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

Lawrence Lake

Lawrence LakePhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.2 mi
round trip
30 ft
climb
7,815 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lawrence Lake 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.

Lawrence Lake is a short, easy hike in California's Desolation Wilderness, within the Pacific Ranger District of Eldorado National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface out-and-back that rises about 30 feet over a 0.24-mile round trip, from a low point of 7,763 feet to a high of 7,815 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dagget Pass, Nevada, show July highs around 75°F with lows near 49°F and only about two wet days a month. Winter is much colder, with January highs in the mid-30s. The trail is open year-round, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. Lake No. 3 lies about 0.9 miles away, and the Red Peak Stock Trail is about 1.1 miles off. Climbers can head to Black Beauty Wall, about 3.1 miles away, and paddlers to Bassi Fork, about 4.5 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip

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 Lawrence Lake

    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. 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

Lake No. 3Photo: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lake No. 3

~2 min drive

1.00-mile out-and-back trail to Lake No. 3 in California

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

Shadow Lake

~7 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

~8 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

~3 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

Red Peak (15E08.2)

~6 min drive

9.64-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,367 ft elevation gain and loss.

HIKE

Red Peak Stock Trail

~2 min drive

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

Clyde LakePhoto: jayarmstrong, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Clyde Lake

~7 min drive

Clyde Lake is a 1.00-mile out-and-back trail in California with 26 feet of elevation gain.

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

Highland

~9 min drive

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