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

Tahoe Rim Trail is a 14.2-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Kingswood Estates, CA. It climbs 3,637 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,447 – 8,517 ft · steepest grade: 19%15.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.31382, -120.05015
Nearest town Kingswood Estates, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Tahoe Rim Trail

14.2 mi · ▲ 3,637 ft · 6 hr 33 min

Elevation 6,446–8,518 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: 39.31382, -120.05015

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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  4. 1.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  5. 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 500 ftBear left, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  11. 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
  12. 0.7 miBear right, heading SE.
  13. 300 ftTurn left, heading E.
  14. 150 ftSharp right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  16. 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
  17. 0.8 miSharp right, heading SW.
  18. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  19. 1 miBear left onto Kings Beach Trail, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  21. 150 ftBear left onto Lake Vista Road, heading SW.
  22. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  23. 0.1 miSharp right, heading S.
  24. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  25. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  26. 0.6 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  27. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
  28. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  29. 0.3 miSharp left, heading N.
  30. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  31. 150 ftTurn right onto Kings Beach Trail, heading N.
  32. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  33. 1 miTurn right, heading N.
  34. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
  35. 0.8 miBear right, heading NE.
  36. 0.4 miTurn right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading NW.
  37. 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
  38. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  39. 300 ftBear left, heading NW.
  40. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
  41. 400 ftBear right, heading NW.
  42. 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  43. 100 ftBear right, heading W.
  44. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  45. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  46. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  47. 0.6 miTurn left, heading N.
  48. 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  49. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  50. 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 2.7 mi in (~108 min). Leave by 4:53 PM for the 7:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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