Red Mountain–East Mustang Sally Viewpoint, 7 sights
11.3 mi · ▲ 2,196 ft · 4 hr 52 min
Red Mountain–East Mustang Sally Viewpoint, 7 sights is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Red Mountain near Donner Pines Tract, CA. The route passes East Mustang Sally Viewpoint before reaching Red Mountain at the turnaround, 5.6 miles in. It climbs 2,196 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 85/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Red Mountain–East Mustang Sally Viewpoint, 7 sights
11.3 mi · ▲ 2,196 ft · 4 hr 52 min
Elevation 6,473–7,886 ft
Out & Back · Red Mountain
Trailhead: Alder Creek Trail · 39.36515, -120.25462
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 84°F / low 49° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Alder Creek Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Cinammon Twist, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Alder Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto North Fork, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Pony Express, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto East Perimeter Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Lion's Leap, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Pooker's, heading N.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Lion's Leap, heading N.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Rawhide, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Quickdraw, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Broken Spoke, heading NE.
- 400 ftBear left onto Crabtree Road, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Alder Creek Road, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Crabtree Road, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.9 miPass East Mustang Sally Viewpoint.
- 350 ftSharp right onto East Mustang Sally, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp right onto West Mustang Sally, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Crabtree Road, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
- 1.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miReach Red Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto West Mustang Sally, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto East Mustang Sally, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Crabtree Road, heading NE.
- 1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Alder Creek Road, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left onto Crabtree Road, heading E.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Broken Spoke, heading SE.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Quickdraw, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Rawhide, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 300 ftSharp left onto Lion's Leap, heading E.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Pooker's, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Lion's Leap, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 250 ftBear right onto East Perimeter Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto North Fork, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Alder Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cinammon Twist, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Alder Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.6 mi in (~176 min). Leave by 4:56 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:59 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Alder Creek Trail Trailhead
- Alder Creek Trail–Andromeda, 6 sights 4 mi · ▲ 1,066 ft
- Alder Creek Road–Alder Creek Trail, 5 sights 7 mi · ▲ 1,162 ft
- Summit Lake–Alder Creek Trail, 7 sights 12.4 mi · ▲ 2,399 ft
- Prosser Creek Reservoir–Alder Creek Trail, 5 sights 14.4 mi · ▲ 2,692 ft
- East Mustang Sally Viewpoint–Frog Lake Overlook, 10 sights 14.9 mi · ▲ 3,358 ft
- Donner Lake Rim Viewpoint–Alder Creek Trail, 11 sights 15.6 mi · ▲ 2,557 ft
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