Penitencia Creek Trail is a 3-mile out-and-back in Alum Rock Park near East Foothills, CA. It climbs 402 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi397 – 617 ft · steepest grade: 17%3.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Alum Rock Avenue 37.39205, -121.81677
Nearest town East Foothills, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Penitencia Creek Trail
3 mi · ▲ 402 ft · 1 hr 12 min
Elevation 396–616 ft
Out & Back · Alum Rock Park
Trailhead: Alum Rock Avenue · 37.39205, -121.81677
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:15 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead
- Start on Stable Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Penitencia Creek Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Penitencia Creek Road, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Penitencia Creek Trail, heading E.
- 200 ftBear left onto Penitencia Creek Road, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Penitencia Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Penitencia Creek Road, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Penitencia Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Stable Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 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
11% dirt89% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:15 AMSunset 8:13 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:52 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM — 11 min before dark.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Alum Rock Avenue Trailhead
- Eagle Rock & Eagle Rock Viewpoint via Penitencia Creek Trail 1.3 mi · ▲ 362 ft
- Penitencia Creek Trail 2.6 mi · ▲ 289 ft
- Penitencia Creek Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 374 ft
- North Woodland Trail–Switchback Trail, 3 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 861 ft
- South Rim Viewpoint–North Woodland Trail, 5 sights 5.2 mi · ▲ 961 ft
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