AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Bear Lake–Ellis Peak Trail, 3 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 2,625 ft · 6 hr 11 min

Bear Lake–Ellis Peak Trail, 3 sights is a 14.6-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Homewood, CA. It climbs 2,625 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,926 – 8,472 ft · steepest grade: 23%14.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Ellis Peak Trailhead 39.07187, -120.23106
Nearest town Homewood, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Bear Lake–Ellis Peak Trail, 3 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 2,625 ft · 6 hr 11 min

Elevation 6,926–8,473 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Ellis Peak Trailhead · 39.07187, -120.23106

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 77°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Ellis Peak Trail, heading SW.
  2. 2.4 miTurn right onto Ellis Lake, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftTurn right onto West Miller Creek, heading SW.
  4. 2.1 miTurn right onto Bear Lake, heading N.
  5. 2.3 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
  6. 250 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lake, heading NW.
  7. 400 ftSharp left onto Barker Creek, heading NW.
  8. 0.4 miReach Ellis Peak Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.4 miSharp right onto Bear Lake, heading N.
  10. 400 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
  11. 250 ftBear left onto Bear Lake, heading SE.
  12. 2.3 miTurn left onto West Miller Creek, heading SW.
  13. 2.1 miTurn left onto Ellis Lake, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftTurn left onto Ellis Peak Trail, heading NE.
  15. 2.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/bear-lake-out-back-57ef

Trail surface

33% dirt67% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 77°F48°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV8Humidity25%
Hourly temperature
80°45°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue 77°57°
Wed 78°55°
Thu 83°55°
Fri 83°56°
Sat 83°56°
Sun 84°55°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~18 min). Leave by 7:34 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 PM — 6 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Ellis Peak Trailhead Trailhead

Hikes near Homewood, California