Five-Star Trails: Lake Tahoe: 40 Unforgettable Hikes in the Central Sierra Nevada

by Jordan Summers

Overview

Covering the region surrounding the 22-mile-long lake, author Jordan Summers guides hikers along 40 of the region’s best trails—all located within 25 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline.

Trekkers can easily find the perfect hike with the complete trail descriptions for 27 day hikes and 13 overnight destinations. An accurate map, directions to the trailhead with coordinates for GPS use, and an elevation profile of each trail prepare hikers with the full picture of the route ahead.

Generally intended for outdoors people of all ages and abilities, Five-Star Trails: Lake Tahoe describes great hikes from the Desolation, Mt. Rose, Granite Chief, and Mokelumne Wilderness areas, as well as along sections of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and portions of the Tahoe Rim Trail.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634042161
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	07/01/2018
Series:	Five-Star Trails
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jordan Summers has had more fun sleeping on rock, snow, and dirt than any one person should be allowed. From his home near Sacramento, Jordan spends most weekends ranging along the Sierra north and south of Lake Tahoe.

Read an Excerpt

Mount Rose

Scenery: 5 stars
Trail Condition: 4 stars
Children: 2 stars
Difficulty: 4 stars
Solitude: 3 stars

GPS Trailhead Coordinates: N39° 18.768' W119° 53.849'
Distance & Configuration: 10.2-mile out-and-back
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
Outstanding Features: Pleasant trail through pine forest, plus a waterfall beneath Mount Houghton. A well-defined trail leads to the summit for a 360-degree view all the way from Stampede Reservoir in the west to the Carson Range in the east, with Lake Tahoe laid out for 22 blue miles below you to the south.
Elevation: 8,904' at trailhead
Access: Year-round
Maps: Lake Tahoe Basin (Trails Illustrated 803)
Facilities: Pit toilet
Comments: Carry water.
Contacts: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Carson Ranger District, 775-882-2766, www.fs.usda.gov/htnf

Overview

This trail is straightforward and pleasant to walk the entire way. You’ll use a ridge at the foot of Mount Houghton to gain 200 feet in the first 0.5 mile before crossing that ridge to traverse for the next 2 miles with no elevation gain. You’ll have great views of Lake Tahoe initially before your destination begins to dominate the vista. The final 2.5 miles to the summit are interrupted only by a few switchbacks up the more than 1,700 feet to the top of this old volcano.

Route Details

No one is certain about the origin of Mount Rose’s name—even whether it came from a man or a woman. But we do know that Church Peak, the twin summit on this ridge, honors Dr. James Church of the University of Nevada, who established the first high-altitude meteorological observatory here and developed the modern science of snow survey, which is used today. At 10,776 feet, Mount Rose is the highest point around Lake Tahoe’s Nevada side.

Walk past the pit toilets to the trailhead, which is situated immediately behind them at the kiosk. Less than 100 feet past the trailhead is the hikers-only trailhead for the Tahoe Rim Trail, which leads to the Mount Rose Summit Trail. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association supplies trail maps at the kiosk, where hikers can also read up on preferred wilderness practices.

Head uphill with a sharp turn at the kiosk, and immediately take in the views to the south and west, where Lake Tahoe comes into view. In exactly 0.5 mile, the trail will level out. Conveniently enough, you’ll find a tight formation of boulders shaded by pine, perfect for putting on the sunscreen that you forgot to apply in the parking lot. The broad, sandy, well-marked trail stays level, or nearly so, meandering across a lightly treed, south-facing slope for the next 2 miles as you traverse to the northwest of Tamarack Lake. You may cross a couple of runoff streams as you get sneak peeks of Mount Rose at about 1.25 miles along, and in another 0.5 mile, you have a clear view of your destination as you walk along a steep slope.

Just before the trail’s 2.5-mile midpoint, the Tahoe Rim Trail veers to the west toward Relay Peak. At the next fork in the trail, momentarily leave your route on the path to your left, which leads over to a rocky cascade and an opportunity to refill your water. Don’t miss this cool photo opportunity. Continue on your route to the right and cross the stream on boulders placed there for you, then on through this marshy area along the rock-and-gravel causeway. The trail continues north beneath a power line, next to a large meadow with beautiful views down the canyon to the east. Just after you crash through the willows and lupine at the next stream, you’ll pass another junction where the Tahoe Rim Trail diverges from our route and heads to Relay Peak.

From this intersection, climb across one of Mount Houghton’s eastern flanks, and then begin ascending the crease between it and Mount Rose. Climb these tree-covered slopes, then cross to the north side of the ravine and resume hiking up the rock-filled ditch to a saddle 400 feet above. Just as you reach the saddle, you will encounter the boundary sign for the Mount Rose Wilderness. At the saddle, continue to walk around it 150 feet to the west to reach the end of a ridge, which you will mount and hike to the northeast. Ignore the trail junction to Thomas Creek Trailhead—this is a segment of the Mount Rose Trail heading to Davis Meadow.

Turn uphill to the right. Your destination lies 1 mile ahead. The dirt-and-rock trail becomes somewhat scrabbly as it ascends the prominent ridge rather directly. After reaching the first switchback in 0.5 mile, you may enjoy the chance to take in the scenery (along with some extra oxygen). The switchbacks will lead you to a traverse of the northwest slope, where you will turn southeast on the lower portion of the summit ridge. Three final switchbacks through the rocks carry you up to the ridge and a simple 250-foot walk to the summit.

The shelters here protect you somewhat from the wind. The thousands of California tortoiseshell butterflies are apparently unaffected by these gusts. There are two perches of similar height here; both offer spectacular vistas of Boca, Stampede, and Prosser Reservoirs to the northwest, Mount Houghton and Relay Peak to the southwest, and Washoe Lake to the east.

Directions

From Truckee, take I-80 east 2.5 miles to CA 267/CA 89, Exit 188B, toward Lake Tahoe. Drive 11.6 miles and turn left on CA 28. Drive 4.6 miles on CA 28 before turning left onto Mount Rose Highway/ NV 431. Drive 8.2 miles uphill to Mount Rose Road, where a large parking lot is on the left.

From I-80 in Reno, drive 10 miles south on US 395 to Mount Rose Highway/NV 431, and then drive 16 miles east to the summit parking lot.

Pit toilets and trash receptacles are available at the top of this year-round pass.

Table of Contents

Overview Map
Overview Map Key
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Preface
Recommended Hikes
Hikes by Category
Introduction

Lake Tahoe East
1. Mount Rose
2. Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Trail
3. Tahoe Meadows Trails
4. Diamond Peak
5. Folsom Camp Loop
6. Marlette Lake
7. Spooner Lake

Lake Tahoe South
8. Freel Peak
9. Dardanelles Lake
10. Round Lake
11. Big Meadow to Kingsbury South
12. Carson Pass to Echo Summit
13. Showers Lake
14. Fourth of July Lake
15. Winnemucca and Round Top Lakes
16. Lake Margaret
17. Thunder Mountain
18. Echo Lakes to Lake Aloha
19. Lake LeConte
20. Ralston Peak
21. Pyramid Peak
22. Half Moon, Alta Morris, and Gilmore Lakes
23. Glen Alpine Loop
24. Mount Tallac

Lake Tahoe West
25. Sylvia and Lyons Lakes
26. Grouse, Hemlock, and Smith Lakes
27. Island and Twin Lakes
28. Lake Lois and Lake Schmidell
29. McConnell Lake Loop
30. Rubicon Trail
31. Eagle Falls-Velma Lakes Loop
32. Genevieve and Crag Lakes
33. Rubicon Lake
34. Barker Pass to Echo Lakes
35. Barker Pass to Middle Velma Lake
36. Barker Pass to Twin Peaks
37. Ward Creek to Twin Peaks
38. Mount Judah Loop
39. Donner Pass to Squaw Valley
40. Loch Leven Lakes

Appendix A: Managing Agencies
Appendix B: Permits
Appendix C: Maps
Appendix D: Suggested Reading
Index
About the Author
Map Legend