Mount Washington Trail
- 1.4 mi
- round trip
- 310 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Mount Washington Trail open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Plumas National Forest.
Stage I Fire Restrictions - Plumas National Forest
Agency alert covering Plumas National Forest · Order 05-11-26-04 · USFS · Plumas National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Plumas National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
The Mount Washington Trail is a mountain biking route in California's Plumas National Forest, within the Beckwourth Ranger District. It is a short, out-and-back ride of about 2.7 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 310 feet, taking you from a low point of 7,034 feet to a high of 7,318 feet. The Forest Service manages the land. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from the Sagehen Creek weather station, about 32 miles away, show July highs near 80°F with lows around 37°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The Pacific Crest Trail passes within a third of a mile, and the Wades/Jamison Lake Connector is about 0.6 miles away. For an overnight stay, Lakes Basin Group Campground and Lakes Basin Family Campground are both about 3.2 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Alpenglow Expeditions44 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Mount Washington Trail
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.
Jan
40° / 15°
Feb
41° / 15°
Mar
48° / 19°
Apr
53° / 22°
May
62° / 28°
Jun
72° / 32°
Jul
80° / 37°
Aug
79° / 35°
Sep
73° / 31°
Oct
61° / 24°
Nov
49° / 20°
Dec
39° / 14°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sagehen Creek, CA, 32 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 rides worth the drive
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
