Ring around Tahoe - Tahoe Rim Trail - Brief Article

Sunset, August, 2001 by Brian Beffort

Nearly complete, the 150-mile Tahoe Rim Trail circles high above the Sierra's Lake of the Sky

After 20 years, many thousands of hours of labor by legions of hard-working volunteers, and millions of donated dollars, the Tahoe Rim Trail is nearly complete. When it's finally dedicated on September 22, the trail around the Lake Tahoe basin will be, along with the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail, one of the country's must-do hikes.

Following ridges and valleys and ranging in elevation between 6,200 and 10,333 feet, the 150-mile loop rewards hikers and equestrians--and mountain bikers, where allowed--with world-class beauty and convenient access. Panoramic views, old-growth trees, crystalline lakes, lush meadows, and wildflowers that run the color spectrum wait within minutes of eight trailheads around the Tahoe basin, drawing both dayhikers and campers on full-trail expeditions.

"The trail is something everybody can do, no matter who they are," says Lynda McDowell, executive director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, which has coordinated the trail's construction since 1981. "It also has some of the most amazing views you'll be able to find anywhere."

The following five day-hikes highlight the best the TRT has to offer; one is wheelchair-accessible. Distances given are one-way, and all trails except Tahoe Meadows Interpretive trail are moderate to difficult because of elevation and length. However, unless you leave a car at the end point, you'll have to plan an out-and-back hike, so we suggest optional day-hike turnaround points, with degree of difficulty for these shorter segments. Take water, food, sturdy shoes, and sunscreen; extra clothing layers are a good precaution against changeable weather and winds on exposed ridges.

For information and a trail map, contact the Tahoe Rim Trail Association at (775) 588-0686 or www.tahoerimtrail.org. For camping and other forest recreation information, contact the U.S.D.A. Forest Service at (530) 573-2600 (for California) or (775) 882-2766 (Nevada).

Tahoe City to Barker Pass. After following the Truckee River out of Tahoe City, climb through white fir and Jeffrey pine to Paige Meadows, where summer promises a host of wildflowers. Then it's on to Ward Canyon, where you'll find the TRT's only waterfall, as well as spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and the Granite Chief Wilderness after the TRT joins the Pacific Crest Trail.

DISTANCE: 16 miles.

TURNAROUND POINT: Paige Meadows, about 2 1/2 miles from trailhead. This segment is easy to moderate.

WHERE: Tahoe City trailhead is at the west end of the Truckee River access parking lot on State 89, 1/4 mile south of the intersection with State 28 in Tahoe City.

FACILITIES: Rest rooms at trailhead. Big Meadow to Echo Summit. Here is a taste of everything that makes the Sierra great: lava flows and jumbled granite, burbling creeks and alpine lakes, and spectacular wildflowers. In particular, Big Meadow and Meiss Meadows are great places to take in the blooms. Watch out for mucky trails and aggressive mosquitoes in summer.

DISTANCE: 16 miles.

TURNAROUND: Meiss Meadows, 5 miles from Big Meadow trailhead. Don't overlook the side trail leading 1.4 miles to Dardanelles Lake-it begins before Meiss Meadows. Moderate.

WHERE: Big Meadow trailhead is on State 89, 5 miles south of the junction with U.S. 50 in Meyers.

FACILITIES: Rest rooms and information at trailhead.

Spooner Summit to Tahoe Meadows. Following the crest of the Carson Range between Lake Tahoe and the western edge of the Great Basin in Nevada, this stretch of the TRT offers the best views of the lake, which lies nearly 2,000 feet below. Look for majestic old-growth Jeffrey pine and red fir along the way. Mountain bikers favor the section between Mt. Rose and Marlette Peak.

DISTANCE: 22 miles.

TURNAROUND: Snow Valley Peak, 5 1/2 miles from Spooner Summit, has views worth the climb, but you don't have to go all the way to find a vista. Moderate to difficult.

WHERE: Spooner Summit is 12 miles northeast of South Lake Tahoe on U.S. 50.

FACILITIES: Information at Spooner Summit; rest rooms and information at the Tahoe Meadows trailhead.

Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Trail. Many sections of the TRT are easy to navigate, but this wide, hard-packed dirt trail is its only wheelchair- accessible stretch. Crisscrossing Ophir Creek at the eastern edge of Tahoe Meadows, the trail provides glimpses of the Great Basin-it sits 4,000 feet above it-in Nevada. Look for wildflowers along the creek and coyotes prowling the meadow

DISTANCE: 1.3-mile loop. Easy.

WHERE: On State 431, 7 1/2 miles east of State 28 in Incline Village and 1/2 mile west of the Mt. Rose summit.

FACILITIES: Rest rooms (which are also wheelchair-accessible) and information at trailhead.

Mt. Rose to Brockway Summit. This is the highest, most difficult, and most dramatic section of the TRT. Hike 41/2 miles up the service road to the top of 10,333-foot Relay Peak, where the altitude and the 3600 views of Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada, and the Great Basin will take your breath away. Then follow the TRT west along sharp ridges between Tahoe and the Truckee River.