AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Watson Creek headwaters meadow and Tahoe Rim Trail.jpg
Dicklyon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Northstar Service Road 703–Northstar Service Road 703A, 3 sights

14.3 mi · ▲ 2,199 ft · 5 hr 52 min

Northstar Service Road 703–Northstar Service Road 703A, 3 sights is a 14.3-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Carnelian Bay, CA. It climbs 2,199 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 71/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,513 – 7,865 ft14.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.23235, -120.08576
Nearest town Carnelian Bay, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Northstar Service Road 703–Northstar Service Road 703A, 3 sights

14.3 mi · ▲ 2,199 ft · 5 hr 52 min

Elevation 6,511–7,865 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: 39.23235, -120.08576

Weather Sep 21: Overcast, high 72°F / low 50° · precip 11% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:01 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 706 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 0.4 miBear left, heading N.
  3. 1 miSharp left onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading S.
  4. 2.9 miContinue straight onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading W.
  5. 1.3 miBear right onto Sawtooth Spur, heading NW.
  6. 250 ftContinue straight onto Northstar Service Road 700, heading NW.
  7. 0.3 miTurn left onto Northstar Service Road 703, heading NE.
  8. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Northstar Service Road 703A, heading NW.
  9. 0.6 miReach Watson Lake Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Northstar Service Road 703, heading S.
  11. 0.5 miTurn right onto Northstar Service Road 700, heading E.
  12. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Sawtooth Spur, heading NW.
  13. 250 ftBear left onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading NW.
  14. 1.3 miContinue straight onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading E.
  15. 2.9 miSharp right, heading NE.
  16. 1 miBear right, heading SE.
  17. 0.3 miArrive 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/northstar-service-road-703-northstar-service-road-703a-out-back-3-sights-87d1

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

OvercastTemperature 72°F50°
Precip11%Wind7 mphUV6Humidity46%
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:48 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 7:01 PM
Tue 72°51°
Wed 73°50°
Thu 69°49°
Fri 64°45°
Sat 67°44°
Sun 62°42°

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 706 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Carnelian Bay, California