California · Hiking · Near Bear Valley

Beardsley

8.1 mi
round trip
578 ft
climb
3,194 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 9 h ago

Is Beardsley open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Stanislaus National Forest. It doesn't name Beardsley, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Stanislaus National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Beardsley is a hard hike of about 8 miles on the Summit Ranger District of Stanislaus National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back with a total climb of about 580 feet, from a low point of roughly 2,770 feet to a high of about 3,190 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Calaveras Big Trees show July highs around 81°F with lows near 56°F and only about one wet day in the month. That station sits about 1,500 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the hike run cooler. The trail is on natural surface and allows both horses and bikes. Sand Bar Flat campground is just 0.1 mile away, and Tunnel Cr. R is about 2 miles off. Paddlers can reach the South Fork Stanislaus River within 4 miles, and Beardsley Dam campground is about 5 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Junkyardsparkle, CC0 (commons)

More in Bear Valley
  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Beardsley

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      45° / 30°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      46° / 30°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      49° / 32°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 35°

      8 wet

    5. May

      63° / 42°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      73° / 49°

      2 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 56°

      1 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 55°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 51°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      64° / 43°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      52° / 34°

      7 wet

    12. Dec

      44° / 30°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Calaveras Big Trees, CA, 10.6 mi away at 4,695 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Twain HartePhoto: srsmedly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Twain Harte

~8 min drive

2.30-mile out-and-back trail in California with 680 ft of elevation gain.

DEER CREEK (UPPER)Photo: srsmedly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

DEER CREEK (UPPER)

~10 min drive

4.76-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,614 ft elevation gain.

04N12-SNOW TRAILPhoto: scorpio-tiger, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

04N12-SNOW TRAIL

~13 min drive

13.4-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,796 ft elevation gain

HIKE

3N01-SNOW TRAIL

~11 min drive

49.62-mile out-and-back trail in California with 5,558 ft elevation gain and loss.

StrawPhoto: mtnscll, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Straw

~10 min drive

Straw is a 1.02-mile out-and-back trail in California with 116 feet of elevation gain.

Main Tuolumne Ditch TrailPhoto: srsmedly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Main Tuolumne Ditch Trail

~11 min drive

2.82-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,222 ft elevation gain and loss.

Lava Bluffs TrailPhoto: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lava Bluffs Trail

~15 min drive

4.38-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,708 ft gain and 4,269 ft max elevation.

DEER CREEK MC TRAIL LOWERPhoto: srsmedly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

DEER CREEK MC TRAIL LOWER

~12 min drive

3.38-mile out-and-back hike in California with 820 ft elevation gain.

South Grove TrailPhoto: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

South Grove Trail

~12 min drive

5.76-mile out-and-back hike in California with 1,757 ft elevation gain

Twain Harte HorsemenPhoto: srsmedly, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Twain Harte Horsemen

~15 min drive

3.21-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,666 ft gain.