Signal Hill & Lytton Lake via Ski Ranch Lane is a 2.8-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Signal Hill before reaching Lytton Lake at the turnaround, 1.4 miles in. It climbs 912 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 20/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi7,071 – 7,674 ft · steepest grade: 22%3.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31854, -120.32947
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Signal Hill & Lytton Lake via Ski Ranch Lane
2.8 mi · ▲ 912 ft · 1 hr 23 min
Elevation 7,070–7,675 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.31854, -120.32947
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 10 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Ski Ranch Lane, heading NW.
- 0.9 miPass Signal Hill.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Lytton Lake.
- 50 ftReach Signal Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading S.
- 450 ftBear right, heading E.
- 1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 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
98% dirt2% paved
Weather
ClearTemperature 80°F51°
Precip0%Wind10 mphUV8Humidity21%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
82°59°
Wed
81°55°
Thu
85°54°
Fri
85°55°
Sat
85°56°
Sun
86°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~41 min). Leave by 7:12 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:52 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Tunnel Rock–Petroglyph Cliff, 3 cliffs 1.2 mi · ▲ 264 ft
- Mount Stephens–Lake Angela, 3 lakes 1.3 mi · ▲ 150 ft
- Goldilocks Wall–Lake Angela, 3 lakes 1.8 mi · ▲ 261 ft
- Petroglyph Cliff–Donner Pass, 3 cliffs 1.9 mi · ▲ 314 ft
- Tunnel Rock & Donner Summit Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 491 ft
- German Ridge via Ski Ranch Lane 2.2 mi · ▲ 328 ft
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