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This road leads to Lily Lake, a trailhead for hiking into the nearby Desolation Wilderness and an elegant waterfall (which, according to E.B. In the winter, the lodge is closed but you can park and enjoy the marvelous views.Ībout a half mile from the end of the road (it comes to a dead end at the Stanford Sierra Resort, a private retreat), you can turn west on another narrow (all the roads around here are extremely narrow, so be careful while driving) paved road, lined by large log railings. While much of the lake is private property, you can continue to drive to the lake’s west end where, in the summer months, Fallen Leaf Lodge offers accommodations and a marina. Rather than enclosing the lake, the reflection of the surrounding mountains seems to stretch into infinity and create a sense of being in a much larger place. I think it is the “mirror effect” of Fallen Leaf Lake that makes the view so remarkable. As you drive, you can see incredible scenery, including Cathedral Peak (the southern shoulder of Mount Tallac) rising over the lake, its 9,785-foot crown mirrored in the lake’s crystal waters. The road narrows as it reaches the east end of the lake and, after passing into a residential area, you catch your first glimpse of the lake.

About three miles from the turn-off, you travel by a lovely aspen grove and open meadow, both of which are spectacular in the fall, when the aspen leaves have turned gold. The drive from the highway to the lake is pleasant, passing through large pine trees. The entrance to the 206-unit campground, which is open from May to October, is located about a quarter of a mile north of Fallen Leaf Lake Road, off Highway 89. Forest also operates a developed camping area at the northeast end of Fallen Leaf Lake. Forest Service Visitors Center and Tallac Historic Site. A marked and paved road is located directly across the highway from the entrance to the U.S. In fact, if not for a fluke of nature, namely a small stretch of land that separates Fallen Leaf from Tahoe, the area could easily have been connected to the lake, similar to Emerald Bay.įallen Leaf Lake is located five miles west of Highway 89, immediately north of Camp Richardson on Lake Tahoe’s southwest shore. At least one section of the trail is closed to stock, and grazing is limited in many areas.Only about a mile west of magnificent Lake Tahoe is another gorgeous body of water that rivals its larger neighbor when it comes to scenic beauty.Ĭalled Fallen Leaf Lake, this picturesque alpine lake is a perfect complement to Lake Tahoe. Hikers should check with park rangers before planning a trip with riding or pack stock. Work began on the High Sierra Trail in 1928, and it was the first Sierra trail built solely for recreational use. The fastest claimed time to traverse is 15 hours 46 minutes, by Leor Pantilat. From Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal, the trail is 72.2 miles (116.2 km) long and often takes 6 days or more for the average hiker to complete. The Mount Whitney Trail branches to the east from the John Muir Trail 2.4 miles (3.9 km) south of Mount Whitney's summit, and descends to Whitney Portal located at the end of the road from Lone Pine, California. Hikers may continue on the John Muir Trail 12.6 miles (20.3 km) to the summit of Mount Whitney.

This is the end of the High Sierra Trail. After following along the Kern River, it turns east and climbs parallel to Wallace Creek to the junction with the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail 48.9 miles (78.7 km) from Crescent Meadow.

From this pass, the route descends into Big Arroyo and then climbs to the Chagoopa Plateau, only to drop again to 6,700 feet (2,000 m) in the Kern River Canyon. Leaving the meadow, the trail climbs through the Hamilton Lakes Basin to Kaweah Gap which, at 10,700 feet (3,300 m), is one of the lowest passes over the Great Western Divide within the park. The Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp (a simple tent hotel) located here dates back to 1934. This first 11.4 miles (18.3 km) of the trail is a popular though strenuous two-day round trip hike. Route įrom the plateau of the Giant Forest at Crescent Meadow (elevation 6,700 ft or 2,000 m) the trail travels high on the northern wall of the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River to Bearpaw Meadow. According to the Yosemite Decimal System, the HST is a Class 1/Class 2 trail, which means simple scrambling, with the possibility of occasional use of the hands for balance. The trail crosses the Sierra Nevada from west to east. The High Sierra Trail (HST) is a hiking trail in Sequoia National Park, California.