Tunnel Rock–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 3 cliffs is a 5.6-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes Pacific Crest Viewpoint before reaching Tunnel Rock at the turnaround, 2.8 miles in. It climbs 1,344 ft. It scores 21/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,916 – 7,602 ft6.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 39.30697, -120.33522
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Tunnel Rock–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 3 cliffs
5.6 mi · ▲ 1,344 ft · 2 hr 32 min
Elevation 6,915–7,601 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 39.30697, -120.33522
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Sugarbowl Village Path, heading NE.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
- 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Tunnel Rock Approach Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftReach Tunnel Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.9 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 500 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
56% dirt2% gravel42% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:03 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~28 min). Leave by 6:15 PM for the 7:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Pacific Crest Viewpoint–Lake Angela, 9 lakes 12.7 mi · ▲ 1,843 ft
- Frog Lake Overlook–Pacific Crest Viewpoint, 10 lakes 14.9 mi · ▲ 3,047 ft
- Tinker Knob–Mount Lincoln Viewpoint, 3 summits 13.6 mi · ▲ 3,253 ft
- Crest Divide Road–Emigrant Trail, 3 sights 9.8 mi · ▲ 2,086 ft
- Snowshed–Snowshed North Face, 6 cliffs 9.1 mi · ▲ 2,224 ft
- Lake Mary 2.6 mi · ▲ 467 ft
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