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

Squaw Saddle Trail

Squaw Saddle TrailPhoto: bsterling, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.2 mi
round trip
165 ft
climb
7,598 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Squaw Saddle Trail 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.

Squaw Saddle Trail is an easy out-and-back hike of about 1.2 miles in California's Granite Chief Wilderness, within the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail's short length and gentle climb of 165 feet make it a straightforward outing for anyone heading into this corner of the wilderness. The trail begins and ends at the low point of about 7,420 feet, rising to a high point of about 7,598 feet. The surface is natural, and the trail is open year-round. Horses are allowed, while bikes are not, so plan on hiking on foot or on horseback. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City show July highs around 78°F with lows near 46°F, and snow is common from November through April. The station sits about 1,370 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the saddle run cooler. Nearby, the Historic Western States Trail and Five Lakes Creek both lie within a mile. Climbers can head to Center Wall about 2 miles away, and Silver Creek Campground is roughly 4.7 miles off for an overnight stay.

Around this trail

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

    Whisky Creek Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 0.8 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    The Chalet

    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 Squaw Saddle 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

      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, 6.2 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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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Five LakesPhoto: bsterling, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Thunder MountainPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Tevis Cup TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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