AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Monument Pass & Cold Creek Trail via Tahoe Rim Trail

9.8 mi · ▲ 2,352 ft · 4 hr 27 min

Monument Pass & Cold Creek Trail via Tahoe Rim Trail is a 9.8-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near South Lake Tahoe, CA. The route reaches Monument Pass at the turnaround, 4.9 miles in. It climbs 2,352 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,546 – 8,839 ft · steepest grade: 24%10.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 38.89803, -119.95761
Nearest town South Lake Tahoe, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Monument Pass & Cold Creek Trail via Tahoe Rim Trail

9.8 mi · ▲ 2,352 ft · 4 hr 27 min

Elevation 6,544–8,839 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: 38.89803, -119.95761

Weather Aug 3: Partly cloudy, high 85°F / low 41° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:10 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 150 ftSharp left, heading E.
  3. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  6. 250 ftBear left onto Power Line Trail, heading E.
  7. 50 ftSharp right onto Cold Creek Trail, heading NE.
  8. 2.8 miTurn left, heading E.
  9. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  10. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  11. 1.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  12. 100 ftTurn right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading N.
  13. 150 ftReach Monument Pass, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  15. 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
  16. 1.3 miBear left, heading W.
  17. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  18. 0.3 miTurn right onto Cold Creek Trail, heading SW.
  19. 2.8 miSharp left onto Power Line Trail, heading W.
  20. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  21. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  24. 0.4 miSharp right, heading W.
  25. 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/monument-pass-out-back-24-km

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 85°F41°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
85°40°
Sunrise 6:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:10 PM
Tue 88°57°
Wed 88°57°
Thu 92°59°
Fri 91°61°
Sat 92°61°
Sun 92°59°

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near South Lake Tahoe, California