road-out-back-23-km-40b4

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 8:10 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~103 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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Hikes near Kingswood Estates, California