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

Lake of the Woods Trail

Lake of the Woods TrailPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
88 ft
climb
8,408 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lake of the Woods Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Lake of the Woods 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.

Lake of the Woods Trail is a short, easy hike of about 0.6 miles in the Desolation Wilderness, part of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back route with a one-way climb of about 88 feet, rising from around 8,309 feet to about 8,408 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July averages from a nearby weather station at Dagget Pass run about 75°F for highs and 49°F for lows, with only about two wet days a month. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the trail, so temperatures up high run cooler. The Pacific Crest Trail and the Lake of the Woods pass within about 0.2 miles. Climbers can head to the West Shore area, about 1.9 miles away, and Lovers Leap Campground is about 4.2 miles off for overnight stays.

Around this trail

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

    Stanford Sierra Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 2.8 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Baldwin Home

    Museum

    On your way back · 7 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 Lake of the Woods 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, 14.5 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.

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