Pacific Crest Viewpoint–Petroglyph Cliff, 5 sights is a 4.8-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Donner Pass, Petroglyph Cliff and Pacific Crest Viewpoint. It climbs 1,113 ft. It scores 19/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,962 – 7,832 ft5.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31681, -120.33058
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
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Pacific Crest Viewpoint–Petroglyph Cliff, 5 sights
4.8 mi · ▲ 1,113 ft · 2 hr 9 min
Elevation 6,962–7,830 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.31681, -120.33058
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Tunnel #6, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Donner Pass.
- 50 ftPass Petroglyph Cliff.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Mount Judah Loop, heading S.
- 0.6 miReach Pacific Crest Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading E.
- 0.3 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
40% dirt19% gravel41% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:03 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~41 min). Leave by 6:02 PM for the 7:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:52 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
- Lake Mary–Emigrant Trail, 5 sights 12.7 mi · ▲ 2,465 ft
- Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 4 sights 10.7 mi · ▲ 2,386 ft
- Bill Patterson 6.8 mi · ▲ 258 ft
- Bill Patterson 6.1 mi · ▲ 315 ft
- Tinker Knob–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 6 sights 15.9 mi · ▲ 2,868 ft
- Andesite Peak–Lake Angela, 8 lakes 11.1 mi · ▲ 1,402 ft
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