Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area 6.jpg
Mx. Granger · CC0

Shadow Cliffs Lake–Lake Boris, 4 lakes is a 9.4-mile out-and-back in Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area near East Pleasanton, CA. The route passes Lake Boris and Shadow Cliffs Beach before reaching Shadow Cliffs Lake at the turnaround, 4.7 miles in. It climbs 305 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi279 – 394 ft · steepest grade: 19%9.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.66762, -121.84020
Nearest town East Pleasanton, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Shadow Cliffs Lake–Lake Boris, 4 lakes

9.4 mi · ▲ 305 ft · 3 hr 17 min

Elevation 278–393 ft

Out & Back · Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area

Trailhead: 37.66762, -121.84020

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:14 PM

Transit-accessible: Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area stop 580 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftPass Lake Boris.
  3. 50 ftPass Shadow Cliffs Beach.
  4. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  5. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  7. 0.3 miTurn right onto Iron Horse Trail, heading N.
  8. 1.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto Lilienthal Road, heading SE.
  10. 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
  11. 2 miReach Shadow Cliffs Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 2.9 miTurn right, heading W.
  13. 50 ftTurn left onto Iron Horse Trail, heading W.
  14. 1.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  15. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  17. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  18. 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

6% gravel94% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:14 AMSunset 8:14 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.8 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 6:46 PM for the 8:14 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area stop 580 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead