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Joe Parks · CC BY 2.0

Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail is a 2.3-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. It climbs 505 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi6,815 – 7,179 ft · steepest grade: 29%2.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31859, -120.31981
Nearest town Donner, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail

2.3 mi · ▲ 505 ft · 1 hr 1 min

Elevation 6,814–7,177 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.31859, -120.31981

Weather Sep 4: Light snow, high 47°F / low 40° · precip 53% · wind 14 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:29 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
  3. 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  5. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  6. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  8. 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
  9. 0.1 miSharp left onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading W.
  10. 0.2 miReach Donner Summit Lakes Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
  12. 500 ftSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  14. 0.1 miBear left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading S.
  15. 0.2 miSharp left, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  18. 0.1 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

82% dirt18% unspecified

Weather

Light snowTemperature 47°F40°
Feels like35°Precip53%Wind14 mphUV2Humidity90%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
50°35° 12 AM: 53% rain1 AM: 49% rain2 AM: 44% rain3 AM: 41% rain4 AM: 40% rain5 AM: 43% rain6 AM: 45% rain7 AM: 53% rain8 AM: 51% rain9 AM: 42% rain10 AM: 34% rain11 AM: 27% rain12 PM: 22% rain1 PM: 13% rain2 PM: 9% rain3 PM: 6% rain4 PM: 6% rain5 PM: 4% rain6 PM: 4% rain7 PM: 3% rain8 PM: 3% rain9 PM: 2% rain10 PM: 3% rain11 PM: 3% rain
Sunrise 6:33 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:29 PM
Sat 56°39°
Sun 56°37°
Mon 68°35°
Tue 69°42°
Wed 63°46° 20%
Thu 65°46°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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