Tunnel Rock–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 10 sights is a 12.7-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Donner, CA. The route passes Tunnel Rock, Pacific Crest Viewpoint, Chinese Catfish Pond and 4 more. It climbs 2,455 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 41/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi6,746 – 7,832 ft · steepest grade: 22%13.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31710, -120.32830
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Tunnel Rock–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 10 sights
12.7 mi · ▲ 2,455 ft · 5 hr 28 min
Elevation 6,746–7,830 ft
Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park
Trailhead: 39.31710, -120.32830
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Tunnel Rock Approach Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftReach Tunnel Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Tunnel #8, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.7 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 2.1 miContinue straight onto Mount Judah Loop, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 450 ftSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miPass Chinese Catfish Pond.
- 2.6 miSharp left onto Donner Summit Lakes Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miPass Azalea Lake.
- 50 ftPass Flora Lake.
- 0.6 miPass Lake Angela.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miPass Chinese Catfish Pond.
- 0.6 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
56% dirt9% gravel35% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 80°F51°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity21%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
82°59°
Wed
81°55°
Thu
85°54°
Fri
85°55°
Sat
85°56°
Sun
86°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.1 mi in (~182 min). Leave by 4:51 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:13 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Tunnel Rock–Petroglyph Cliff, 3 cliffs 1.2 mi · ▲ 264 ft
- Mount Stephens–Lake Angela, 3 lakes 1.3 mi · ▲ 150 ft
- Goldilocks Wall–Lake Angela, 3 lakes 1.8 mi · ▲ 261 ft
- Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 3 cliffs 1.9 mi · ▲ 314 ft
- Tunnel Rock & Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 491 ft
- German Ridge via Ski Ranch Lane 2.2 mi · ▲ 328 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Donner, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Donner, California