Donner Pass Panorama - panoramio.jpg
Michael Gordon · CC BY 3.0

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 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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left onto Sugarbowl Village Path, heading NE.
  3. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  4. 0.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
  5. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  7. 0.1 miPass Pacific Crest Viewpoint.
  8. 1 miSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
  9. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  10. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  12. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  13. 50 ftBear right onto Tunnel Rock Approach Trail, heading E.
  14. 50 ftReach Tunnel Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  17. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  18. 50 ftSharp left, heading E.
  19. 50 ftSharp right onto Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon Road, heading NE.
  20. 0.3 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
  21. 1.1 miBear right, heading S.
  22. 0.9 miSharp left, heading SW.
  23. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  24. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  25. 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

ClearTemperature 81°F51°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity19%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue 82°60°
Wed 82°55°
Thu 85°55°
Fri 86°56°
Sat 86°56°
Sun 87°54°

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.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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