Gilmore Lake & Fallen Leaf Lake via Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail is a 15.3-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Fallen Leaf, CA. The route passes Fallen Leaf Lake and Gilmore Lake. It climbs 5,706 ft, with sections as steep as 39% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi6,385 – 9,541 ft · steepest grade: 39%15.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Alpine Falls Tract Road 38.87809, -120.07964
Nearest town Fallen Leaf, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Gilmore Lake & Fallen Leaf Lake via Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail
15.3 mi · ▲ 5,706 ft · 7 hr 57 min
Elevation 6,386–9,541 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Alpine Falls Tract Road · 38.87809, -120.07964
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:02 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail, heading NW.
- 1.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.9 miPass Fallen Leaf Lake.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.4 miReach Gilmore Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading S.
- 1.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 4.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Mount Tallac Trail, heading N.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail, heading N.
- 1.4 miPass Gilmore Lake.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 1.4 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
81% dirt19% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:02 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.0 mi in (~183 min). Leave by 3:39 PM for the 7:02 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:10 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 Alpine Falls Tract Road Trailhead
- Alta Morris Lake–Gilmore Lake, 3 lakes 10 mi · ▲ 2,570 ft
- Dicks Peak & Gilmore Lake via Pacific Crest Trail 10.6 mi · ▲ 3,596 ft
- Lily Lake–Angora Lake Trail, 3 sights 5 mi · ▲ 1,479 ft
- Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail 11.5 mi · ▲ 4,407 ft
- Gilmore Lake 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,855 ft
- Mount Tallac & Gilmore Lake via Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail 7.1 mi · ▲ 3,194 ft
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