Russian Gulch–Confusion, 10 sights is a 12.8-mile out-and-back in Russian Gulch State Park near Mendocino, CA. The route reaches Russian Gulch at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. It climbs 1,723 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi16 – 784 ft · steepest grade: 17%13.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: connector 39.31407, -123.72946
Nearest town Mendocino, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Russian Gulch–Confusion, 10 sights
12.8 mi · ▲ 1,723 ft · 5 hr 8 min
Elevation 16–783 ft
Out & Back · Russian Gulch State Park
Trailhead: connector · 39.31407, -123.72946
Weather Sep 5: Fog, high 68°F / low 50° · precip 2% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:43 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Endo, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Gas Cap, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Confusion, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
- 300 ftBear right onto Gas Tank, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Parallel Action, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left onto East Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Falls Loop Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Fern Canyon Trail, heading SW.
- 2.3 miSharp right onto South Headlands Trail, heading W.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Russian Gulch State Park, heading SW.
- 50 ftReach Russian Gulch, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto South Headlands Trail, heading W.
- 250 ftSharp left onto South Trail, heading W.
- 2.3 miBear left onto Falls Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right onto North Boundary Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Parallel Action, heading E.
- 1.2 miBear right onto Gas Tank, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Confusion, heading SE.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Gas Cap, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Endo, heading W.
- 100 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 250 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
72% dirt28% unspecified
Weather
FogTemperature 68°F50°
Precip2%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity94%
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:43 PM
Sun
64°49°
Mon
77°44°
Tue
78°53°
Wed
79°52°
Thu
86°59°
Fri
74°52°
18%
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 connector Trailhead
- Endo–Gas Cap Loop, 6 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 433 ft
- Dry Dock–Endo, 3 sights 4.2 mi · ▲ 852 ft
- Little Lake-Sherwood Trail & Orchard Trail 4.9 mi · ▲ 419 ft
- Big River Road–Dry Dock, 5 sights 9.1 mi · ▲ 1,321 ft
- Dry Dock–Endo, 4 sights 9.8 mi · ▲ 1,396 ft
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