AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Hugh Nelson · CC BY 3.0
Sunol Regional Wilderness

Vista Grande Overlook–Backpack Road, 7 sights

13.7 mi · ▲ 3,015 ft · 6 hr 4 min

Vista Grande Overlook–Backpack Road, 7 sights is a 13.7-mile out-and-back in Sunol Regional Wilderness near Scotts Corner, CA. The route reaches Vista Grande Overlook. It climbs 3,015 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 86/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi400 – 1,867 ft · steepest grade: 19%14.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Vista Grande Road 37.53057, -121.80406
Nearest town Scotts Corner, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Vista Grande Overlook–Backpack Road, 7 sights

13.7 mi · ▲ 3,015 ft · 6 hr 4 min

Elevation 399–1,867 ft

Out & Back · Sunol Regional Wilderness

Trailhead: Vista Grande Road · 37.53057, -121.80406

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:15 AM · sunset 8:14 PM

  1. Start on Vista Grande Road, heading SW.
  2. 0.7 miPass Vista Grande Overlook.
  3. 1 miTurn left onto High Valley Road, heading SE.
  4. 0.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  5. 50 ftContinue straight onto Hayfield Road, heading S.
  6. 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  7. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Canyon View Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.5 miContinue straight onto McCorkle Trail, heading S.
  9. 150 ftBear right onto Canyon View Trail, heading SE.
  10. 1 miContinue straight onto Geary Road, heading E.
  11. 0.5 miSharp left onto Backpack Road, heading E.
  12. 0.6 miSharp left onto McCorkle Trail, heading NE.
  13. 1.2 miReach Vista Grande Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 1.2 miSharp right, heading E.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Backpack Road, heading E.
  16. 0.6 miSharp right onto Geary Road, heading S.
  17. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Canyon View Trail, heading W.
  18. 1 miBear left onto McCorkle Trail, heading NW.
  19. 150 ftContinue straight onto Canyon View Trail, heading N.
  20. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Hayfield Road, heading N.
  21. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  22. 0.7 miBear left onto High Valley Road, heading NE.
  23. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  24. 0.2 miTurn right onto Vista Grande Road, heading NW.
  25. 1.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/vista-grande-overlook-backpack-road-out-back-8-sights

Trail surface

53% dirt47% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:15 AMSunset 8:14 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:54 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:14 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:42 PM.

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Other ways to reach this destination

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