Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop via Ecological Staircase Trail is a 5.3-mile out-and-back in Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Caspar, CA. It is mostly level, with 233 ft of elevation gain. It scores 39/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi174 – 430 ft5.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.37734, -123.80216
Nearest town Caspar, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop via Ecological Staircase Trail
5.3 mi · ▲ 233 ft · 1 hr 53 min
Elevation 174–429 ft
Out & Back · Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
Trailhead: 39.37734, -123.80216
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 66°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop, heading N.
- 1.7 miReach Pygmy Forest Reserve Loop, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Ecological Staircase Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 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
13% dirt87% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 66°F53°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity92%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sat
66°51°
Sun
64°50°
Mon
79°46°
Tue
80°55°
Wed
81°53°
Thu
88°61°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:23 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:43 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:10 PM.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Ecological Staircase Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 55 ft
- Ecological Staircase Trail 2 mi · ▲ 84 ft
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