California trails · Alger Lakes
Alger Lakes
A 10.0-mile network in California, with 3,162 ft of climbing. Reaches Gem Pass and other lake/pass/viewpoint destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the first third: 47% of the ascent falls between mile 0.0 and mile 3.3. It gives back about 1,697 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Gem Pass (pass)
- Parker Pass (pass)
- Alger Lakes (lake)
- Top of the switchbacks (viewpoint)
Heads up
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:37 a.m., the sun rises at 7:03 a.m. and sets at 6:20 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 6:47 p.m. (PDT) — 11 h 17 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 10.0-mile route takes roughly 5 h 17 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 12:21 p.m. — 6 h 00 min before sunset.
Nearby trails
- John Muir — 9.4 mi
- Isberg — 15.9 mi
- 20 Lakes Basin Loop — 16.8 mi
- Red Peak Pass — 18.0 mi