Northstar-At-Tahoe, Truckee, United States (Unsplash).jpg
Wil Stewart wilstewart3 · CC0

Tahoe Rim Trail is a 10.8-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Kingswood Estates, CA. It climbs 2,380 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 22/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi6,139 – 7,556 ft11.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Elizabethtown Meadows Trail 39.28706, -120.10392
Nearest town Kingswood Estates, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Tahoe Rim Trail

10.8 mi · ▲ 2,380 ft · 4 hr 47 min

Elevation 6,139–7,556 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Elizabethtown Meadows Trail · 39.28706, -120.10392

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:48 AM · sunset 7:01 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 473 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Elizabethtown Meadows Trail, heading E.
  2. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  4. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  5. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  6. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  8. 350 ftBear right, heading E.
  9. 400 ftBear right, heading NE.
  10. 1.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  11. 0.4 miBear left, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  13. 0.1 miSharp right onto Martis Peak Road, heading SE.
  14. 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  15. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
  16. 0.2 miSharp right, heading E.
  17. 1.8 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  18. 1.8 miSharp left, heading SE.
  19. 0.9 miTurn right onto Martis Peak Road, heading N.
  20. 100 ftSharp left, heading N.
  21. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  22. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  23. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  24. 1.1 miBear left, heading N.
  25. 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
  26. 350 ftBear right, heading W.
  27. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  28. 0.2 miSharp right, heading NW.
  29. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  30. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  31. 0.2 miTurn left onto Elizabethtown Meadows Trail, heading NW.
  32. 50 ftArrive 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

Sunrise 6:48 AMSunset 7:01 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~67 min). Leave by 5:34 PM for the 7:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 473 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Elizabethtown Meadows Trail Trailhead