California · Hiking

Mills Peak

2.1 mi
round trip
858 ft
climb
7,314 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is MILLS PEAK open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Plumas National Forest.

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

Mills Peak is an out-and-back hike in the Beckwourth Ranger District of Plumas National Forest in California, about 2 miles from the trailhead. The route is 4.2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 858 feet, and it is rated easy. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.95 miles in, where the grade reaches 16 percent. The high point is 7,314 feet, and the trail starts at 6,721 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Sagehen Creek weather station, about 27 miles away, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 37°F. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the peak, so temperatures on top run cooler. The trip takes about 2 hours. Haven Lake Campground and Snag Lake are both within a mile of the trail, and the County Line Trail is about a mile away. For paddling, Frazier Creek is about 3 miles off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit MILLS PEAK

    Best months: June–August. 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

      40° / 15°

    2. Feb

      41° / 15°

    3. Mar

      48° / 19°

    4. Apr

      53° / 22°

    5. May

      62° / 28°

    6. Jun

      72° / 32°

    7. Jul

      80° / 37°

    8. Aug

      79° / 35°

    9. Sep

      73° / 31°

    10. Oct

      61° / 24°

    11. Nov

      49° / 20°

    12. Dec

      39° / 14°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sagehen Creek, CA, 26.7 mi away at 6,337 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Frazier Falls TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Frazier Falls Trail

~4 min drive

1.06-mile out-and-back hike with 208 ft gain in California

BEAR LAKES LOOP TRAILPhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

BEAR LAKES LOOP TRAIL

~5 min drive

7.64-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,875 ft elevation gain/loss.

Gold Valley Rim TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gold Valley Rim Trail

~8 min drive

10.1-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,530 ft elevation gain and loss.

HIKE

MILLS PEAK TRAIL

~3 min drive

15.14-mile out-and-back trail in California with 3,321 ft elevation gain.

GRASSY LAKE TRAILPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

GRASSY LAKE TRAIL

~4 min drive

1.64-mile loop trail in California with 281 ft elevation gain.

MUD LAKE TRAILPhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

MUD LAKE TRAIL

~6 min drive

2.81-mile loop trail in California with 1,249 ft elevation gain and loss.

GOLD VALLEY RIM MC TRAILPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

GOLD VALLEY RIM MC TRAIL

~8 min drive

10.56-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,316 ft elevation gain/loss.

HIKE

Pacific Crest Trail

~6 min drive

18.64-mile out-and-back trail in California with 3,343 ft elevation gain.

Bear Lakes LoopPhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Bear Lakes Loop

~5 min drive

0.66-mile out-and-back out-and-back with 271 ft elevation gain in California

Wades/Jamison Lake ConnectorPhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Wades/Jamison Lake Connector

~8 min drive

1.92-mile out-and-back trail with 786 ft elevation gain and loss in California.

Route details

Distance
2.1 mi round trip
Climbing
About 858 ft
Summit
7,337 ft
Difficulty
Easy
Time
About 1 hour

Other routes up Millis Peak

Questions about this route

How long is the MILLS PEAK on Millis Peak?

About 2.1 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the MILLS PEAK?

About 858 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the MILLS PEAK?

It is rated easy.

How long does the MILLS PEAK take?

About 1 hour round trip.

How many routes go up Millis Peak?

2: MILLS PEAK and MILLS PEAK TRAIL.

Conditions and forecast on Millis Peak

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.