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

Lake No. 3

Lake No. 3Photo: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
round trip
58 ft
climb
8,205 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lake No. 3 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.

Lake No. 3 is an easy, one-mile out-and-back hike in the Desolation Wilderness, part of the Pacific Ranger District of Eldorado National Forest in California. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route stays within the wilderness. The trail rises about 58 feet from a low point of 8,133 feet to a high of 8,205 feet, making it a short, low-elevation outing. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 74 to 75°F with lows near 49°F and only one or two wet days a month. That station sits about 870 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the hike run cooler. The trail is open year-round. Horses are allowed, and the surface is natural, so riders can take it on a horse. Bikes are not permitted. Lawrence Lake is about a mile away, and Mcconnell Lake Loop is about 1.4 miles off. Climbers can head to Black Beauty Wall, about 4.1 miles away, and paddlers to Bassi Fork, about 4.3 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Fontanillis Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 4.2 mi from the trail

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 Lake No. 3

    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, 18.8 mi away at 7,334 ft. The station sits about 900 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

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Lawrence LakePhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lawrence Lake

~2 min drive

0.24-mile out-and-back trail to Lawrence Lake in California with 84 ft of elevation gain.

Shadow LakePhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Shadow Lake

~6 min drive

4.04-mile out-and-back trail to Shadow Lake in California with 759 ft of elevation gain.

PACIFIC CREST TRAILPhoto: ilya_ktsn, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

~7 min drive

20.9-mile out-and-back on the Pacific Crest Trail in California with 3,094 ft gain/loss.

Mcconnell Lake LoopPhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mcconnell Lake Loop

~2 min drive

14-mile out-and-back out-and-back around Mcconnell Lake in California.

SchmidellPhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Schmidell

~4 min drive

1.80-mile out-and-back trail in California with 90 ft elevation gain.

Pacific Crest TrailPhoto: Rick McCharles, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pacific Crest Trail

~8 min drive

3.56-mile out-and-back on the Pacific Crest Trail in California

HIKE

Highland Trail

~5 min drive

15.64-mile out-and-back trail in California with 4,382 ft gain and 8,819 ft max elevation.

HIKE

Red Peak Stock Trail

~3 min drive

7.69-mile out-and-back hike to Red Peak in California with 1,595 ft gain.

Red PeakPhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Red Peak

~8 min drive

Red Peak is a 1.80-mile out-and-back trail in California with 167 feet of elevation gain.

HighlandPhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Highland

~8 min drive

5.00-mile out-and-back trail in California with 660 ft gain