AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Fallen Leaf Lake, Mt. Tallac.jpg
Jonathan Cook-Fisher · CC BY 2.0
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Fallen Leaf Lake–Sawmill Pond, 4 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 1,281 ft · 4 hr 50 min

Fallen Leaf Lake–Sawmill Pond, 4 sights is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Fallen Leaf, CA. The route passes Sawmill Pond before reaching Fallen Leaf Lake at the turnaround, 6.3 miles in. It climbs 1,281 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi6,316 – 7,281 ft · steepest grade: 27%13.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Clark Trail 38.88219, -120.05466
Nearest town Fallen Leaf, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Fallen Leaf Lake–Sawmill Pond, 4 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 1,281 ft · 4 hr 50 min

Elevation 6,317–7,282 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Clark Trail · 38.88219, -120.05466

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 44° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 100 ftSharp left onto Angora Ridge Trail, heading NE.
  3. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Mule Deer Connector, heading NE.
  4. 0.9 miTurn right, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left onto Forest Mountain Road, heading E.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  7. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  8. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  11. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  12. 50 ftTurn left onto Lake Tahoe Boulevard Bike Path, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftPass Sawmill Pond.
  14. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  15. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  17. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  18. 1.3 miContinue straight onto Panther, heading NW.
  19. 1.1 miBear left onto Fallen Leaf Campground, heading NW.
  20. 0.7 miBear left, heading W.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  22. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  23. 50 ftReach Fallen Leaf Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  25. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  26. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  27. 0.7 miBear right onto Panther, heading E.
  28. 2.4 miBear right onto Lake Tahoe Boulevard Bike Path, heading S.
  29. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  30. 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
  31. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  32. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  33. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  34. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  35. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  36. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  37. 250 ftTurn right, heading W.
  38. 0.3 miTurn left onto Forest Mountain Road, heading W.
  39. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  40. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  41. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Mule Deer Connector, heading SW.
  42. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Angora Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  43. 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
  44. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/fallen-leaf-lake-sawmill-pond-out-back-20-km-47e7

Trail surface

79% dirt12% paved9% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 80°F44°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV9Humidity17%
Hourly temperature
80°40°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue 83°59°
Wed 86°59°
Thu 86°60°
Fri 86°61°
Sat 86°61°
Sun 87°60°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Clark Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Fallen Leaf, California