Five Lakes Trailhead & Five Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail
16.1 mi · ▲ 3,917 ft · 7 hr 20 min
Five Lakes Trailhead & Five Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Granite Chief Wilderness near Alpine Meadows, CA. The route reaches Five Lakes Trailhead at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 3,917 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 83/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Five Lakes Trailhead & Five Lakes Trail via Pacific Crest Trail
16.1 mi · ▲ 3,917 ft · 7 hr 20 min
Elevation 6,542–8,424 ft
Out & Back · Granite Chief Wilderness
Trailhead: 39.14294, -120.23114
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 81°F / low 58° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 1.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 250 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading W.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 2.6 miSharp right onto Five Lakes Trail, heading NE.
- 2.3 miPass Five Lakes Trailhead.
- 0.2 miReach Five Lakes Trailhead, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.5 miSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 2.6 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.1 mi in (~118 min). Leave by 5:54 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.1 mi · ▲ 1,078 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.1 mi · ▲ 1,081 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.1 mi · ▲ 1,194 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 7.1 mi · ▲ 1,224 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 8.3 mi · ▲ 1,400 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 8.3 mi · ▲ 1,400 ft
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