Tinker Knob & Granite Chief Trail via Pacific Crest Trail is a 14.9-mile out-and-back in Chickering American River Reserve near Alpine Meadows, CA. The route reaches Tinker Knob at the turnaround, 7.5 miles in. It climbs 3,978 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi6,254 – 8,905 ft · steepest grade: 29%15.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Granite Chief Trail 39.20030, -120.23701
Nearest town Alpine Meadows, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Tinker Knob & Granite Chief Trail via Pacific Crest Trail
14.9 mi · ▲ 3,978 ft · 6 hr 57 min
Elevation 6,255–8,903 ft
Out & Back · Chickering American River Reserve
Trailhead: Granite Chief Trail · 39.20030, -120.23701
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 86°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Granite Chief Trail, heading NW.
- 3.5 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 3.9 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.1 miReach Tinker Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 4 miSharp left onto Granite Chief Trail, heading NE.
- 3.5 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
ClearTemperature 86°F50°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity24%
Hourly temperature
90°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue
86°61°
Wed
85°58°
Thu
88°58°
Fri
88°59°
Sat
89°59°
Sun
89°57°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.7 mi in (~148 min). Leave by 5:24 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:58 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Granite Chief Trail Trailhead
- Granite Chief Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 764 ft
- Granite Chief & Granite Chief Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 10.7 mi · ▲ 3,046 ft
- Granite Chief Trail–Siberai Basin Loop Trail, 4 sights 12.1 mi · ▲ 3,453 ft
- Washeshu Peak–Granite Chief Trail, 4 sights 12.6 mi · ▲ 3,431 ft
- Polar Bear Lake–Granite Chief Trail, 4 sights 13.4 mi · ▲ 3,632 ft
- Shirley Lake–Granite Chief Trail, 5 sights 14.1 mi · ▲ 4,074 ft
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Hikes near Alpine Meadows, California