Completed it counterclockwise which was perfect and gave desolation more time to thaw out. I have gone downhill from the trailhead there and found it less than thrilling... Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT): Spooner Summit to South Camp Peak, Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT): Spooner Summit to Snow Valley Peak, Marlette Lake and Chimney Beach Loop Trail, Logan House Creek OHV Trail [CLOSED / PRIVATE PROPERTY], Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT): Spooner Summit to Kingsbury Grade, Tahoe Rim Trail: Spooner to Tahoe Meadows, Spooner Lake to Flume Trail to Snow Valley Peak Loop, Marlette Lake and Tahoe Rim (Spooner) Trail Loop. And for a particularly stunning section of the trail, head into Desolation Wilderness, also on the West Shore between Echo Lakes and Barker Pass. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association began construction on the trail in 1984, and completed the route in 2001. One hundred sixty-five miles of singletrack bliss winds its way around the majestic Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada backcountry, offering trail runners a heavenly escape. From Incline Village, drive up Highway 431 to the Mount Rose Summit. ), From South Lake Tahoe, head to the Kingsbury Grade South trail head by driving up Highway 207. Most riders opt to start out at Kingsbury and head north as it’s got a little less elevation gain than coming south along the trail from Spooner. Otherwise it’s 14 miles from Spooner Summit to Edgewood Creek. From here, the trail heads south towards Barker Pass. Resources. Relay Peak (4,000 ft over 15 miles)is pretty gradual until the final few miles (~500 ft per mile) but the switchbacks are lengthy enough that you don’t suck too much wind. It's too awesome to bust out that fast. The Tahoe Rim Trail is an incredibly scenic and diverse mountain bike trail system. On the descent, admire a 130-foot waterfall—the highest on the trail. Overall elevation gain/loss on Appalachian Trail: 917,760′ over 2185.3 mi (avg: 420’/mi) Overall elevation gain/loss on Pacific Crest Trail: 824,370′ over 2668.8 mi (avg: 309’/mi). Resupplied once by Echó Lake Summit. backpacking preparation maps. A word of warning - be ready for random thunderstorms and rain! A short climb from the trailhead quickly transports visitors to the serenity of the forest. Longer sections can be tackled in either out-and-back runs or by shuttling a car. One must obtain a Desolation Wilderness Permit before going into the region. Took 13 days. Hiking distances will range between 7 and 16 miles per day averaging 11.75 miles per day. I recommend that beginner hikers plan for 15 mile days but if you get up early enough and bring enough Advil then you can easily do about 20 miles. It is such a diverse trail, and access is easy from anywhere around the lake. Local LoveTahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs host a 50-K, 50-mile and 100-mile race each July, and the course is partially held on the sections of the Rim Trail on the northeast side of the Lake. I'd make sure, next time to pack extra water flavorings as Spooner Summit Lake water wasn't exactly flavorful. ALMOST ready for biking, should be ok for hiking. The western part of the trail has tons of lakes and streams, and the eastern side has lots of aspen groves and winding trails. The trail is accessible from multiple trailheads around the lake. The ride will kick off at around 8am, or as soon as you want to roll out after registering, no mass start. Finally, if you're short on time but still want to get a taste of Tahoe hiking, try the hike that's not even ON the Tahoe Rim Trail - the Eagle Falls / Bayview hike at Emerald Bay. From sweat-dripping, big-elevation-gain hikes that lead you deep into the wilderness to road-shot mellow hikes that offer exceptional views but do little as far as elevation increase, there is pretty much a trail for everyone. (Other access points from South Lake Tahoe include the Grass Lake, Big Meadow, Echo Summit and Echo Lake Trailheads.). You can also add your own trail information in RunPedia. Just finished Clockwise in 9 days. National Geographic and Tom Harrison publish maps which are a good complement to the simple TRT Association maps. Thanks! Easier than the JMT, but with the heavy snow year in 2017, navigation was a bit challenging in the snow. In September of 2009, a then-21-year-old Kilian Jornet set the speed record for running the entire 165-mile trail in a time of 38 hours, 32 minutes, shattering the previous record set by Western States legend Tim Tweitmeyer by seven and a half hours. I went counter clockwise beginning at Mt Rose. Why We Love It"The Rim Trail is my favorite weekend long run. Many people run it in sections throughout the summer and fall to eventually get the entire route in. This ride can be done as an out & back from either end or as a one-way ride with shuttle. Long dry sections: Today, the trail consists of nine segments, varying from 12.2 miles (Spooner Summit to Kingsbury Grade, East Shore) to 32.5 miles (Echo Lakes to Barker Pass, West Shore), with detailed maps, trail descriptions and trailhead directions for each. There is a lot more to running 100 miles than just running… The 50 mile course (you run it twice) is a beast with 20,000 plus feet of elevation gain. The trail ranges in elevation from They offer eight printable maps; these are sometimes available at trailhead USFS kiosks, but print the maps yourself to ensure you have them. PS I thru-hike'd the AT several years ago. Made it to Tahoe City before jumping off and shuttling to Kingsbury Grade due to snow reports on Dick's Pass and Freel Pass. Update to an earlier Reivew By the time we got there the snow was pretty non existent. Be sure to plan ahead where you are starting out so that you know where you can resupply. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The Overall gain/loss is calculated only with the CDT Proper, while the steepest climbs include the various alternate routes as mapped by Bear Creek Survey. Both were bug free. Most of the way you have an incredible view of the lake to one side and amazing valley or mountain views on the other. The trail crosses the road there and goes uphill (East). The Tahoe Rim Trail Association has an excellent website with most of the detailed information needed to organize a trip. Address Park Avenue and Lake Parkway South Lake Tahoe , CA 96150. Be prepared for long water carries on the eastern (Nevada) side. "—Ross McMahon, Incline Village, Nev. (Large photos courtesy of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association). STORY AND PHOTOS BY ERIC CACHINERO. Tough but worth it! Riders following the Tahoe Rim Trail can count on incredible views of granite peaks, vibrant green meadows, and incredible vibrancy of one of the clearest bodies of water on earth. In addition to distance, it is worth noting that the highest point on the TRT is Relay Peak at 10,338’. I've decided it's my favorite short hike at Lake Tahoe. Share the TrailHiking and horseback riding is allowed on all 165 miles of the trail. Others were doing these sections with some difficulty. For Spooner from Stateline, continue on US-50 until the Spooner Summit trailhead. Follow the bike path west on the south bank of Truckee River for 0.4 miles, then head south around a gate to reach the Rim Trail. The parts of the trail it was on we could easily walk over or around it! Summed UpThe all-singletrack Tahoe Rim Trail circumnavigates Lake Tahoe, and winds its way through the Tahoe backcountry, meandering through groves of pine and aspen trees, granite rock gardens, alpine lakes, and wildflower meadows. I split my TRT thru-hike into two major sections. The Tahoe Rim Trail circles more than ~165 miles around the rim of the Tahoe Basin, albeit thru hikers typically hike closer 177 miles. Short sections can be run out-and-back. Riders should arrive at the Tahoe Paradise Park at 7:00am to register for the ride. This website has an elevation profile based on GPS data points. The x-axis is cumulative elevation gain and the y-axis is maximum elevation. The Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs traverse the high-elevation alpine and subalpine forest along the northeast side of Lake Tahoe, using the Rim Trail and other connecting trails and dirt roads to complete the course. Length 25.4 mi Elevation gain 2929 ft Route type Point to point Dogs on leash Backpacking Camping Cross-country skiing Fishing Hiking Horseback riding Mountain biking Nature trips Rock climbing Snowshoeing Bike touring Bird watching running Beach Cave Forest Lake River Views Waterfall Wildflowers Wildlife For me 2ltrs was not enough on the dry sections. I’m planning on thru hiking the TRT late summer 2021. Does anyone know a good way to keep an eye on snow conditions? Kilian’s journey along the Tahoe Rim Trail took him through a 165-mile (266km) loop wrapped around the largest alpine lake in North America. Tahoe’s shoreline is around 6,300 feet and the high point on the trail tops out at 10,330 feet. Follow signs for the Spur Trail. Oh and there is great cellphone signal for Verizon on the Nevada side! Our recommendation for hiking your first Rim to Rim of the Grand Canyon is to hike it from North Rim to South Rim via the North Kaibab Trail (elevation 8,241 ft – 14.3 miles – mostly a descent) and the Bright Angel Trail (mostly an ascent – 9.6 miles – elevation 6,860 … Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) is a 272.5 kilometer moderately trafficked loop trail located near Incline Village-Crystal Bay, Nevada that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. And while plenty of hikers and occasional runners frequent the Rim Trail, you'll often find yourself alone among wildlife and pristine beauty. It definitely kicked our butts and we were thankful it was in the morning for us. Local KnowledgeThe Tahoe Rim Trail Association is working to complete a connector trail that starts out just behind Harrah's Casino in South Lake Tahoe that will allow runners and hikers to access the trail from area hotels. The route is situated between 6,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level and includes a hefty 29,000 feet of elevation gain. Drive 2.7 miles out of town on 267. Completed the thru hike July 27- August 10th 2019. Does anyone have estimates when it will be snow free? The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until October. The total elevation gain along the trail is 35,100 feet (10,700 m) and the elevation loss is 32,700 feet (10,000 m). You are walking through the Sierras, so there’s some considerable up and down. Rained on us almost every day of our trip which was fine, but would have been better with rain gear. Not the best fishing in Desolation, however, didn’t catch anything through there. I went back and completed the sections I'd missed in the spring. You’ll experience serious elevation gains on your way to the trail’s highest point, 10,338-foot Relay Peak. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association hosts an Annual Through Hike, where, for $1,250, hikers get a fully supported backpacking experience with guides, transportation, meals, and more. Also from Tahoe City, head south on Highway 89 from highway 28 for .25 miles, and park in the Truckee River Access and Recreation lot. This mid-August the bugs were gone. add your own trail information in RunPedia, Lake Tahoe Ironman Canceled Due to Wildfires. Rose Wilderness. Haven't completed the Tahoe Meadows to Spooner segment yet. A 13 day through hike around the TRT starting at Tahoe Meadows. Pass meadows sprinkled with wildflowers and traverse the summits of ancient volcanoes, entering Nevada and the Mt. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Watch Jim Walmsley Attempt the Hardrock 100 Record, Running Is Better When You Hit More Trails, How This Donkey Became a Trail-Running Dynamo, Essential Ultramarathon Advice: Mind the Trolls, The Women Leading the Trail Running Movement, 8 Cross-Training Exercises For Trail Runners, A Quick Guide to Surviving Animal Encounters. The Kingsbury Bench Ride is actually just a nickname for the 14 mile section of Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) between Kingsbury Grade and Spooner Summit. South Lake Tahoe, CA: Tahoe Rim Trail Take two weeks to hike through superlative Sierra Nevada country on a 165-mile circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe. There is around 30,000 feet of elevation gain along the whole trail so it could take as long as 15 days to complete. Mountain biking is allowed on portions of the trail--not in wilderness areas or sections of the Rim Trail that overlap with Pacific Crest Trail. the DW is by far my favorite section with vistas and lakes galore. Be prepared for crowds on weekends as this can be a hotspot for families, bikers, hikers and beyond. I am thinking of hiking this during the summer of 2019 . The average elevation of the trail is 8,000 feet, so hopeful runners should plan to get some altitude training in before taking on any of these races. Hiked this trail solo in 12 days. The Best Affordable GPS Watches for Runners, He Overcame Addiction and Ran Off 216 Pounds, Healthy Holiday Dishes That’ll Fuel Your Runs, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. From Tahoe City, turn off highway 89 onto Fairway Drive, .2 miles west of Highway 28. 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