desolation wilderness trailheads

We decided to enter from the Echo Lakes trailhead at Echo Summit. Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the country. Because Desolation Wilderness is such a popular recreational area, human access is limited and certain activities are restricted within. Keywords recreation, wilderness, permits, trails, trailheads, camping, hiking. Finding the wilderness. Monday, July 24, 2006 (Lake Aloha) We performed gear checks and shuttled our cars between the exit and entry points. The most popular include the Eagle Falls and nearby Bayview trailheads, both of which climb out of Emerald Bay, as well as the quintessential Desolation hike from the Echo Lakes Trailhead to Lake Aloha, near the southern reach of the wilderness area. General Notes: From the parking area near the Van Vleck bunkhouse, head back up to the paved road that you drove in from Ice House, and turn to the west. From the name alone I knew this would be some sort of adventure. These three maps overlap so we can follow side trails to local trailheads off of the main TYT-PCT route through Desolation Wilderness, such as Eagle Falls, Bayview Camp, and Cascade Lake along the West shore of Lake Tahoe. Then, we made our way to the trailhead at Lower Echo Lake, which is on the southeast end of Desolation Wilderness. This 2 day, 1 night loop hits some of … This Location The Tahoe to Yosemite, Tahoe Rim, and Pacific Crest Trails through Desolation Wilderness : Main Features: Meeks Bay is the trail head for the Classic Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, and an excellent entry point into the Desolation Wilderness for short and medium distance backpackers as well.. Trailhead : Miles One Way: Difficulty: Twin Lakes to: Grouse Lake: 2.1: Moderate/Difficult : Hemlock Lake Basics: Ralston Peak is located in the southern part of Desolation Wilderness and is relatively easy to reach. Try the Horseshoe Lake Loop for a full sampler of classic Desolation scenery, or venture straight into the heart of the wilderness on a shorter out-and-back to Lake Lois. Desolation Facts: • Total acreage of the wilderness is 63,960. Desolation Wilderness is immensely popular with both day adventurists and overnight backpackers. Desolation Wilderness is one of the largest wilderness areas near Lake Tahoe at almost 64,000 acres. Small creeks and meadows punctuate the generally forested northern portion of the segment. It is located west of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Desolation Wilderness August 11, 2012 DanaMite 63,690 acres, a federally protected wilderness area located along the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range – in between Lake Tahoe and the Gold Country, on the western slopes. Day hiking into Desolation Wilderness is also a great option for exploring some amazing spaces. As with almost all of the zones in Desolation Wilderness, there is more than one trailhead to choose from as your entry/exit point, as was the case for us. North Desolation Wilderness Central Desolation Wilderness South Desolation Wilderness. The hike is just under 6 miles (roundtrip) and involves a moderately strenuous gain of about 2700-ft. Use to figure out what permit you need. The trailhead is located 6 kms north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89. Day 1: PCT / TRT to Tamarack Lake – Lake Aloha – Heather Lake, Susie Lake. Also consider avoiding the wilderness during high-use periods. Several dirt roads cross the trail as it slowly rises to the Barker Pass trailhead. Wilderness areas give great opportunity for solitude and recreation and they are backpackers’ favorite because of their beautiful multi-day hiking trails. When to Go. Desolation Wilderness is jointly administered by both the Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Desolation Wilderness backpacking loop. During the winter months, most of the trailheads are covered by snow and are not accessible. I arrived at a trailhead still full of snowpack. Don’t be put-off by full parking lots and foot traffic. After discussing some alternatives and checking satellite photos on Caltopo, we decided to go for a relatively snow-free loop in Desolation Wilderness near Lake Tahoe. no ratings. It is a compact area of roughly 8-by-12 miles or just less than 100 square miles. The two most logical starting points for an overnighter were the Glen Alpine Trail at Lily Lake and the Mt Tallac trailhead. In fact, it’s so popular you’ll need a permit to enter, even if you’re planning just a day hike. There are several trailheads in the vicinity of South Lake Tahoe, with access from Highway 50 and Highway 89. It is located west of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Day 1 – Choosing a Route Through Desolation Wilderness. Permits are required. The Trailhead . • Elevation in Desolation ranges from about 6,500 to 9,983 feet on Pyramid Peak. The 15-minute USGS topo map Fallen Leaf Lake provides a view of most of the Desolation Wilderness area. The Desolation Wildnerness is just west of South Lake Tahoe. Desolation Wilderness is accessed through 13 trailheads: Loon Lake, Van Vleck, Rockbound, Twin Lakes, Lyons Creek, Pyramid Creek, Ralston Peak, Echo Lake, Glen Alpine, Mt. Tweet. Snowpack would be a big theme of this particular adventure. From the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center of South Lake Tahoe go north on Highway 89 for about 1 km and turn left into the paved road directly across from the entrance to Baldwin Beach. Desolation Wilderness is one of the most popular wilderness areas in the nation. Desolation Wilderness and Lake Tahoe region Travel resources ... to Emerald Bay. Meek's Creek Trailhead is at the north end of the wilderness area along Hwy 89 at Meek's Bay. Desolation Wilderness, California. 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