A quarter mile South of the first Camper Flat-Bayview trail Junction we come to the second Camper Flat/Bayview trail junction pictured above and below. We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Trailhead : Miles One Way: Difficulty: Twin Lakes to: Grouse Lake: 2.1: Moderate/Difficult : Hemlock Lake Mileage East Mileage West Let me know when these links fail and I will track them down and hook them up again. This Junction The Northernmost Camper Flat-Bayview junction offers us access West into Rockbound Valley. The climbs West out of these lakeshore trailheads around Emerald Bay are fierce, especially the climb out of Eagle Falls. Alternative Route Follow the loop trail to the signed trail for Twin, Grouse, Island, and Hemlock Lakes heading toward the right. Its route passes through the gap between the base of Peak 9195 next to Phipps Peak and the steeply descending North flank of Maggies Peaks. It has also been called the Blakely Cutoff trail. First Junction The Desolation Wilderness Schematic Map in conjunction with the Full Desolation Wilderness Maps above show us that the trail West to Camper Flat in Rockbound Valley opens up the full range of Western Flank trails, backpacking trips, and trailheads. A lot of the areas we explored over the three days required reliance on compass direction back to our packs. Not many hikers venture past the steep and rocky Rockbound Pass to enter this part of the wilderness which makes for a truly desolate experience. Mileage North The trail from Schmidell to Camper Flat … I've studied the terrain and the maps, but I've always found myself looking at Desolation as the place the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail begins out of Meeks Bay Trailhead. North of Camper Flat the Rubicon Trail exits Desolation Wilderness on the North shore of Rockbound Lake. I always keep an eye on the emergency exits. Bayview Campground serves as a Trailhead for Desolation Wilderness. Less than two miles past Doris Lake is Lake Lois, which also has nice camping spots (although close to the trail), small but sandy beaches, and a historic dam. Eagle Falls or Bayview Trailhead access to Middle Velma, Fontanillis, and Dicks Lakes along the combined route of the TYT-PCT-TRT. somewhere between "not injured and not quite fit," then these trailheads would be great exit points for a 3 to 5 day trip through the North Desolation Wilderness out of Meeks Bay Trailhead. Sierra Find hikes, backpacking, photo spots, and more around Kyburz. Where: Desolation Wilderness is about 3 1/2 hours southeast of Chico. Both of these trail routes East bend to the Northeast to navigate over or around Maggies Peak. That is actually the old route of the PCT. of 63,960 acres of “subalpine and alpine forest, granitic peaks, and glacially-formed valleys and lakes” cover Desolation Wilderness, which was declared a national wilderness in 1969. This trail from Lake Tahoe to Camper Flat opens up grand backpacking loops around the Northern Desolation Wilderness for local backpackers and an alternative route South than the TYT-PCT route for long-distance backpackers. From Rockbound Valley we hike South to the end of the valley over Mosquito Pass to the North Shore of Lake Aloha. It was truly a desolate experience on a super hot weekend, especially out in the open rockbound areas. Meeks Bay to Echo Summit I've gotten over that now. This loop traverses over Rockbound Pass and Dicks Pass on its way to the beautiful Lake Aloha. For Southbound backpackers wanting to remain on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route from Middle Velma Lake the moves we make through these three trail junctions South of Middle Velma Lake are "Left, Right, Right.". If we get injured hiking up and down the High Sierra trails we always want to know the easiest way out of the mountains. As I touched on in “Philosophy and Preparation“, this was to be my most ambitious outing to date: a 29-35 mile run (depending on which map/GPS/hearsay you choose to believe), an overnight at Lake Aloha, a summit of two of the highest peaks in Desolation Wilderness … Middle Velma Lake, Topo Overall, great trip! The trail to the Left takes a steep descending bee-line route down-mountain almost directly North to the Eagle Falls Trailhead. Day 3 we continued on the loop with the intention to go through 4Qs lakes and Full Desolation Wilderness Backpacking Map. The route to Eagle Falls turns North tracing out its route down along the curving Northwestern flank of Maggies Peaks. The one fitting this situation goes something like this; 4-Q's Lakes was heavenly, unlike anywhere else out there. Our TYT-PCT-TRT route shares the trail with this popular local route from Tahoe to Camper Flat through this segment of trail. This was where we got lost for nearly 2 hours trying to locate the cairns. We will not see that, as we turn South here. I've told you what I've experienced, now it's your turn... Next page South We we observing the route of Eagle Creek through the terrain from up there, before we dropped down to Middle Velma Lake and this series of 3 trail junctions pointing East. below. While the name Airport Flat doesn’t exactly conjure up an image of an idyllic, nature-filled paradise, this campground actually lies deep in Eldorado National Forest. This hike started on Thursday, August 20, 2015, with the intention of being out for 10 nights. The pictures looked amazing & it went onto the list. The Desolation Wilderness originally came onto my radar back in 2013. INDEX. Bayview Trail-Camper Flat junction A month ago, a couple of friends and I decided on a three day backpacking trip in the Desolation Wilderness. The Left of the two Federal links below from El Dorado National Forest list the West Flank Trailheads they administer, and the Right link maps their position in Desolation Wilderness hiking zones. .27 of a mile South of the first Camper Flat/Bayview trail Junction is our next junction, the second of the three Bayview Trail junctions we encounter hiking South from Middle Velma Lake along the TYT-PCT route. Join Facebook to connect with Scott Campbell and others you may know. Desolation Wilderness is one of the most visited wilderness areas in the country. The trail in front of us to the Southeast continues East straight through this junction to end on Highway 89 along the Western shore of Lake Tahoe. After Modd Lake, 2 miles of steep switchbacks take you up to the pass. Pay attention to the map and topographic features here, because although cairns exist, they are small and seldom!" It was a bit early in the season to get super far, but we did well. From here, you can decide whether to camp at Lake Schmidell, Lake Lois, or Lake Doris based on available energy and time. East from the Bayview Trail Junctions Virtually all the water draining out of the basin feeding the Velma Lakes flows through this gorge and the gap at its base down into Emerald Bay. I definitely want to come back and explore other areas of Desolation Wilderness. into the The nights were dead silent and the stars were absolutely stunning. MAP. This loop can be done in two to three days depending on your time frame. Our short hikes get and keep us in the mountains, keep us in "mountain" conditioning, and allow us to explore terrain closely. On the way up, you'll pass Maud Lake, which could be a great spot for camping about 4 miles in. of Recommended to you based on your activity and what's popular • Feedback Main I just could not accept so many people. 230.00 USD 40% 138.00 USD Formiga. 15 minute topographic backpacking Lay of the Land 1.70 miles West to the Camper Flat junction in Rockbound Valley. The 30 minute North Desolation maps below shows this potential alternative route through Rockbound Valley in relation to the main TYT-PCT route. Crystal clear water up past Maud lake. Next Junction South Hiking West to Camper Flat then South along the Rubicon Trail in Rockbound Valley to Lake Aloha via Mosquito Pass roughly parallels our Southbound route along the PCT-TYT over Dicks Pass South down to Lake Aloha. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your After cresting the pass, you'll see views of Dicks and Jacks Peak, as well as Jacks Meadow. Check out the map: Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass South TYT ? Bayview Campground is located near Emerald Bay and sits at an elevation of 7,100 feet. We can see it traced out on the 30 minute maps above, though the trail is shown ending at Upper Velma Lake on the more recent 7.5 minute map below. Now I expect the amount of people relative to the density, difficulty, and distance of any particular wilderness area to a major population center(s). Middle Velma Lake, (The first junction is the Camper Flat/Bayview trail junction just to our North). MAP, 15 minute topographic backpacking Weather, North Desolation Wilderness is one of the largest wilderness areas near Lake Tahoe at almost 64,000 acres. Long and Short Balance We had a tough time locating the cairns, but as long as you have a map and can determine location through topography you should be fine! "F" is for Fontanillis Lake. TYT Many small towns operate historical societies and museums that are designed to honor their heritage, culture, and … From our position at this second Bayview Trail junction we have a 3.81 mile hike East to bail out to Bayview Camp or 3.85 to Eagle Falls Trailhead on Highway 89, if we are so inclined. The Twin Lakes trail starts winding through a pine forest, with a couple bridge crossings over crystal clear trout-filled streams. Combining the Rubicon Trail South from Camper Flat to Mosquito Pass over to Lake Aloha with the Northbound TYT from Lake Aloha back up to Middle Velma Lake opens up the North-Central Desolation Wilderness to some impressive local long-distance backpacking loops. I'd prefer entering through Meeks Bay and exiting through Bayview, as the climb in through Meeks Bay Trailhead is much gentler, if higher and longer. Short trips can also keep us active and fresh when we cannot find the time and money for extended backpacking trips. A Wilderness Permit is required to enter Desolation Wilderness. Trailheads on El Dorado National Forest (West) Side. The third and last junction to Lake Tahoe South of here is East of the gap separating the South Shore of Fontanillis Lake from the North Shore of Dicks Lake. Backpacking Forums, North TYT: South of Middle Velma                                                  South TYT: Fontanillis Lake. I highly recommend it later in the season and prepare to be alone. Honestly, I started avoiding Desolation Wilderness years ago. The signposts are all clearly marked until Rockbound Pass. We did the Rockbound Pass Loops over the Labor Day weekend. Its track to the Northwest behind us continues to and past Middle Velma Lake on its way to Camper Flat in Rockbound Valley. Hiking Southbound Formiga. Check out the 15 minute hiking map: Phipps Pass to Heather Lake As one of the most rugged terrains in California, Desolation Wilderness has earned its name. Trail Guide Lastly, follow the same path through Rockbound Pass back out! The group was traveling the Velma Lakes Trail from Camper Flat to Middle Velma Lake … An Escape Route It finally drops down through the gap between the North Flank of Maggies Peaks and the South Flank of Peak 9195, where Eagle Creek drains the whole of this Velma Lake basin into Lake Tahoe through Eagle Falls. 15 minute topographic backpacking MAP. adventures and follow local regulations. 12.69 miles South of Meeks Bay trail head. Search campgrounds, glamping, and hotels near Kyburz. Right below the pass is Doris Lake, which is where we camped in our short 30 hour adventure. The trail to the Bayview Camp Trailhead splits off East from the Eagle Falls Trail to cross over to Bayview Camp by climbing over the Maggies Peaks massif between the two main peaks. This necessitates some … Not a whole lot of wildlife except birds, hawks, and chipmunks. Even day hiking requires a permit, and quotas limit overnight visitors in specific geographic zones. From here, take the trail or bushwhack another mile until Camper Flat, where the trail picks up again. There is also another trail junction a short bit East down the Bayview-Camper Flat Trail if we hike a short distance East up the trail towards Eagle Falls/Bayview Camp. Since it is far from towns and highways, it’s the perfect place to “get away from it all.” ... Campers … The Desolation has been … 18.02 South to Echo Summit. The Camper flat and Desolation Valley granodiorites are the youngest plutons of the group. Short backpacking trips always help to bring and keep us into top shape for the longer hikes. ENE-trending microdiorite dikes filled extensional fractures, perpendicular to the direction of shortening, in all … We've just got to keep a foot on the trail. Desolation Wilderness If injured, exhausted, or out of food it is very good to know that the trail down to Eagle Falls is virtually all down-mountain, and makes a good in or out for rescue, or if you are not quite up to the rigors of long distance High Sierra Backpacking. Starting from Wrights Lake, the route proceeds over Rockbound Pass, loops around several lakes, and returns to Wrights Lake. Schematic Trail Map of Bayview and Eagle Falls Trailheads Portions of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim … This season’s collection of Flat Shoes, classic and contemporary models for women. Out here you can usually find true solitude compared to Desolation's busy Western Slope. A bit more downhill brings you to Lake Schmidell, a large and iconic lake with lots of space for camping. I would start at the Echo Lake Trailhead and follow the Pacific Crest Trail to Middle Velma Lake and cut west to Camper Flat… Tree cover is sparse, and most of the Desolation Wilderness is laid bare to … TahoetoWhitney.Org, Backpacking Topics Mileage East I'm just letting you long distance backpackers know where these trails go. Bear storage boxes are placed at Desolation Wilderness campgrounds and picnic areas for storing food. We meant to go in on day #1 to the Velma Lakes, then the next day to move on into the Rockbound Valley to either Camper's flat… Continuing East past the Upper Velma Lake trail junction towards Highway 89 we next come to a Y in the Bayview-Camper Flat Trail splitting our trail East between two routes. Blue as … TWO ROUTES EAST The trail from Horseshoe Lake to Camper Flat is nearly nonexistent, with the exception of small cairns often a few hundred yards apart. This is a trail that hikes South and dead-ends at Upper Velma Lake. Shortly after Horseshoe Lake, the trail disappears onto a large granite slab marked with cairns. Geologic mapping in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness identified approximately 731 kmS of epizonal plutonic granitic rocks within the Bitterroot lobe of the Idaho batholith. Trip Overview: ~38 mile backpacking trip in Desolation Wilderness near South Lake Tahoe. Or further North. If you've hiked either of these route into the Velma Lakes Basin I'm very interested in your impression of these trails, your pictures of the terrain, and your trail notes. Second We we observing the route of Eagle Creek through the terrain from up there, before we dropped down to Middle Velma Lake and this series of 3 trail junctions pointing East. Find more Class A, Class C, Class B, trailers, fifth wheel trailers and more at Outdoorsy! It can be difficult to find solitude, especially if you’re hiking to Lake Aloha or up Pyramid Peak on a summer weekend. Maps Scott Campbell is on Facebook. The map below-Right expands on the detailed view to show the alternative route to the TYT-PCT we can hike through Rockbound Valley, and the remainder of our Southbound route through Central and South Desolation Wilderness. Trip taken late Sept. 2016, Get away from Desolation's crowds for the true desolation experience. The tall, flat-faced being's wide, big-lipped mouth was stained with rockberry juice. To the East Pristine Lakes. Imagine being surrounded by water all around you. Along with passing tens of named and unnamed lakes, this route also offers the opportunity to summit Red Peak, a rocky extension of the Crystal Range. Discover the best RV Rental and Motorhome options in China Flat Campground, CA! The ground is rocky and hard underfoot. We can explore more terrain on one short leisurely local trip than during three long trips moving quickly through the same area. Follow the well-marked Blakely Trail for 2.5 miles back to Lake Schmidell. 3.81 miles hike East to Bayview Camp on Highway 89. The map below-Left focuses on the route of the TYT-PCT along the three Bayview-Camper Flat trail junctions. ... suite, located southwest of Lake Tahoe. I have a saying. 16.02 miles South to Echo Lake trail head. It is also one of the most popular wilderness areas in the country due to … At the third Bayview trail junction we turn South, just as we did at this second Bayview junction, to the Southbound Backpacker's Right, to begin the final segment of our climb up to Dicks Pass. Also per usual, we … The second trail junction to our East from this second Camper Flat-Bayview junction pictured above splits this single trail leading towards the West Shore of Lake Tahoe into two trails, one leading to the Northern Eagle Falls Trailhead and the other to the Bayview Camp Trailhead to its South along Highway 89. Head to the Wrights Lake entrance, which is about 8 miles up Wrights Lake Road from Highway 50. This leads you up a steep pass for .75 miles. The Desolation Wilderness map gives us our biggest picture of the Central Desolation Wilderness terrain. The first trail junction Tees off to our Right, our South, up to dead-end at Upper Velma Lake. Lk. Elevation Restrooms, or dig a hole: Bring a shovel and bury all human and canine waste at least … We Southbound Backpackers take a Right to continue South on the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails from this second, the middle Bayview-Camper Flat trail junction, in pursuit of our goal to continue South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail over Dicks Pass. The Desolation Wilderness can be a busy place, so a permit system was established in an effort to spread people out and preserve the quality of the experience for everyone. The arrow is pointing us to our Southbound Right, South along the marked PCT route towards Fontanillis Lake and Dicks Pass beyond, while we can also see the arrow pointing Northwest back up the PCT-TYT-TRT towards Phipps Pass, the way we came South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. Though the Bayview Camp Trailhead is close to Eagle Falls, it is perched high up on the base of the Cascade Lake side of the ridge arm dividing it from Emerald Bay. I've never come in to the main trail from either Eagle Falls or Bayview Camp. We can hike East to Bayview Camp or Eagle Falls to end our loop, or we can hike North past Middle Velma Lake and stay on the TYT over Phipps Pass to Meek Bay. 15 minute topographic backpacking Overnight Recreation Fee: There is a per person fee for a Desolation Wilderness Overnight Permit. The trail is difficult but definitively worth while. 4.14 miles South to Dicks Pass, +1400 feet, junction to pass. Though all permits for Desolation Wilderness are issued centrally through recreation.gov, both of the National Forests administering trailheads accessing Desolation Wilderness publish extensive rules and regulations covering Desolation Wilderness. Contact Information. What’s the cost: Permits required and prices vary. This bit of the "Velma Lakes Trail" we encounter between these first two Bayview-Camper Flat trail junctions is a small piece of the trail tracking East and West starting out of two Highway 89 trailheads in close proximity to each other on the West shore of Lake Tahoe, and ends teeing-out into the Rubicon Trail at Camper Flat in Rockbound Valley. This second junction pictured here, and the third Camper Flat-Bayview trail junction further South both give us access East to Highway 89 on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe through the Eagle Falls or Bayview Camp Trailheads, depending on our route preferences. Middle Velma Lake. Throughout the 3 and a half day trip we saw maybe 3 other hikers. I am inclined to take a Right and walk all the way through the length of the Desolation Wilderness South to Tuolumne Meadows, and then on down to Mount Whitney, if I can hike my preferred route. Well, I've lots of sayings. 15 minute backpacking map. It runs from midpoint on the Blakely Trail between Schmidell and Camper Flat, southward towards the Rubicon Trail. Properly balanced short and long backpacking trips can be very complimentary, each making the other better. Fontanillis Lake, South Hikers continuing South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail turn Right, South through this second Camper Flat-Bayview trail junction. Loved the truly desolate experience. +40' elevation increase from Middle Velma Lake. Camper … Opening and closing dates are dependant on the weather. The Camper flat and Desolation Valley granodiorites are the youngest plutons of the group. Trail Schematic. At the bottom of this slab is a drainage area, where the trail cuts back south instead of continuing on north east. Fairly long hiking routes can take us to the Northeast back to Lake Tahoe at Tehoma through … Our TYT-PCT-TRT route shares the trail with this popular local route from Tahoe to Camper Flat … TRAILHEAD, Central Fed links can be unreliable. © 2021 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. 230.00 USD 40% 138.00 USD Tyra. This 26 mile loop meanders through some of the most primitive trails in Desolation Wilderness. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The Southern route, the Right arm of the Y continues to Bayview Camp Trailhead climbing over the low point between Maggies Peaks' twin summits. Meeks Bay to Echo Summit Using these Federal resources in conjunction with the full Desolation Wilderness Map opens up the full potential of West Side Trailheads into Desolation Wilderness. Depending on your speed, summit should only take 20 to 40 minutes from this point as its only 700 feet. From Lake Aloha we follow the Tahoe Yosemite Trail North back to this series of Bayview/Eagle Falls trail junctions. We see access 1.45 miles West to Camper Flat in Rockbound Valley. Big Flat Campground is a small, quiet campground bordered by Hurdygurdy Creek. Backpacking Miles and Elevations. Mileage South South on the TYT 3.85 miles to Eagle Falls at Highway 89. At the trailhead follow the signposts to Rockbound Pass, which is about 6.5 miles away. TYT After Red Peak and the pass, you'll meander through meadows and dried up stream beds for about 3 miles, passing by Leland and McConnell Lakes, until another signpost at Horseshoe Lake. Local Access A faint trail exists for the first five minutes and then a decently exposed rock scramble is required. All Desolation Wilderness Permit Information. Middle Velma, General Postings Second Rained one night and froze the other so be prepared for some funky storm systems over the pass (weather the night before we left predicted sunny skies the whole time). It is there our trail turns East to climb from between the lakes to find this last trail junction tracking to our North sitting on the Western edge of a gap almost overlooking Lake Tahoe. The trail to the Bayview Camp Trailhead splits off East from the Eagle Falls Trail to cross over to Bayview Camp by climbing, Your guide to the High Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails, © Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail, Schematic Trail Map of Bayview and Eagle Falls Trailheads, Schematic Trail Map of North Desolation Wilderness, El Dorado National Forest The next Bayview Trail Junction along our Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route, the third Bayview junction, is 2.49 miles South of this trail junction just beyond the Southern Shore of Fontanillis Lake. Plus, these Eagle Falls and Bayview Trailheads are great entrances into the North Desolation Wilderness for short and medium distance backpacking loops around Desolation Wilderness, as well as a good emergency exit for fading/broken backpackers. It is located west of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50 in El … The first junction is behind us to the North on the TYT is located off the Southwest Shore of Middle Velma Lake, laying .27 of a mile to our North (West by the compass) from this middle junction. Local backpackers hiking out of Tahoe Trailheads can use West Flank Trailheads as alternative destinations, or even start points for local Desolation Wilderness trips. FOREST SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE Jeff Marsolais, Forest Supervisor 100 Forni Road Placerville, CA 95667 Office #: 530 303-2412 530-622-5061 (closed) The marsh-like water is very slow moving, and even though it is indeed beautiful, it is also a prime location for p... To get to the Twin Lakes Trailhead from the Bay Area/Sacramento, head east on HWY 50 past Kyburz for 4 miles until you see the left-hand turnoff for Wrights Road. Up to feet, junction to Pass kick back in Camp, explore, more... 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Prices vary very complimentary, each camper flat desolation wilderness the other better visitors in geographic. Dead-Ends at Upper Velma Lake, take the left takes a steep Pass for.75 miles help to and! Slab marked with cairns making the other better us up to month ago, a large slab! Campbell and others you may know us deep these trails go always an... Path through Rockbound Valley small and seldom! … Trailheads on El Dorado forest.