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 Aug 4: Fog, high 88°F / low 56° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:14 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Rancho San Antonio Bike Path, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Hill Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Stephen E. Abbors Trail, heading SW.
- 3.4 miPass Upper High Meadow Viewpoint.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Quarry Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miBear right onto Black Mountain Trail, heading SW.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 400 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Monte Bello Road (Trail), heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Bella Vista Trail, heading W.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Franciscan Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftReach Upper High Meadow Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Canyon Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Bella Vista Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Monte Bello Road (Trail), heading SW.
- 0.9 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Black Mountain Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Quarry Trail, heading E.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Stephen E. Abbors Trail, heading N.
- 3.4 miTurn left onto Hill Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Rancho San Antonio Bike Path, heading NW.
- 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 88°F56°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity95%
Hourly temperature
90°55°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:14 PM
Wed
92°54°
Thu
100°58°
Fri
105°63°
Sat
105°65°
Sun
100°60°
Mon
98°55°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.9 mi in (~185 min). Leave by 4:50 PM for the 8:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:39 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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
- Mora Viewpoint–Coyote Trail, 5 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 611 ft
- High Meadow Viewpoint–Hill Trail, 5 sights 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,214 ft
- High Meadow Trail–Hill Trail, 5 sights 7.1 mi · ▲ 1,353 ft
- Mary Davey Memorial–Chamise Trail, 6 sights 11.1 mi · ▲ 1,862 ft
- Black Mountain–Upper High Meadow Viewpoint, 7 sights 12 mi · ▲ 3,229 ft
- Ewing Hill–Upper High Meadow Viewpoint, 7 sights 15.1 mi · ▲ 3,937 ft
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