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

Mcconnell Lake Loop

Mcconnell Lake LoopPhoto: Kurt Minard, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
14.0 mi
round trip
1,764 ft
climb
8,554 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Mcconnell Lake Loop 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.

McConnell Lake Loop is a 14-mile out-and-back hike in California's Desolation Wilderness, within the Pacific Ranger District of Eldorado National Forest. The trail climbs from a low point of 7,115 feet to a high of 8,554 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,764 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and not open to bikes. 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. That station sits roughly 1,200 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The hike is rated hard. Plan for a full day on foot, and check the trail's condition before you start. The loop is open year-round. Schmidell and Lake No. 3 are both within about a mile and a half. Majong Boulder and Clyde Lake offer climbing a little farther out.

Around this trail

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

    Fontanillis Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 2.8 mi from the trail

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Local outfitters

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  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Mcconnell Lake Loop

    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, 17.4 mi away at 7,334 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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

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