Hard
California · United States
- Distance
- 11.3 km / 7.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 795 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 33 min
- River
- Mountain
Highland Lakes - Arnot Creek Loop
ExpertCalifornia · United States
- Distance
- 32.2 km (20.0 mi)
- Elevation gain
- 1,081 m (3,547 ft)
- Typical time
- 8 hr 51 min
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Route type
- Loop
- Highest point
- 2,639 m (8,658 ft)
About Highland Lakes - Arnot Creek Loop
Highland Lakes - Arnot Creek Loop is a 32.2 km hiking route in California, United States. It climbs roughly 1,081 m (3,547 ft) along the way, topping out at 2,639 m (8,658 ft). Most people take around 8 hr 51 min at a comfortable pace, plus stops. Only take this on with mountain experience, solid navigation and a realistic view of your own pace.
Riverside walking means shade, birdlife and a reliable sense of direction. The water is the anchor of the route, still enough on calm mornings to mirror everything above it. The higher sections open out completely, with ridgelines stacking into the distance on clear days.
The circuit closes on itself, which makes logistics simple: one car park, one round of 20.0 mi. It is not consistently waymarked, so carry a map or a downloaded track rather than relying on signs.
The high sections hold snow long after the valleys are green, which keeps the usable season to high summer.
In short, Highland Lakes - Arnot Creek Loop suits experienced mountain walkers who are comfortable with exposure, navigation and long descents. Dog access is not formally recorded here, so check locally before bringing one.
Route map
Expert32.2 km1,081 m
Numbered marks every 5 km
Route line from OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. View the source relation
Elevation
Elevation profile
- Ascent
- +1,081 m
- Descent
- −1,086 m
- High
- 2,639 m (8,658 ft)
- Low
- 1,957 m (6,421 ft)
The route in detail
The loop is usually walked clockwise from the main trailhead. The first third does most of the climbing, so settle into a slow rhythm early rather than trying to hold a flat-ground pace. The steepest pitch runs at roughly 38 percent, short but enough to slow most people to a crawl. The upper section is where the route earns its reputation, and it is also where weather changes fastest. The return leg is the reverse of the outward journey, which makes it easy to judge remaining time.
Highlights
- High point of 2,639 m (8,658 ft)
- Lake
- River
- Mountain
- Circular route, no backtracking
- Over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) of ascent
Know before you go
- Best season
- July to September
- Waymarked
- Not consistently
- Surface
- Mixed natural surface
- Dogs
- Not recorded, check locally
- Wheelchair access
- Not accessible
- Entrance fee
- No fee recorded
- Camping
- Not recorded
- Drinking water
- Carry your own
- Toilets
- Not recorded
- Mobile coverage
- Patchy on the upper sections
- Parking
- Park at the trailhead, arrive early in high season
- Emergency
- 112 in Europe, 911 in North America
How this trail scores
Computed from distance, ascent, terrain features, surface and access data.
- Scenery
- 91/100
- Adventure
- 72/100
- Difficulty
- 100/100
- Accessibility
- 13/100
- Family
- 17/100
- Dogs
- 55/100
Terrain features, relief and photographic interest
Distance, ascent and how wild the ground is
Effort index from distance and climbing
Surface, gradient and ease of reaching it
Suitability for children who already walk
Access rules, terrain and water along the way
Tips from the trail
- Start at first light. A long day is far more pleasant when you are not racing the sunset on the descent.
- Aim for july to september for the most reliable conditions.
- Calm mornings give mirror reflections on the water, so it is worth being there early.
- Download the track to your phone before you leave. Signal is not guaranteed.
- Break the route into stages and decide your turnaround time before you set off.
- Leave nothing behind, including fruit peel, and stay on the marked line to protect the ground either side.
Warnings
- This route is long and sustained. Turn back early rather than late if the weather closes in.
- Some sections are steep enough to be awkward in the wet, particularly on the way down.
- At this altitude the weather can turn in under an hour, and temperatures drop fast once cloud arrives.
- Outside the main season expect snow, ice or closed access on the higher sections.
Safety
Emergency services in United States are reached on 911. Tell someone your route and expected finish time before you set off, particularly if you are walking alone. Mobile coverage in the upper sections is patchy at best, so do not count on being able to call for help from the summit. If the weather deteriorates, descending the way you came is almost always the safer option.
What to bring
- Comfortable, broken-in hiking shoes or boots
- Weatherproof jacket
- At least 1.5 litres of water
- Trekking poles for the descent
- Offline map and compass
- Head torch and spare battery
- Extra warm layer
- Sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sun cream
- Microspikes if you are walking at the edges of the season
Photography
Shoot the first hour after sunrise from the higher ground: the low angle picks out every ridge and the valleys still hold mist. Because it is a loop, the light changes direction as you go, so save some memory for the back half. A wide lens captures the scale, but a short telephoto is what turns a good view into a photograph.
Frequently asked questions
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