AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mount Watson from Watson Lake.jpg
Dicklyon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Watson Lake–Tahoe Rim Trail (Watson Lake) Loop, 3 sights

2.7 mi · ▲ 391 ft · 1 hr 6 min

Watson Lake–Tahoe Rim Trail (Watson Lake) Loop, 3 sights is a 2.7-mile loop in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Carnelian Heights, CA. The route reaches Watson Lake. It climbs 391 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi7,382 – 7,796 ft · steepest grade: 16%2.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Watson Creek Road 39.23214, -120.11837
Nearest town Carnelian Heights, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Watson Lake–Tahoe Rim Trail (Watson Lake) Loop, 3 sights

2.7 mi · ▲ 391 ft · 1 hr 6 min

Elevation 7,382–7,795 ft

Loop · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Watson Creek Road · 39.23214, -120.11837

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 80°F / low 53° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:03 AM · sunset 8:12 PM

  1. Start on Watson Creek Road, heading W.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading W.
  3. 1.5 miPass Watson Lake.
  4. 150 ftBear left, heading E.
  5. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Tahoe Rim Trail (Watson Lake), heading E.
  7. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  8. 250 ftBear right, heading N.
  9. 0.4 miBear left onto Watson Creek Road, heading E.
  10. 0.3 miBear right onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading E.
  11. 50 ftTurn left onto Watson Creek Road, heading E.
  12. 400 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/watson-lake-watson-lake-loop-4-km-ee22

Trail surface

96% dirt2% gravel2% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 80°F53°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV8Humidity23%
Hourly temperature
80°50°
Sunrise 6:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue 81°59°
Wed 79°52°
Thu 78°52°
Fri 77°52°
Sat 78°53°
Sun 78°51°

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Watson Creek Road Trailhead

Hikes near Carnelian Heights, California