Overland Trail & Switchback is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Onion Creek Experimental Forest near Soda Springs, CA. It climbs 2,272 ft, with sections as steep as 31% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 41/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Overland Trail & Switchback
9.1 mi · ▲ 2,272 ft · 4 hr 10 min
Elevation 6,768–7,877 ft
Out & Back · Onion Creek Experimental Forest
Trailhead: 39.32146, -120.37984
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Summit Connection, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Switchback, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 1.1 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Nose Dive, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Razorback, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Overland Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 1.4 miReach Switchback, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Razorback, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Nose Dive, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Switchback, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 350 ftBear right onto Summit Connection, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading N.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~35 min). Leave by 6:09 PM for the 7:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
- 1.9 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
- 1.9 mi · loop · via Overland Trail
- 2.1 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
- 3.6 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
- 3.9 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
- 4.2 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
- 4.6 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
- 4.6 mi · out & back · via Overland Trail
More from this trailhead
- Rowton Peak Trail & Switchback 4.5 mi · ▲ 411 ft
- Kilborn Lake–Deer Lake, 4 sights 7.8 mi · ▲ 677 ft
- Tunnel Rock–Petroglyph Cliff, 3 cliffs 8.9 mi · ▲ 708 ft
- Overload & Switchback via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 707 ft
- Pine Marten 3 mi · ▲ 139 ft
- Serene Lakes & Switchback 4.5 mi · ▲ 411 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Soda Springs, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Soda Springs, California