Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Buck Lake–Barker Pass, 5 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 2,308 ft · 6 hr 19 min
Buck Lake–Barker Pass, 5 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Homewood, CA. The route passes Barker Pass before reaching Buck Lake at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 2,308 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Buck Lake–Barker Pass, 5 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 2,308 ft · 6 hr 19 min
Elevation 7,085–8,056 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Blackwood Creek Middle Fork Road · 39.07651, -120.23312
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 77°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.1 miPass Barker Pass.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 2.2 miBear left onto Bear Lake, heading SE.
- 2.3 miTurn left onto West Miller Creek, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Cothrin Cove, heading N.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Buck Lake, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miReach Buck Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Miller Meadow, heading SW.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto West Miller Creek, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Bear Lake, heading SW.
- 2.3 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 2.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~107 min). Leave by 6:05 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Blackwood Creek Middle Fork Road Trailhead
- Barker Pass & Barker Pass Spur via Pacific Crest Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 427 ft
- Barker Meadow & Barker Pass Road 3.6 mi · ▲ 141 ft
- Barker Meadow Loop via Pacific Crest Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 580 ft
- Barker Meadow Loop via Pacific Crest Trail 5.2 mi · ▲ 735 ft
- Barker Meadow & Barker Pass Road Loop 5.3 mi · ▲ 567 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 5.6 mi · ▲ 677 ft
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