Mount Pluto.jpg
Jonathan Cook-Fisher · CC BY 2.0

Tahoe Rim Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Iceland, CA. It climbs 1,534 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 61/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi7,248 – 8,517 ft · steepest grade: 19%7.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31063, -120.02948
Nearest town Iceland, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Tahoe Rim Trail

7 mi · ▲ 1,534 ft · 3 hr 6 min

Elevation 7,248–8,518 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: 39.31063, -120.02948

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 82°F / low 54° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.9 miSharp right, heading N.
  3. 1.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  5. 300 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 450 ftBear left, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  8. 150 ftBear left, heading E.
  9. 400 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  10. 0.7 miBear right, heading SE.
  11. 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 150 ftSharp right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
  13. 0.5 miBear right, heading S.
  14. 100 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  15. 0.5 miSharp left, heading NE.
  16. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  17. 300 ftBear left, heading NE.
  18. 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  19. 400 ftBear right, heading W.
  20. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  21. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  22. 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  23. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  24. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  25. 1.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
  26. 0.8 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

100% dirt

Weather

ClearTemperature 82°F54°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity23%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue 82°60°
Wed 83°57°
Thu 86°57°
Fri 86°58°
Sat 86°58°
Sun 87°56°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.4 mi in (~93 min). Leave by 6:18 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:26 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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