Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 8 sights is a 12.3-mile out-and-back in Donner Memorial State Park near Donner Lake Village, CA. The route passes Beaver Pond, Snowshed, Snowshed North Face and 2 more. It climbs 2,889 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 10/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi5,955 – 7,602 ft · steepest grade: 34%13.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.32543, -120.28758
Nearest town Donner Lake Village, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 8 sights
12.3 mi · ▲ 2,889 ft · 5 hr 33 min
Elevation 5,956–7,601 ft
Out & Back · Donner Memorial State Park
Trailhead: 39.32543, -120.28758
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 85°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 1.1 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 350 ftPass Beaver Pond.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading W.
- 0.3 miPass Snowshed.
- 50 ftPass Snowshed North Face.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right, heading S.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Lake Mary Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miPass Lake Mary.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 300 ftReach Snowshed, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 1.1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road Winter Route, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Original Lincoln Highway Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.9 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
75% dirt2% gravel23% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 85°F51°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity18%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue
85°61°
Wed
85°56°
Thu
88°56°
Fri
88°56°
Sat
89°57°
Sun
89°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.8 mi in (~163 min). Leave by 5:10 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Billy Mac Canyon Viewpoint 2.3 mi · ▲ 528 ft
- Beaver Pond 3.1 mi · ▲ 796 ft
- Beaver Pond & Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road 3.8 mi · ▲ 906 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Donner Lake Village, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Donner Lake Village, California