Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Alta Morris Lake–Gilmore Lake, 4 sights

15.7 mi · ▲ 3,820 ft · 7 hr 9 min

Alta Morris Lake–Gilmore Lake, 4 sights is a 15.7-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Spring Creek, CA. The route passes Gilmore Lake before reaching Alta Morris Lake at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 3,820 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 87/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,431 – 8,734 ft · steepest grade: 25%15.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail 38.92152, -120.06818
Nearest town Spring Creek, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Alta Morris Lake–Gilmore Lake, 4 sights

15.7 mi · ▲ 3,820 ft · 7 hr 9 min

Elevation 6,431–8,733 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail · 38.92152, -120.06818

Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 85°F / low 46° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail, heading S.
  2. 3.6 miSharp left, heading SE.
  3. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  6. 0.9 miPass Gilmore Lake.
  7. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
  8. 0.5 miSharp right onto Half Moon Lake Trail, heading S.
  9. 1.9 miReach Alta Morris Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 1.9 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
  11. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail, heading N.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  13. 0.9 miTurn left, heading SE.
  14. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  16. 3.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

89% dirt11% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 85°F46°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity32%
Hourly temperature
85°45°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue 86°62°
Wed 86°60°
Thu 84°60°
Fri 84°61°
Sat 84°61°
Sun 83°60°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail Trailhead