View Full Version : Looking for short day hike
I will be at Heavenly (south lake tahoe) for a week and looking for advice for a quick hike on the PCT - parking, access etc.
Yamagame
02-11-2013, 15:45
Depends on what time of year. If you're headed to Heavenly, you must be skiing? :) The Tahoe Rim Trail shares tread with the PCT and its guidebook has good info about parking and access and some stuff about winter hiking as well (if you are indeed going out in the winter). The book is: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tahoe-Rim-Trail-Equestrians/dp/0899972888 Good luck!
A nice quick hike, not PCT/TRT, would be horseshoe falls. Head down US-50 twords Sac for about 15 miles.
Another - anything around Emerald Bay - eagle falls, Vikingsholm, Rubicon, etc.
A couple nice trails around the south end of Fallen Leaf Lake - Glen Alpine, Grass Lake, etc.
On PCT - have someone drop you off at the Donner Pass rest area on 80 westbound. Hike south to Squaw Valley.
You could start at Echo Lakes and go to a dirt road near Tahoma. It's 25 miles, not a short day, but you can do it in a day.
If you want longer than 1 day - from Echo Lake to Donner is ~65 miles on the PCT.
I wouldn't do any without all the right gear if there is any snow though.
Echo Lake to Lake Aloha would make a nice day hike and is not far from South Lake Tahoe. It's in the Desolation Wilderness area so you may need a permit. I think it would be about 15 miles round trip.