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 Sep 20: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:03 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 4.0 mi in (~113 min). Leave by 4:50 PM for the 7:03 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 Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead
- Barker Pass–Barker Pass Road, 5 sights 15.9 mi · ▲ 3,506 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 10.5 mi · ▲ 939 ft
- Sourdough Hill–Richardson Lake, 3 summits 14.3 mi · ▲ 1,825 ft
- Buck Island Lake–Barker Pass, 3 saddles 15.3 mi · ▲ 2,464 ft
- Barker Pass Road & Powderhorn Ridge Road 7 mi · ▲ 698 ft
- West Meadow Creek via Pacific Crest Trail 9.3 mi · ▲ 1,053 ft
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