Turtle Rock–Ipiwa Viewpoint, 13 sights is a 13.3-mile out-and-back in Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve near Vista Verde, CA. The route passes Alpine Pond, Ipiwa Viewpoint, Horseshoe Lake and 3 more before reaching Turtle Rock at the turnaround, 6.6 miles in. It climbs 2,274 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi2,008 – 2,638 ft · steepest grade: 32%14.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Ipiwa Trail 37.31505, -122.18837
Nearest town Vista Verde, CA
Directions
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Turtle Rock–Ipiwa Viewpoint, 13 sights
13.3 mi · ▲ 2,274 ft · 5 hr 34 min
Elevation 2,009–2,637 ft
Out & Back · Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve
Trailhead: Ipiwa Trail · 37.31505, -122.18837
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 89°F / low 66° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Ipiwa Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Alpine Pond.
- 0.7 miPass Ipiwa Viewpoint.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miPass Horseshoe Lake.
- 100 ftSharp right onto Lambert Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 450 ftPass Horseshoe Viewpoint.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Chestnut Trail, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn right onto Peters Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left onto Portola Heights Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Long Ridge Road, heading SE.
- 200 ftPass Wallace Stegner Bench.
- 0.5 miPass Two Moon Lake.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Ward Road, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 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 W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Ward Road, heading NW.
- 200 ftBear left onto Long Ridge Road, heading SW.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Long Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Portola Heights Road, heading NE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Long Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Peters Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Chestnut Trail, heading N.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Tree Farm Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Horseshoe Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Lambert Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Sunny Jim Trail, heading W.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Ipiwa Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 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
24% dirt76% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 89°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°50°
Fri
94°56°
Sat
90°53°
Sun
81°46°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~28 min). Leave by 7:28 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Ipiwa Trail Trailhead
- Alpine Pond–Butano View Trail, 3 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 319 ft
- Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Lake, 3 lakes 3.1 mi · ▲ 646 ft
- Audrey's Viewpoint & Alpine Pond via New Ancient Oaks Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 547 ft
- Alpine Pond & Charquin Trail via New Ancient Oaks Trail 5.1 mi · ▲ 1,187 ft
- Ipiwa Viewpoint–Horseshoe Viewpoint, 12 sights 14.8 mi · ▲ 2,953 ft
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