Round Lake–Dardanelles Lake, 5 sights is a 14.3-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Kirkwood, CA. The route passes Round Lake before reaching Dardanelles Lake at the turnaround, 7.2 miles in. It climbs 1,722 ft. It scores 70/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi7,668 – 8,783 ft14.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail 38.69484, -119.98928
Nearest town Kirkwood, CA
Directions
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Round Lake–Dardanelles Lake, 5 sights
14.3 mi · ▲ 1,722 ft · 5 hr 38 min
Elevation 7,667–8,784 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail · 38.69484, -119.98928
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 75°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading N.
- 2.9 miTurn right onto Meiss Cabin Spur Trail, heading N.
- 2.3 miPass Round Lake.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Tahoe Rim Trail (Big Meadow to PCT), heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Christmas Valley Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Dardanelles Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miPass Dardanelles Lake.
- 150 ftReach Round Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Christmas Valley Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Tahoe Rim Trail (Big Meadow to PCT), heading SE.
- 3 miContinue straight onto Meiss Cabin Spur Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 2.9 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
59% dirt41% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 75°F52°
Precip0%Wind11 mphUV9Humidity27%
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:10 PM
Tue
76°55°
Wed
77°55°
Thu
81°54°
Fri
81°55°
Sat
81°56°
Sun
81°54°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~16 min). Leave by 7:34 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead
- Pacific Crest Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 371 ft
- Winnemucca Lake–Frog Lake, 3 lakes 4.6 mi · ▲ 504 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 5.9 mi · ▲ 791 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 5.9 mi · ▲ 791 ft
- Stevens Peak via Pacific Crest Trail 6.5 mi · ▲ 2,665 ft
- Pacific Crest Trail 7.4 mi · ▲ 819 ft
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