. Protect yourself by using food storage canisters for all food and toiletries. If you don’t mind a little extra weight in your pack, bring a floatie! Happy adventuring! Dogs impact wildlife and barking intrudes on the experience of others.Â, El Dorado County has a mandatory leash law.Â, Damaging or removing any natural feature is prohibited.Â, Photograph your finds, leave them behind for others to enjoy. Â, Limited to two livestock per person and 12 livestock in one group.Â, Do not hitch, tether or hobble a horse or other saddle or pack animal within 200’ of a water source or within 100’ of a campsite.Â, Do not tie stock directly to trees except for loading, unloading or short rest breaks while traveling.Â, Some trails are not recommended for stock use. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The charm comes from its enchanting lakes, smooth granite surfaces and flowery, green meadows. ( Log Out /  Start at Echo Lakes Trailhead. There are several trailheads in the vicinity of South Lake Tahoe, with access from Highway 50 and Highway 89. Aside from the usual backpacking gear, there are a couple of things that I can’t stress enough: bear canisters and bug spray. Tallac, Bayview, Eagle Lake and Meeks Bay. Portable Stoves are permitted. Camp stoves are permissible. It is the wilderness and although I was expecting her to tell us that she just saw one on the trail, she went on to tell us that a bear had eaten her group’s and their neighbor’s food the night before at Lake of the Woods. Winter conditions are expected to persist in Desolation Wilderness from November through June. You must stay your first night in the Destination Zone you select for your permit. A signed permit must be carried at all times by the group leader. For the permit, you must enter on the day your permit begins and your first night has to be within your designated zone. You must stay your first night in the Destination Zone you select for your permit. Mapophile added Aug 5, 2010. You must have a printed copy of your permit with you at all times.Â. Visitors must obtain a Wilderness permit for overnight camping as well as day visits, year-round. And while permits can be hard to snag, getting here is easy. The Big Picture Hiking Map of the The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through Desolation Wilderness . Plan for the worst, hope for the best—this route features … Although bear canisters aren’t required (but highly encouraged) and you can technically hang your food if you’d like, I would definitely recommend you bring one. Examples: park "national park" or hiking, trails. Fees are charged as follows: Adult (over 12 years in age): $5 per person for the 1st night; $10 for 2-14 nights. It has a little bit of everything. The Desolation Wilderness is located just to the southwest of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50. Or, do you have a favorite place in Desolation? Contact the Eldorado Information Center in Camino for more permit information. Contact a Forest Service office for more information.Â. Two USGS 30 minute Topo Backpacking Maps Tahoe to Yosemite Trail MAPS and MILES: TRAIL GUIDE: Tahoe to Whitney Indexes : SOUTHBOUND: NORTH SIERRA PCT-TYT Topo Maps : More Miles and Elevations : Weather, Map Data : MAP … Desolation Wilderness Permits are issued through a quota system and can be reserved through recreation.gov up to six months in advance or in person at a LTBMU USFS visitor center. Forest Orders 03-20-15 and 19-20-11 that closed Desolation to overnight camping have been rescinded. Overnight permit holders must display parking pass in vehicle. She was coming down the trail to get as much food from the market at Lower Echo as she could so they didn’t have to end their trip early. However, the $6/permit reservation fee still applies. Back country camping looks like it would be awesome (I envied all those with big packs on their backs). Backpacking Permits are required and Reservations can be made at: To Reserve Permits: Online: Log on to Recreation.gov and enter “Desolation Wilderness” into the search field. Category: Backpack, Explore, Hike, Lake Tahoe, Northern California      Tags: backpacking, camping, desolationwilderness, hiking. ( Log Out /  The hike is very pleasant here and it was a perfect temp when we started just after 7:00 am. When selecting a campsite choose a durable surfaces at least 100 feet from water and trails. Continue to follow the trail till you reach a marker for Lake Aloha that points you to the left. Overnight wilderness permits are booked online … See more ideas about wilderness… Also note, it can get pretty windy in Desolation, so if you can find a more protected spot with trees and rocks like we did, that will definitely work in your favor. 35 College Drive South Lake Tahoe CA 96150. When there isn’t a global pandemic and it is the summer season, you can shave nearly 2.5 miles off of your hike by taking the water taxi from Lower Echo Lake to the far end of Upper Echo Lake. From www.fs.fed.us. Overnight permits can be booked online via Recreation.gov and 100% of the quota will be available for advanced reservations. A recreation fee is assessed during the permitting process. To reserve your permit, I’d highly suggest that you do it well in advance and up to six months from your planned trip. It straddles the crest of the Sierra Nevada range, encompassing 63,690 acres, and has elevations ranging from 6,500 feet to nearly 10,000 feet.Lake Aloha is a feature of the wilderness area, with shallow, clear waters sitting in a wide, granite basin carved by glaciers in the most recent ice age. Note: you need to get a wilderness permit from recreation.gov for this trip. My first solo backpacking trip in Desolation Wilderness of Eldorado National Forest near Lake Tahoe, California. The park strictly limits the number of people in the backcountry because the area has been a bit over-loved lately. Luckily, we didn’t have many skeeters except for 30 minutes each evening, but I would still bring the good stuff (Deet 100). One night: $5 per person. Deolation Wilderness operates under the U.S. Fee Demonstration Act. For those of you who are unfamiliar with backpacking, backpacking is basically hiking with all of your gear in a giant backpack and then stopping at your … Recreation.gov is your gateway to explore America's outdoor Backpacking: Desolation Wilderness. Carefully review cancellation information before making reservations. The line to get permits forms well before this office opens so get there early if you want a walk-up permit. There are two types of overnight permits for Desolation Wilderness – A regular Desolation Wilderness Permit and a TRT Thru-Hike Permit. A quota limits the number of visitors to Desolation Wilderness between the Friday before Memorial Day to September 30th each year.Â, There are 45 destination zones designated with a maximum quota for the first night stay in each zone during the quota season.Â, During the off-quota season there is no limit to the number of overnight users in each zone (maximum group size still applies). Â, Twelve people is the maximum group size allowed together at any time in Desolation Wilderness.Â, Many destination zones have quota less than the maximum group size. Â, Camp at least 100’ from lakeshore, stream or trail.Â, There are camping restrictions for Special Management Areas to reduce impacts at popular lakes.Â, The designated campsites are marked with a tent symbol on a 4x4 post.Â, Only one permitted group is allowed at a designated site.Â, If designated campsites are taken when you arrive at your destination, locate your camp at least 500' from the lakeshore.Â, Restoration sites have been established to allow damaged shorelines and meadows a chance to recover from overuse. Desolation Wilderness Permits and Maps For overnight backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, a permit is required. We provide tools and tips to discover Price — Desolation Wilderness, CA . It is an incredible gift and something we should all be able to enjoy responsibly. You can book a permit online at Recreation.gov or score one of the first-come-first-serve permits at the Tahoe South Visitor Center, … Click on Desolation Wilderness to reserve a permit up to 6 months in advance. We had fun looking at all the beautiful lake cabins and making goals to have one someday in our future. Day trips are free of charge. Digital permit will be temporarily accepted during COVID-19. After your first night, you may change locations for subsequent nights of your visit using the same permit, … A $5 change fee will apply (if you are increasing your party size, additional use fees will apply).Â. A digital or paper permit reservation confirmation is not a valid permit. You may find the area so remarkable that you will want to stay longer -- it's hard to see all its beauty in such a short amount of time. I had stumbled upon American Lake five years earlier when on a backpacking trip to nearby Lake of the Woods. Desolation Annual Pass Holder: Free. The area is divided into 45 zones and permits are required year-round, with quotas in effect from the Friday before Memorial Day to September 30. Basics: This overnight hike was about 13 miles round-trip. You may also call our permit offices during business hours for assistance. Â. Desolation Wilderness is accessed through 13 trailheads: Loon Lake, Van Vleck, Rockbound, Twin Lakes, Lyons Creek, Pyramid Creek, Ralston Peak, Echo Lake, Glen Alpine, Mt. Parking: Pyramid Creek, Eagle Falls, Loon Lake, Rockbound, and Twin Lakes Day Use Areas have a day use fee, which is waived for overnight permit holders. DAY USE PERMIT. The #tahoerimtrail and #pacificcrestrail travel directly through. Like most lakes in Desolation Wilderness, American Lake is accessible from a variety of trailheads depending on where you want to start, desired mileage, and elevation gain/loss. Requirement waived for 2020. Keywords recreation, wilderness, permits, trails, trailheads, camping, hiking. The Tahoe Rim Trail also travels through Desolation.While summertime draws the most visitors, during the winter, the area is a popular playground for experienced backcountry skiers and snowshoers. In other words, do I need one permit or four? The trail ends and you’re route finding on your own over granite rocks, navigating around little lakes, and generally making your way west through Desolation Valley. Have you ever been to American Lake? After about 7 miles and 1,100′ elevation gain from the trailhead, you’ll reach American Lake. Bears have become more active. and reservations. 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