AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Dead Tree Geology Trail - panoramio.jpg
David Balmer · CC BY 3.0

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail

4.5 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 1 hr 34 min

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail is a 4.5-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route reaches Surprise Tank at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 133 ft of elevation gain, and mostly sand. It scores 87/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi4,393 – 4,505 ft4.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Geology Tour Road 34.00615, -116.08490
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Surprise Tank via California Riding and Hiking Trail

4.5 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 1 hr 34 min

Elevation 4,395–4,505 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Geology Tour Road · 34.00615, -116.08490

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 83°F / low 62° · precip 4% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:21 AM · sunset 7:08 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Geology Tour Road, heading SW.
  2. 1.5 miTurn right onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading SW.
  3. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  4. 0.4 miReach Surprise Tank, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  5. 0.8 miTurn left onto Geology Tour Road, heading N.
  6. 1.5 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/surprise-tank-surprise-tank-out-back-10-km-24a1

Trail surface

66% sand34% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F62°
Precip4%Wind12 mphUV8Humidity23%
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 6:21 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 7:08 PM
Sun 74°65° 35%
Mon 86°64°
Tue 89°69°
Wed 89°73°
Thu 90°75° 15%
Fri 85°72°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Geology Tour Road Trailhead

Hikes near Pinto Wye, California