California · Hiking · Granite Chief Wilderness · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Five Lakes Creek

Five Lakes CreekPhoto: schvin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
9.0 mi
round trip
915 ft
climb
6,937 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 13 h ago

Is Five Lakes Creek 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 Creek is a 9-mile out-and-back hike in the Granite Chief Wilderness, part of the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California. The trail rises from about 6,045 feet to about 6,937 feet, a total gain of 915 feet, and is rated hard. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is on natural surface. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from June through September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City show highs in the upper 60s to low 80s and only a day or two of rain a month. That station sits about 700 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The trail is open year-round, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. The Historic Western States Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Squaw Saddle Trail is about 0.9 mile off. Climbers can head to Center Wall, about 2.5 miles away, and Silver Creek Campground is about 5.5 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Whisky Creek Camp

    Campground

    Campground · < 0.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Arc

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 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 Creek

    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, 7 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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Western States TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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HIKE

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