AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Wilder Ranch State Park

Prairie View Trail–Red Mailbox, 3 sights

8.4 mi · ▲ 1,144 ft · 3 hr 22 min

Prairie View Trail–Red Mailbox, 3 sights is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Wilder Ranch State Park near Rincon, CA. It climbs 1,144 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 6/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi121 – 1,106 ft · steepest grade: 21%9.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.01626, -122.07717
Nearest town Rincon, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Prairie View Trail–Red Mailbox, 3 sights

8.4 mi · ▲ 1,144 ft · 3 hr 22 min

Elevation 122–1,107 ft

Out & Back · Wilder Ranch State Park

Trailhead: 37.01626, -122.07717

Weather Aug 3: Overcast, high 76°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:16 AM · sunset 8:15 PM

Transit-accessible: 2519 Empire Grade stop 559 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 150 ftSharp left onto Mailboxes, heading S.
  3. 1.6 miBear right, heading S.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Mailbox, heading S.
  5. 0.8 miTurn right onto Wally World, heading W.
  6. 200 ftSharp left onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading W.
  7. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  8. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  9. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  10. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  11. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
  13. 200 ftBear right, heading S.
  14. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  15. 0.4 miTurn right onto Coast Vista Trail, heading S.
  16. 50 ftTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading S.
  17. 0.1 miReach Red Mailbox, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.1 miTurn right onto Coast Vista Trail, heading SE.
  19. 50 ftTurn left onto Prairie View Trail, heading SE.
  20. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  21. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  23. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  24. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  25. 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftTurn right onto UCSC Connector/Cave Gulch, heading NW.
  27. 0.5 miSharp right onto Wally World, heading N.
  28. 150 ftTurn left onto Red Mailbox, heading N.
  29. 2.5 miSharp right, heading N.
  30. 50 ftArrive 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/wally-world-out-back-12-km-68fc

Trail surface

34% dirt66% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 76°F50°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity58%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:16 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:15 PM
Tue 73°49°
Wed 85°52°
Thu 90°53°
Fri 100°60°
Sat 102°59°
Sun 89°54°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.1 mi in (~102 min). Leave by 6:12 PM for the 8:15 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 2519 Empire Grade stop 559 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Rincon, California