Hike of the week: Five Lakes Trail
June 18, 2009 by TahoeLoco
Filed under Extreme Tahoe
Five Lakes
Difficulty: moderate
Distance: 4 miles out and back, or longer if you explore the lakes
Elevation gain: 900ft (from 6,600 - 7,500ft)
The hike to Five Lakes in the Granite Chief Wilderness can be busy with people and dogs, especially on a mid-summer weekend. But midweek it is more peaceful and the payoff for this short, accessible trek is big: a quintet of lakes in which to fish or swim.
The hike begins at the junction of Alpine Meadows Road and Deer Park Road, a little more than 2 miles from HIghway 89. The trail rises from the north side of the road towards the Five Lakes plateau and up the side of KT22 peak through exposed granite and volcanic rock. There is not a lot of cover on this route so bring a hat and sun screen.
The two mile trail rises 900 feet before reaching the lakes, but the grade is steady after the first tough stretch so it never feels overly steep. It’s four miles to the lakes and back, plus another mile or more to hike among the lakes, which are unnamed. Watch out for bugs in the early season. Although the trail can be crowded, the lakes provide ample room for privacy.
Photo by Stuart at flickr.com
