Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Richardson Lake–Buck Lake Loop, 4 sights
12.7 mi · ▲ 1,977 ft · 5 hr 13 min
Richardson Lake–Buck Lake Loop, 4 sights is a 12.7-mile loop in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Tahoma Meadows, CA. The route reaches Richardson Lake. It climbs 1,977 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Richardson Lake–Buck Lake Loop, 4 sights
12.7 mi · ▲ 1,977 ft · 5 hr 13 min
Elevation 6,678–8,056 ft
Loop · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Rubicon Trail · 39.04599, -120.16828
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 84°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Rubicon Trail, heading W.
- 2.4 miTurn left onto Richardson Lake Road, heading S.
- 0.9 miPass Richardson Lake.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Richardson Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 2.2 miTurn right onto Rubicon Trail, heading NW.
- 1.2 miSharp left onto North Miller Creek East, heading E.
- 1.7 miBear right onto Miller Meadow, heading NE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Buck Lake, heading N.
- 2.3 miTurn left onto Rubicon Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miThe loop closes 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 4.2 mi in (~130 min). Leave by 5:42 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Rubicon Trail Trailhead
- Buck Lake via Rubicon Trail 4 mi · ▲ 856 ft
- Rubicon Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 453 ft
- Rubicon Trail 5.3 mi · ▲ 453 ft
- Rubicon Trail 6.9 mi · ▲ 648 ft
- Buck Lake & North Miller Creek East via Rubicon Trail 8.6 mi · ▲ 1,381 ft
- Rubicon Trail 10.8 mi · ▲ 761 ft
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