California trails · Mono Creek
A 11.6-mile out-and-back in California, with 3,906 ft of climbing. Reaches Mono Pass and other lake/pass destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Most of the climbing sits in the final third — 56% of the ascent, between mile 7.7 and mile 11.6. It climbs almost continuously, with little descent to recover on.
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 5:58 a.m., the sun rises at 6:25 a.m. and sets at 7:26 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:52 p.m. (PDT) — 13 h 01 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 23.2-mile round trip takes roughly 12 h 29 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 6:54 p.m. — 32 min before sunset.