California · Hiking · Desolation Wilderness · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Blakely

8.4 mi
round trip
1,297 ft
climb
8,389 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Blakely open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Eldorado National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Eldorado National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Blakely is a hard hike in California's Desolation Wilderness, part of the Pacific Ranger District of Eldorado National Forest. The trail is an out-and-back that climbs from about 7,177 feet to 8,389 feet, a total gain of 1,297 feet over 8.4 miles. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is on natural surface with no room for bikes. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dagget Pass, Nevada, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 49°F and only about one or two wet days a month. That station sits roughly 1,055 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. The hike is open year-round. Two other hikes, Mcconnell Lake Loop and Schmidell, lie about 1.6 miles away. Climbers can head to Majong Boulder, about 2.7 miles off, and Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground is about 5.1 miles away for an overnight base.

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  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Blakely

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      36° / 23°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 23°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 26°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      48° / 29°

      5 wet

    5. May

      56° / 35°

      4 wet

    6. Jun

      66° / 42°

      2 wet

    7. Jul

      75° / 49°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 49°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 44°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 36°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      43° / 28°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 23°

      7 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dagget Pass, NV, 17 mi away at 7,334 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Fire Restrictions are in Effect Forest Wide

      Eldorado National Forest · Order dated September 22, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Nov 2, 2026 · Forest Service

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