Strawberry Pass–Buck Pasture Trail, 5 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Kirkwood, CA. The route reaches Strawberry Pass. It climbs 3,580 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 53/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi7,691 – 9,413 ft · steepest grade: 21%16.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail 38.69484, -119.98928
Nearest town Kirkwood, CA
Directions
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Strawberry Pass–Buck Pasture Trail, 5 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 3,580 ft · 7 hr 9 min
Elevation 7,691–9,413 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail · 38.69484, -119.98928
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 2.6 miSharp left onto Schneider Camp Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Schneider Camp 4WD Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Strawberry 4WD Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miPass Strawberry Pass.
- 50 ftBear left onto Buck Pasture Trail, heading W.
- 1.7 miReach Strawberry Pass, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.7 miBear right onto Strawberry 4WD Trail, heading E.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Schneider Camp 4WD Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Schneider Camp Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miSharp right, heading S.
- 2.6 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 1.4 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
83% dirt17% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~53 min). Leave by 5:49 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:58 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 Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead
- Round Lake–Dardanelles Lake, 5 sights 14.3 mi · ▲ 1,722 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 7.4 mi · ▲ 819 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 5.9 mi · ▲ 791 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 5.9 mi · ▲ 791 ft
- Showers Lake & Showers Lake Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 13.6 mi · ▲ 2,656 ft
- The Nipple–Lost Lake (west), 3 lakes 15 mi · ▲ 2,964 ft
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