Ellis Lake–Lake Louise, 6 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Homewood, CA. The route passes Lake Tahoe and Lake Louise before reaching Ellis Lake at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 2,543 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade. It scores 71/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi6,237 – 8,511 ft · steepest grade: 27%8.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: West Shore Trail 39.08489, -120.16005
Nearest town Homewood, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Ellis Lake–Lake Louise, 6 sights
8.2 mi · ▲ 2,543 ft · 4 hr
Elevation 6,238–8,512 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: West Shore Trail · 39.08489, -120.16005
Weather Aug 3: Mostly clear, high 85°F / low 49° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on West Shore Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Lake Tahoe.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Ore Car, heading W.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Lower Mountain Road, heading W.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Upper Mountain Road, heading S.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Quail Peak, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Lake Louise.
- 50 ftBear right onto Lake Louise, heading SE.
- 1.3 miBear left onto Ellis Peak, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Ellis Lake, heading W.
- 0.3 miReach Ellis Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Ellis Peak, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Lake Louise, heading NE.
- 1.3 miBear left onto Quail Peak, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Upper Mountain Road, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lower Mountain Road, heading N.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Ore Car, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto West Shore Trail, heading SE.
- 200 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
47% dirt2% paved51% unspecified
Weather
Mostly clearTemperature 85°F49°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV8Humidity31%
Hourly temperature
85°45°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue
86°62°
Wed
85°59°
Thu
82°58°
Fri
82°59°
Sat
82°60°
Sun
82°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.5 mi in (~153 min). Leave by 5:18 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:51 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from West Shore Trail Trailhead
- Upper Mountain Viewpoint–Lake Tahoe Loop, 4 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 1,464 ft
- Quail Lake & Lake Tahoe via Cedar Ridge Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 989 ft
- Lake Louise–Lake Tahoe, 4 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 1,619 ft
- Lake Louise–Richardson Lake, 8 sights 16.1 mi · ▲ 3,889 ft
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