Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Upper Mountain Viewpoint–Quail Lake, 6 sights
14.2 mi · ▲ 3,535 ft · 6 hr 30 min
Upper Mountain Viewpoint–Quail Lake, 6 sights is a 14.2-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Homewood, CA. The route passes Lake Louise and Upper Mountain Viewpoint before reaching Quail Lake at the turnaround, 7 miles in. It climbs 3,535 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 70/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Upper Mountain Viewpoint–Quail Lake, 6 sights
14.2 mi · ▲ 3,535 ft · 6 hr 30 min
Elevation 6,624–8,512 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: Ellis Peak Trailhead · 39.07187, -120.23106
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 77°F / low 48° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Ellis Peak Trail, heading SW.
- 2.4 miContinue straight onto Ellis Peak, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Lake Louise, heading E.
- 1.3 miPass Lake Louise.
- 50 ftBear left onto Quail Peak, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Upper Mountain Road, heading N.
- 0.9 miPass Upper Mountain Viewpoint.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Cedar Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Homeward Bound, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Sunnyside Loop, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Quail Lake.
- 0.1 miReach Upper Mountain Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Homeward Bound, heading N.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Cedar Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Upper Mountain Road, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
- 1.3 miContinue straight onto Quail Peak, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Lake Louise, heading S.
- 1.3 miBear left onto Ellis Peak, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Ellis Peak Trail, heading SW.
- 2.3 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~18 min). Leave by 7:33 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 PM — 6 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Ellis Peak Trailhead Trailhead
- Ellis Peak Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,167 ft
- Ellis Lake & Ellis Peak Trail 5.4 mi · ▲ 1,197 ft
- Ellis Peak & Ellis Peak Trail 6.2 mi · ▲ 1,657 ft
- Buck Lake–Ellis Lake, 3 sights 7.9 mi · ▲ 1,933 ft
- Buck Lake–Ellis Lake, 5 sights 13.4 mi · ▲ 2,672 ft
- Bear Lake–Ellis Peak Trail, 3 sights 14.6 mi · ▲ 2,625 ft
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