AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
JOTR White Tank formations.jpg
Eric Polk · CC BY-SA 4.0

White Tank–Surprise Tank, 3 lakes

11.1 mi · ▲ 761 ft · 4 hr 5 min

White Tank–Surprise Tank, 3 lakes is an 11.1-mile out-and-back near Pinto Wye, CA. The route passes White Tank before reaching Surprise Tank at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 761 ft. It scores 89/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi3,796 – 4,485 ft11.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 33.98285, -116.01661
Nearest town Pinto Wye, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

White Tank–Surprise Tank, 3 lakes

11.1 mi · ▲ 761 ft · 4 hr 5 min

Elevation 3,796–4,484 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 33.98285, -116.01661

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 86°F / low 66° · precip 4% · wind 16 mph · sunrise 6:21 AM · sunset 7:06 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 400 ftPass White Tank.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto White Tank Campground, heading N.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto 6, heading N.
  5. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  6. 50 ftBear left onto White Tank Campground, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn right onto Arch Rock Trail, heading NW.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  9. 0.4 miTurn left onto California Riding and Hiking Trail, heading W.
  10. 4.6 miBear left, heading W.
  11. 0.4 miPass Surprise Tank.
  12. 50 ftReach White Tank, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 5 miTurn right onto Arch Rock Trail, heading E.
  14. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  15. 150 ftTurn left onto White Tank Campground, heading E.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  17. 50 ftBear right onto 6, heading E.
  18. 50 ftTurn left onto White Tank Campground, heading E.
  19. 350 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/white-tank-white-tank-out-back-4-lakes-18-km-b2d4

Trail surface

7% gravel2% dirt91% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 86°F66°
Precip4%Wind16 mphUV8Humidity20%
Hourly temperature
90°65°
Sunrise 6:21 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 7:06 PM
Sun 78°67° 34%
Mon 89°66°
Tue 92°73°
Wed 92°77°
Thu 93°78°
Fri 89°76°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Pinto Wye, California