Where is Hawkins Peak?

Where is Hawkins Peak?

Usa, north-america

Length

N/A

Elevation

2,953 m

Difficulty

moderate

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, picture this: you're north of Markleeville, California, smack-dab in the eastern part of the state, winding your way through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. You're on the hunt for Hawkins Peak, reaching a lofty 9,688 feet above sea level—one of the highest roads in California!

This peak? It's named after some dude named Hawkins, the first white settler around these parts back in the 1850s. He was a squatter on a cattle ranch to the east. Pretty cool, huh?

Heads up: the road to the summit is unpaved and rocky, so you’ll definitely want a 4x4 with some decent clearance for that final push. It's not super long, but it's a climb. We're talking a serious elevation gain, with an average gradient that hits a max of 17.8% in spots—hold on tight!

But the real payoff? The views from the top are epic. You can soak in the snowy Sierra Nevada range and the vast high desert of Nevada. Just keep in mind, this road is totally impassable in the winter.

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Road Details

Country
Usa
Continent
north-america
Max Elevation
2,953 m
Difficulty
moderate

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