Smiling Rock–Barn Trail, 3 sights is an 11.5-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Summit Village, NV. The route reaches Smiling Rock at the turnaround, 5.8 miles in. It climbs 2,291 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi6,450 – 7,792 ft · steepest grade: 18%11.6 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 38.96789, -119.89065
Nearest town Summit Village, NV
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Smiling Rock–Barn Trail, 3 sights
11.5 mi · ▲ 2,291 ft · 4 hr 59 min
Elevation 6,449–7,792 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: 38.96789, -119.89065
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:46 AM · sunset 7:01 PM
Bikes allowed on the whole route · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading NW.
- 1.8 miTurn right onto Van Sickle Trail, heading NW.
- 2.8 miBear left onto Cal Neva, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Barn Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miReach Smiling Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Cal Neva, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Van Sickle Trail, heading NE.
- 2.8 miTurn left onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
- 1.8 miBear right, heading E.
- 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 surface
93% dirt7% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:46 AMSunset 7:01 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 7:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:34 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Bikes allowed on the whole route
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Genoa Peak Road–Genoa Peak, 3 sights 15.3 mi · ▲ 2,858 ft
- Lake Tahoe–M. S. Dixie II Terminal, 4 sights 15.1 mi · ▲ 2,682 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail 5.5 mi · ▲ 925 ft
- Cal Neva & Van Sickle Trail via Tahoe Rim Trail 9.9 mi · ▲ 1,891 ft
- Scenic Overlook & Van Sickle Trail via Tahoe Rim Trail 10 mi · ▲ 2,103 ft
- Tahoe Rim Trail Daggett North Loop & Tahoe Rim Trail Kingsbury North Trailhead Spur 10.2 mi · ▲ 1,971 ft
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