Winnemucca Lake–Carson Pass to Lake Winnemucca Trail, 3 sights
15.9 mi · ▲ 2,569 ft · 6 hr 35 min
Winnemucca Lake–Carson Pass to Lake Winnemucca Trail, 3 sights is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Mokelumne Wilderness near Shay Creek Summer Home Area, CA. The route reaches Winnemucca Lake at the turnaround, 7.9 miles in. It climbs 2,569 ft. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Winnemucca Lake–Carson Pass to Lake Winnemucca Trail, 3 sights
15.9 mi · ▲ 2,569 ft · 6 hr 35 min
Elevation 7,516–9,059 ft
Out & Back · Mokelumne Wilderness
Trailhead: Lower Charity Road · 38.67445, -119.91914
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:46 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Lower Charity Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto Forestdale Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 3.5 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 1.4 miSharp left, heading W.
- 1 miSharp left onto Carson Pass to Lake Winnemucca Trail, heading N.
- 1.2 miReach Winnemucca Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 1.2 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading N.
- 1 miBear left, heading SE.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Forestdale Creek Trail, heading E.
- 3.4 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Lower Charity Road, heading SE.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.5 mi in (~209 min). Leave by 3:13 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Lower Charity Road Trailhead
- Burnside Lake Trail 3–Burnside Lake Trail, 4 sights 15.4 mi · ▲ 2,295 ft
- Creekside Spur D–Faith Valley Loop Road, 3 sights 5.5 mi · ▲ 618 ft
- Frog Lake & Lower Charity Road via Pacific Crest Trail 14.9 mi · ▲ 2,483 ft
- Faith Valley Loop Road & Lower Charity Road via Hope Valley Campground Road 4.8 mi · ▲ 292 ft
- The Nipple–Lost Lake (west), 3 summits 15.1 mi · ▲ 2,667 ft
- Upper Blue Lake & Lower Charity Road via Forestdale Road 14.4 mi · ▲ 3,124 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Shay Creek Summer Home Area, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Shay Creek Summer Home Area, California