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
Getting there
Directions
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 Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 51° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~43 min). Leave by 7:10 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Lake Mary 2.6 mi · ▲ 467 ft
- Mount Lincoln Road 3.5 mi · ▲ 1,086 ft
- Donner Peak–Donner Peak Viewpoint, 3 summits 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,068 ft
- Pacific Crest Viewpoint via Pacific Crest Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,197 ft
- Mount Lincoln Viewpoint–Mount Judah Loop Loop, 3 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,375 ft
- Mount Lincoln Viewpoint–Roller Pass Loop, 4 sights 5.2 mi · ▲ 1,386 ft
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