Turtle Rock–Wallace Stegner Bench, 8 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Wallace Stegner Bench and Two Moon Lake before reaching Turtle Rock at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 2,985 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 31/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,289 – 2,638 ft · steepest grade: 21%16.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Canyon Trail 37.32355, -122.17420
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Turtle Rock–Wallace Stegner Bench, 8 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 2,985 ft · 6 hr 52 min
Elevation 1,291–2,637 ft
Out & Back · Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: Canyon Trail · 37.32355, -122.17420
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 90°F / low 66° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
No dogs on part of this route
- Start on Canyon Trail, heading SE.
- 3 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading S.
- 1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading SW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear left onto Portola Heights Road, heading S.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Long Ridge Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Wallace Stegner Bench.
- 0.5 miPass Two Moon Lake.
- 50 ftBear right onto Ward Road, heading S.
- 200 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Hickory Oaks Trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miReach Turtle Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Ward Road, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear left onto Long Ridge Road, heading N.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading N.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Grizzly Flat Trail South, heading N.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Grizzly Flat Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Canyon Trail, heading NE.
- 3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
34% dirt66% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 90°F66°
Precip0%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity32%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue
84°63°
Wed
81°50°
Thu
89°49°
Fri
95°57°
Sat
93°52°
Sun
85°48°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.7 mi in (~175 min). Leave by 5:00 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:21 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Canyon Trail Trailhead
- Stevens Creek Nature Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 502 ft
- Canyon Trail–Lost Creek Loop Trail, 3 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 275 ft
- Skid Road Trail via Stevens Creek Nature Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 762 ft
- Page Mill Trail & Pony Tracks Fire Road 5.4 mi · ▲ 590 ft
- Horseshoe Viewpoint–Horseshoe Lake, 7 sights 16.1 mi · ▲ 3,027 ft
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