AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Cold Creek Trail–High Meadows Road, 5 sights

8.4 mi · ▲ 1,594 ft · 3 hr 36 min

Cold Creek Trail–High Meadows Road, 5 sights is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near South Lake Tahoe, CA. It climbs 1,594 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 74/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,296 – 7,848 ft · steepest grade: 20%8.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Lower Cold Creek 38.90883, -119.96129
Nearest town South Lake Tahoe, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cold Creek Trail–High Meadows Road, 5 sights

8.4 mi · ▲ 1,594 ft · 3 hr 36 min

Elevation 6,296–7,849 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Lower Cold Creek · 38.90883, -119.96129

Weather Aug 3: Partly cloudy, high 85°F / low 41° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:10 PM

  1. Start on Lower Cold Creek, heading SE.
  2. 0.7 miTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto Lower Cold Creek Trail, heading SE.
  5. 0.4 miBear right onto Powerline Trail, heading E.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cold Creek Trail, heading E.
  7. 1.1 miTurn right onto Cold Creek Connector, heading E.
  8. 250 ftTurn left onto High Meadows Road, heading NE.
  9. 1.9 miTurn left onto Cold Creek Trail, heading NE.
  10. 1.7 miTurn left onto Cold Creek Connector, heading NW.
  11. 250 ftTurn right onto High Meadows Road, heading NW.
  12. 1.3 miBear right, heading W.
  13. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  14. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  16. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  18. 500 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  19. 0.1 miTurn left onto Lower Cold Creek Trail, heading NW.
  20. 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/cold-creek-trail-high-meadows-road-out-back-5-sights

Trail surface

77% dirt23% gravel

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 85°F41°
Feels like78°Precip0%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity17%
Hourly temperature
85°40°
Sunrise 6:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:10 PM
Tue 88°58°
Wed 88°58°
Thu 92°59°
Fri 91°61°
Sat 92°62°
Sun 92°59°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 7:45 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:30 PM — 10 min before dark.

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