Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 4 sights is a 10.7-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Donner, CA. The route passes Donner Pass and Petroglyph Cliff. It climbs 2,386 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 63/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi6,267 – 7,267 ft · steepest grade: 21%11.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31681, -120.33058
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 4 sights
10.7 mi · ▲ 2,386 ft · 4 hr 46 min
Elevation 6,267–7,267 ft
Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park
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 E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Donner Pass.
- 50 ftPass Petroglyph Cliff.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Tunnel #8, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.7 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.6 miBear left onto Emigrant Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Crest Divide Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto South View Road, heading SE.
- 1.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Cold Stream Road, heading NE.
- 350 ftReach Petroglyph Cliff, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto South View Road, heading SW.
- 1.3 miContinue straight onto Crest Divide Road, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Emigrant Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 300 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 200 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #8, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tunnel #6, heading W.
- 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
71% dirt29% gravel
Weather
Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:03 PM
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
- 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
- Donner Summit Lakes Trail–Hewlett Road, 3 sights 9.6 mi · ▲ 2,127 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Donner, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Donner, California