California · Hiking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Cathedral Trail

Cathedral TrailPhoto: bsterling, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.4 mi
round trip
1,105 ft
climb
7,526 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Cathedral Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Cathedral Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Cathedral Trail is an easy out-and-back hike of about 2.4 miles in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, managed by the Forest Service in California. The trail rises from about 6,400 feet to roughly 7,500 feet, with an elevation gain of about 1,105 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Dagget Pass weather station, about 12 miles away at a similar elevation, run to highs near 75°F in July and August with lows around 49°F and only a day or two of wet weather each month. Winters there are cold, with highs in the mid-30s. Cathedral Spur starts about 0.3 miles away, and Angora Lake Trail, a mountain biking route, is about half a mile off. Climbers can head to West Shore, about 1.2 miles away, and Fallen Leaf Campground is about 3 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Stanford Sierra Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 0.2 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Baldwin Home

    Museum

    On your way back · 4 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Cathedral Trail

    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, 11.7 mi away at 7,334 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Cathedral SpurPhoto: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Cathedral Spur

Next door

0.62-mile out-and-back trail in California's Cathedral Spur with 36 ft of elevation gain.

Tamarack Lake TrailPhoto: bsterling, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tamarack Lake Trail

~1 min drive

5.64-mile out-and-back hike to Tamarack Lake in California.

Floating Island / Mount Tallac TrailPhoto: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Floating Island / Mount Tallac Trail

~2 min drive

1.28-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,020 ft elevation gain

Glen AlpinePhoto: m01229, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Glen Alpine

~2 min drive

2-mile out-and-back trail in California with 437 ft gain.

Lily Lake TrailPhoto: Scorewith German, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lily Lake Trail

~2 min drive

3.72-mile out-and-back hike in California with 3,015 ft gain/loss.

Angora Lake TrailPhoto: Scorewith German, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Angora Lake Trail

~2 min drive

2.00-mile out-and-back trail in California with 149 ft gain

Clark TrailPhoto: Scorewith German, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Clark Trail

~2 min drive

2.00-mile out-and-back hike in California with 293 ft gain.

Floating Island TrailPhoto: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Floating Island Trail

~2 min drive

9.40-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,508 ft elevation gain.

Half Moon Lake TrailPhoto: Rick McCharles, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Half Moon Lake Trail

~4 min drive

3.00-mile out-and-back hike to Half Moon Lake in California with 771 ft gain.

Grass Lake TrailPhoto: ilya_ktsn, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Grass Lake Trail

~3 min drive

1.80-mile out-and-back hike to Grass Lake in California with 341 ft of elevation gain.