Reindeer & Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
4 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 1 hr 29 min
Reindeer & Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail is a 4-mile out-and-back in Royal Gorge near Soda Springs, CA. It climbs 310 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 38/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Reindeer & Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
4 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 1 hr 29 min
Elevation 6,781–7,017 ft
Out & Back · Royal Gorge
Trailhead: 39.31343, -120.38980
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 81°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Kilborn Forrest Access, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Reindeer, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Sterlings Canyon, heading S.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 250 ftBear right onto Sterling's Canyon Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Reindeer, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sterling's Canyon Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Sterlings Canyon, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Reindeer, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Kilborn Forrest Access, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 7:50 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:32 PM — 11 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
- 3.1 mi · loop · via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
- 5.5 mi · loop · via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
- 4.1 mi · loop · via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
- 3.5 mi · loop · via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
- 4.7 mi · out & back · via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
- 5.8 mi · out & back · via Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail
More from this trailhead
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 280 ft
- Hewlett Rim Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Reindeer 4.1 mi · ▲ 498 ft
- Bill & Flora's Point–Serene Lakes, 3 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 401 ft
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 591 ft
- Memorial Overland Emigrant Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 591 ft
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Hikes near Soda Springs, California