West Lakes & Castle Pass via Pacific Crest Trail is a 4.7-mile out-and-back near Donner, CA. The route passes West Lakes before reaching Castle Pass at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 654 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 35/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi7,238 – 7,917 ft · steepest grade: 16%4.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Rest Area Access Connector 39.34271, -120.33969
Nearest town Donner, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
West Lakes & Castle Pass via Pacific Crest Trail
4.7 mi · ▲ 654 ft · 1 hr 54 min
Elevation 7,238–7,918 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Rest Area Access Connector · 39.34271, -120.33969
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 79°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:13 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Rest Area Access Connector, heading N.
- 50 ftPass West Lakes.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 2.3 miReach West Lakes, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftPass Castle Pass.
- 2.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right onto Rest Area Access Connector, heading SE.
- 150 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
1% dirt99% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 79°F52°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity28%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:13 PM
Tue
80°60°
Wed
80°54°
Thu
84°54°
Fri
84°55°
Sat
85°55°
Sun
86°53°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~74 min). Leave by 6:38 PM for the 8:13 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Rest Area Access Connector Trailhead
- Summit Lake & West Lakes via Summit Lake Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 230 ft
- Lake Angela–Flora Lake, 6 lakes 4.6 mi · ▲ 323 ft
- Mount Stephens–Lake Angela, 7 lakes 5.2 mi · ▲ 406 ft
- Goldilocks Wall–Lake Angela, 7 lakes 5.7 mi · ▲ 437 ft
- Andesite Peak–West Lakes, 3 summits 5.8 mi · ▲ 946 ft
- German Ridge–Lake Angela, 7 lakes 7.5 mi · ▲ 870 ft
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