Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Ellis Lake–Bear Lake, 3 sights
13.9 mi · ▲ 1,806 ft · 5 hr 32 min
Ellis Lake–Bear Lake, 3 sights is a 13.9-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Homewood, CA. The route reaches Ellis Lake at the turnaround, 7 miles in. It climbs 1,806 ft. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Ellis Lake–Bear Lake, 3 sights
13.9 mi · ▲ 1,806 ft · 5 hr 32 min
Elevation 7,085–8,245 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail · 39.07676, -120.23515
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 77°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 2.2 miBear left onto Bear Lake, heading SE.
- 2.3 miTurn left onto West Miller Creek, heading S.
- 2.1 miTurn left onto Ellis Lake, heading NE.
- 0.3 miReach Ellis Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto West Miller Creek, heading S.
- 2.1 miTurn right onto Bear Lake, heading SW.
- 2.3 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 2.2 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.7 mi in (~107 min). Leave by 6:04 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:14 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 Pacific Crest Trail 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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Hikes near Homewood, California