Moon Dunes Beach–Lake Ridge Trail, 3 sights is an 11.8-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Kingswood Estates, CA. The route reaches Moon Dunes Beach at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It climbs 2,514 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi6,139 – 7,386 ft · steepest grade: 22%12.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Elizabethtown Meadows Trail 39.28706, -120.10392
Nearest town Kingswood Estates, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Moon Dunes Beach–Lake Ridge Trail, 3 sights
11.8 mi · ▲ 2,514 ft · 5 hr 11 min
Elevation 6,139–7,385 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Elizabethtown Meadows Trail · 39.28706, -120.10392
Weather Aug 4: Partly cloudy, high 88°F / low 44° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Transit-accessible: stop 473 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Elizabethtown Meadows Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
- 350 ftBear right, heading E.
- 400 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Martis Peak Road, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading E.
- 450 ftSharp left, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Lake Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Lake View Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 350 ftReach Moon Dunes Beach, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Lake Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.6 miSharp right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading W.
- 450 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Martis Peak Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Elizabethtown Meadows Trail, heading W.
- 50 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
86% dirt14% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 88°F44°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity20%
Hourly temperature
90°40°
Sunrise 6:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue
88°58°
Wed
88°58°
Thu
91°58°
Fri
92°58°
Sat
91°60°
Sun
90°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~66 min). Leave by 6:46 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 473 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Elizabethtown Meadows Trail Trailhead
- Martis Peak Road 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,554 ft
- Martis Peak Road 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,554 ft
- Martis Peak Road 5.8 mi · ▲ 1,574 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.2 mi · ▲ 1,758 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.2 mi · ▲ 1,758 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.3 mi · ▲ 1,728 ft
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