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Jon Grogan jongrogan110 · CC0

Pretzel Rock–Chongo Boulder, 4 sights is a 9.5-mile out-and-back near Panorama Heights, CA. The route passes Pretzel Rock and Chongo Boulder. It climbs 381 ft. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi4,062 – 4,282 ft10.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Hidden Valley Trail 34.01222, -116.16803
Nearest town Panorama Heights, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pretzel Rock–Chongo Boulder, 4 sights

9.5 mi · ▲ 381 ft · 3 hr 21 min

Elevation 4,062–4,281 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Hidden Valley Trail · 34.01222, -116.16803

Weather Sep 20: Overcast, high 83°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 6:46 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftPass Pretzel Rock.
  4. 1.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  5. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  6. 250 ftBear left, heading N.
  7. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  11. 0.4 miTurn right onto Keys Ranch Road, heading E.
  12. 0.8 miPass Chongo Boulder.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  15. 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
  16. 350 ftBear left onto Barker Dam Trail, heading SE.
  17. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Barker Dam Nature, heading E.
  18. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Wall Street Mill Trail, heading E.
  19. 50 ftReach Pretzel Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 50 ftContinue straight onto Barker Dam Nature, heading E.
  21. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Barker Dam Trail, heading S.
  22. 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
  23. 300 ftBear right, heading W.
  24. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  25. 50 ftTurn right onto Keys Ranch Road, heading W.
  26. 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
  27. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  28. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  29. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  30. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  31. 0.6 miBear right, heading W.
  32. 250 ftBear right, heading NW.
  33. 0.3 miBear left, heading SW.
  34. 1.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  35. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

38% dirt1% paved61% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F62°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity30%
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:46 PM
Mon 81°62°
Tue 79°56°
Wed 84°66°
Thu 84°69°
Fri 84°67°
Sat 85°69°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~118 min). Leave by 4:28 PM for the 6:46 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:58 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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