THE LAKE TRAIL
Lake Tahoe California
July 2019
The Lake Trail is a great alternative to the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT). It is 100% accessible to bikes, unlike the TRT.
This route was developed by Chris McNamara and is still in development.
Since The Lake Trail is at a lower elevation than TRT, it allows sooner access to the lake and more lake views.
Be prepared to push your bike for some of the newer sections and "bush wack" adventure cycle
DISTANCE
127Â miles
DURATION
3 days
ELEVATION GAIN
13,500'
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CAMPING
There are plenty of places to "wild camp" along the route. We never had an issue finding camping spots
Hotels, hostels, and AirB&B are also options in the various towns along the route (we stayed one night in a hostel in Breckenridge)
FOOD/WATER
There is only one long stretch without water (Ski run to Spooner Lake ~20 miles)
Plenty of creeks along the route to fill up
Food resupply in Tahoe City, Homewood, Meyers, and/or South Lake Tahoe
NAVIGATION
Navigation is not easy. Bring a GPS to follow to route
We used Ride With GPS application to follow the route. The phone was mounted to the handle bar for ease
FYI
Bring sun protection (we used arm sleeves and stick sunscreen for our faces)
There are bugs but they are manageable
You could do this trip without a stove
It rarely rains in Tahoe during the summer
The section from Third Creek to First Creek is the most difficult section and route finding is tough
We were the 14th people to complete the trail, so it will only get better!
DIFFICULTY
Route finding and hike a bike sections make this a black diamond
Expect 12-hour days
The East side is much easier than the West