Bridge - panoramio - Jonah Probell.jpg
Jonah Probell · CC BY-SA 3.0

Upper High Meadow Viewpoint–Bella Vista Trail, 7 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve near The Highlands, CA. The route reaches Upper High Meadow Viewpoint. It climbs 3,910 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 21/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi364 – 2,805 ft · steepest grade: 22%16.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Rancho San Antonio Bike Path 37.33297, -122.08831
Nearest town The Highlands, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Upper High Meadow Viewpoint–Bella Vista Trail, 7 sights

16.1 mi · ▲ 3,910 ft · 7 hr 19 min

Elevation 363–2,807 ft

Out & Back · Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve

Trailhead: Rancho San Antonio Bike Path · 37.33297, -122.08831

Weather Sep 20: Fog, high 68°F / low 55° · precip 1% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:10 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Rancho San Antonio Bike Path, heading W.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left onto Hill Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Stephen E. Abbors Trail, heading SW.
  5. 3.4 miPass Upper High Meadow Viewpoint.
  6. 50 ftTurn left onto Quarry Trail, heading NW.
  7. 1.1 miBear right onto Black Mountain Trail, heading SW.
  8. 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
  9. 400 ftBear left, heading W.
  10. 50 ftSharp right onto Monte Bello Road (Trail), heading SW.
  11. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  12. 0.4 miTurn left onto Bella Vista Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading SW.
  14. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Franciscan Loop Trail, heading NW.
  15. 150 ftReach Upper High Meadow Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 350 ftContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading N.
  17. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Bella Vista Trail, heading SE.
  18. 0.8 miTurn right onto Monte Bello Road (Trail), heading SW.
  19. 0.9 miSharp left, heading E.
  20. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  21. 450 ftTurn left onto Black Mountain Trail, heading E.
  22. 0.9 miBear left onto Quarry Trail, heading E.
  23. 1.1 miTurn right onto Stephen E. Abbors Trail, heading N.
  24. 3.4 miTurn left onto Hill Trail, heading E.
  25. 0.4 miTurn right onto Rancho San Antonio Bike Path, heading NW.
  26. 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

21% dirt11% gravel2% paved66% unspecified

Weather

FogTemperature 68°F55°
Precip1%Wind5 mphUV6Humidity73%
Hourly temperature
70°55°
Sunrise 6:55 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:10 PM
Mon 73°53°
Tue 88°52°
Wed 91°56°
Thu 88°56°
Fri 86°56°
Sat 88°53°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.1 mi in (~192 min). Leave by 3:38 PM for the 7:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:39 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Rancho San Antonio Bike Path Trailhead