Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Round Lake–Dardanelles Lake, 6 sights
14 mi · ▲ 2,538 ft · 5 hr 56 min
Round Lake–Dardanelles Lake, 6 sights is a 14-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 miles in. It climbs 2,538 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 89/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Round Lake–Dardanelles Lake, 6 sights
14 mi · ▲ 2,538 ft · 5 hr 56 min
Elevation 7,667–9,156 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Schneider Camp 4WD Trail · 38.72601, -120.04790
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 74°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:10 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Schneider Camp Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 1 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 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.
- 50 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 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Schneider Camp Trail, heading NW.
- 2 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~44 min). Leave by 7:06 PM for the 8:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:49 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Schneider Camp 4WD Trail Trailhead
- Strawberry Pass–Schneider Camp 4WD Trail, 3 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 374 ft
- Schneider Camp 4WD Trail & Strawberry 4WD Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 424 ft
- Showers Lake–Schneider Camp Trail, 3 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 1,346 ft
- Showers Lake–Little Round Top Trail Loop, 5 sights 7.3 mi · ▲ 1,450 ft
- ALP122 & Schneider Camp Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 9.8 mi · ▲ 2,535 ft
- Carson Pass & Schneider Camp Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 10.3 mi · ▲ 2,332 ft
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