California · Hiking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Five Lakes

Five LakesPhoto: bsterling, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
4.0 mi
round trip
1,027 ft
climb
7,582 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Five Lakes open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Tahoe National Forest.

  • Camping and Campfire Restrictions-Truckee and Sierraville Districts

    Agency alert covering Tahoe National Forest · Order 17-25-05 · USFS · Tahoe National Forest

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

Five Lakes is a 4-mile out-and-back hike in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, with a total elevation gain of 1,027 feet. The trail starts at about 6,542 feet and climbs to a high point of about 7,582 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City show July highs around 78°F with lows near 46°F and only about one wet day in the month. That station sits roughly 1,350 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. The route is rated moderate, and the natural-surface trail allows horses. It stays open year-round. Red Dog Ridge is about half a mile away, and Alpine Crags Road, a mountain biking route, is under a mile off. Climbers can head to Shirley Canyon Cliffs, about 2.3 miles away, and Silver Creek Campground is about 3.4 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Whisky Creek Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 2.5 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Chalet

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 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 Five Lakes

    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

      40° / 21°

      11 wet · 7 snow

    2. Feb

      40° / 21°

      10 wet · 7 snow

    3. Mar

      45° / 24°

      10 wet · 7 snow

    4. Apr

      50° / 28°

      8 wet · 4 snow

    5. May

      59° / 34°

      7 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      69° / 40°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 46°

      1 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 45°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 41°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      59° / 33°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      48° / 26°

      7 wet · 3 snow

    12. Dec

      40° / 21°

      10 wet · 6 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tahoe City, CA, 4.7 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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