The Tahoe Rim Trail is 171 miles around Lake Tahoe in California and takes 10-14 days to complete.
Region: Pacific West (California / Nevada, National Forest / Wilderness)
Length: 171 miles (10-15 days)
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
- Most of the trail is above 7,500 feet
- Extended (but well-graded) climbs on most day
- Mild weather in prime hiking season. Some sections can be hot and lack shade
Logistical Difficulty: Easy
- Loop trail
- Frequent resupply options
- Scarce water in some sections
Season: Midsummer through early fall
Average Elevation: 8,289 feet
Average Elevation Gain Per Mile: 198.5 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 33,754 feet
Days to Complete
| Miles / Day (average) | Days to complete (rounded up) |
| 10 | 17 |
| 12 | 15 |
| 15 | 12 |
| 18 | 10 |
| 20 | 9 |
| 25 | 7 |
| 30 | 6 |
| 35 | 5 |
| 40 | 5 |
Hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail
The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 170-mile loop trail that circumnavigates Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada range of Eastern California/Western Nevada. The trail passes through a diverse array of landscapes and ecosystems for its relatively compressed length and geography: alpine lake systems, meadows, pine forests, ancient cinder cones, and high desert. While the trail is well-graded, occasional long climbs and lengthy water carries are enough to challenge experienced hikers. Hikers will seldom be alone on this trail—it is popular with day hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians alike.
The Desolation Wilderness is the unparalleled jewel of the Tahoe Rim Trail. In this permit-required wilderness, located along the southwestern portion of the trail, you’ll find a network of sparkling alpine lakes tucked between rugged, classic Sierra Nevada geographical features. But be advised—this portion of the trail is easily accessed by day hikers. The narrow trail leading up to the wilderness from Echo Lakes can feel clogged and claustrophobic as morning turns to afternoon, so try to hit this section early in the morning or late in the evening if possible.
Other highlights of the TRT include the northeastern corner (featuring sweeping views of Lake Tahoe) and the southeastern corner (including rugged ridgeline walking with epic views of the Carson Valley and High Sierra peaks).
How to Get to the Tahoe Rim Trail
Closest Major Cities: Reno, Nevada (45 miles); Carson City, Nevada (40 miles)
The Tahoe Rim Trail is easily accessible from almost any point in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Popular access points include Echo Lake on the southern side and Tahoe City on the northern side, but formal trailheads and forest roads pepper the trail every 10-20 miles. The nearest large cities are Carson City to the east, Reno to the north, and Sacramento to the west.
When to Hike the Tahoe Rim Trail
The best time to hike the Tahoe Rim Trail is late summer through early fall. The reason for this compressed time frame is the high levels of snowfall the Sierra Nevada typically receive. The TRT is not blazed for winter travel, and many high passes and traverses would require mountaineering equipment and skills to safely navigate in the winter and early spring. The Tahoe Basin is a popular tourist destination, and you will almost always encounter other hikers (or mountain bikers, or equestrians) on a daily basis, particularly in July and August.
To beat the crowds, you could monitor snow levels and plan a trip in June of a low snow year. In a high snow year, you’ll almost certainly have to wait until the first weeks of July at the earliest. In either case, you’ll run into snowdrifts and sketchy traverses. We recommend an ice axe and micro-spikes for hikes in these conditions. On an average year, the snow has mostly melted out by the first of July, though north-facing slopes and higher elevations might still retain some patches. Summer hikers might appreciate sun gloves for the high-elevation exposure.
September is a lovely time to hike the TRT, with cooler daily temperatures, fewer crowds, and no snow. The trade-off is that seasonal creeks will not be flowing. By the time late September / early October rolls around, you are risking snowstorms at higher elevations. Also, be aware that late summer and early fall is fire season in the Sierra Nevada. Red flag warnings, trail closures, and national forest closures might all impact your hike.
Tahoe Rim Trail Terrain
Most of TRT follows the ridgeline of the mountains surrounding the basin. Although most days will include at least one sustained climb, the total grade for the trail is a relatively mild 198 feet/mile. The tread is mostly packed dirt, with occasional periods of gravel, slab, and rock. No scrambling is required on the TRT. The dirt on the Tahoe Rim Trail is pretty fine and will work its way into your shoes and socks if you are wearing trail runners or other minimalist shoe options. Count on abrasion issues and blister management if you are doing high miles.
Logistics: Permits, Camping, Water
Resupply: The best place to resupply on the TRT is in Tahoe City. The TRT runs through the edges of this small mountain town (conveniently passing a gas station) and also passes the TART station. Currently, buses to much of the north basin are free. Lodging, grocery stores, gear shops, and restaurants are all within walking distance. There are several other resupply options and package pick-up locations within hitchhiking distance, mostly on the north or south ends of the loop.
Another decent resupply option is Echo Chalet, on the southern end of the trail. This general store-style resupply point is heavy on candy bars, ice cream, beer, and soda, but light on easily packable backpacker-friendly lunches and dinners. They also don’t hold hiker packages. Your best bet if resupplying here is to have someone meet you with a package to supplement the candy bars you’ll buy here.
Hikers willing to haul a load or put in high mileage days (20+) should only need to resupply once or twice, depending on preference.
Land Designation: Most of the land the Tahoe Rim Trail passes through is managed by the Forest Service as a “unique kind of National Forest, called the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit….” At times, the trail dips out of the LTBMU and into the Toiyabe, Humbolt, Tahoe, and Eldorado National Forests (albeit very briefly). The Tahoe Rim Trail also spends some time in two wilderness areas—the Desolation and Mount Rose wildernesses. Finally, the TRT crosses the Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park. Enjoy the TRT’s forays into the wilderness areas—it’s the only time you won’t have to worry about dodging mountain bikers while thru-hiking this trail.
Camping and Permits: In general, hikers must camp within 300 feet of the trail corridor, while remaining at least 200 feet from water sources and 100 feet away from trails. Hammock campers will generally find it easy to find suitable trees while on the TRT (although there are areas where scrubby pines and/or high elevation could limit your hammock options).
Camping is prohibited in Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park except for at three established sites—Marlette Peak, Hobart, and North Canyon Campgrounds.
Camping in the Desolation Wilderness is by permit only. TRT thru-hikers can bypass the Desolation Wilderness permit system by visiting the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Forest Service Supervisor’s Office, or calling 530-543-2600 to request a permit by mail or pick-up. The TBMU employees are friendly and more than willing to work with thru-hikers to issue permits—but be aware that even thru-hiker permits can be limited during peak seasons.
Permits to enter the Desolation Wilderness are free, self-issued, and available at all trailheads that enter the wilderness. You won’t need one if you have an overnight permit, but if someone is joining you for the day, that person will need a day-use permit.
Dispersed camping is allowed in the Mount Rose Wilderness, and a permit is not required.
Use of a camp stove requires a California Campfire Permit while hiking the TRT. You can obtain one for free after watching a short video and completing a quiz. Do not use a camp stove during a red flag warning.
Water: Water on the TRT is generally plentiful on the western and southern sides of the lake from streams, ponds, and lakes. On the eastern and northern sides, water is more scarce, and sometimes requires detours off-trail for immediate needs. If your itinerary has you traveling at speeds under 15 miles a day, it’s possible you’ll need to do some long water carries or make dry camps. Water is sometimes available from campgrounds or trailheads when these facilities are open—but don’t put yourself in a position of depending on these facilities.
Be advised that the weather patterns that cause a lack of water on this section of trail also causes a lack of shade. We recommend sun-protection clothing and high-volume water storage capacity for hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail.
The Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s water sources page is updated often and is usually reliable. We’ve found the crowdsourced water information on the FarOut app to be reliable as well, if sometimes one-to-three weeks old at times.
Know Before You Go
Use the Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s Resources: The TRTA’s website is useful and frequently updated.
Be Bear Aware: The Tahoe Basin has a dense population of black bears, and proper food storage is required. Dense pine and fir forests make hanging food difficult in places, so bear canisters or an Ursack are recommended.
Keep an Eye on the Weather: Average snowfall in the Tahoe Basin makes winter and early spring hiking inadvisable, and late fall hiking risky. Late summer and early fall are prime hiking season, but be aware that those months are also wildfire season in the Sierra Nevada. Hot days with precious little shade can give way rapidly to cold, dry nights.
Share the Trail: Day hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians are plentiful on the Tahoe Rim Trail, particularly during high summer and early fall. If you want total isolation, this is not the trail for you.
Follow the Rules: Campfires are not permitted anywhere on the Tahoe Rim Trail. Use of a camp stove requires a free California Campfire Permit (even while on the Nevada side of the trail.) Camping in the Desolation Wilderness requires a thru-hiker permit, and will only be issued within 21 days of entry into the wilderness, for a maximum of three nights. Permits cost $5 per person per night for the first two nights, plus a $6 processing fee (no charge for the third night).
Resources
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
California Campfire Permit (for stove use)
