Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Upper Echo Lake–Lower Echo Lake, 7 lakes
14.8 mi · ▲ 2,400 ft · 6 hr 8 min
Upper Echo Lake–Lower Echo Lake, 7 lakes is a 14.8-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Echo Lake, CA. The route passes Lower Echo Lake, Upper Echo Lake, Lake of the Woods and Ropi Lake before reaching Avalanche Lake at the turnaround, 7.3 miles in. It climbs 2,400 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 77/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Upper Echo Lake–Lower Echo Lake, 7 lakes
14.8 mi · ▲ 2,400 ft · 6 hr 8 min
Elevation 7,409–8,409 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail · 38.83417, -120.04254
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 79°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM
Transit-accessible: Water Taxi stop 177 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Echo Lakes Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Lower Echo Lake.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 2.4 miPass Upper Echo Lake.
- 1.7 miContinue straight onto Tamarack Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.6 miPass Lake of the Woods.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto 17E11.2, heading W.
- 1.6 miPass Ropi Lake.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miPass Avalanche Lake.
- 300 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miReach Upper Echo Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading N.
- 2.8 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Tamarack Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading E.
- 4.1 miTurn left onto Echo Lakes Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 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
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Water Taxi stop 177 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead
- Johnson Pass & Pacific Crest Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 473 ft
- Echo Pass viewpoint–Upper Echo Lake, 3 lakes 4.8 mi · ▲ 369 ft
- Upper Echo Lake & Lower Echo Lake via Pacific Crest Trail 5 mi · ▲ 413 ft
- Angora Peak–Upper Echo Lake, 5 sights 10.1 mi · ▲ 2,337 ft
- Echo Pass viewpoint–Upper Echo Lake, 6 lakes 10.6 mi · ▲ 1,564 ft
- Glen Alpine Spring–Echo Pass viewpoint, 10 sights 14.7 mi · ▲ 2,715 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Echo Lake, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Echo Lake, California