5 Ebbetts Pass
Ebbetts Pass National
Scenic Byway officially
runs from Arnold to
Markleeville, yet it’s the
dramatic stretch east of
Lake Alpine that really
gets drivers’ hearts
pumping. Narrowing,
the highway continues
4 miles past Cape Horn
Vista to Mosquito Lake
and over Pacific Grade
Summit before slaloming
through historic
Hermit Valley, where
the Molokume River
meadow blooms with
summer wildflowers.
Finally, Hwy 4 winds
up and over the actual
summit of Ebbetts Pass
(elevation 8730ft), where
the top-of-the-world
scenery encompassessnaggletoothed granite
peaks rising above the
tree line. About 0.4 miles
east of the signposted
pass, the highway crosses
the Pacific Crest Trail
(PCT), which zigzags
from Mexico to Canada.
For wildflowers, volcanic
cliffs and granite canyon
views, take an 8-mile
round-trip hike to Nobel
Lake. Or park the car
and have a picnic besideTRIP HIGHLIGHT
Ebbetts Pass