California · Hiking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Summit Lake

Summit LakePhoto: ray_explores, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
3.0 mi
round trip
224 ft
climb
7,440 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Summit Lake 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.

Summit Lake is a 3-mile out-and-back hike in the Truckee Ranger District of Tahoe National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises about 224 feet from a low point of 7,241 feet to a high of 7,440 feet, and it is rated moderate. The route is natural-surfaced and open to both horses and bikes. It stays within the Truckee Ranger District, and the nearest town is Truckee, about 30 miles away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Sagehen Creek weather station, about 8 miles away, show July highs near 80°F with lows around 37°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. The trail sits right beside the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000 and the Glacier Meadow Loop, and the Rated X Boulder climbing area is just 0.1 mile away. Milton Reservoir, about 2.3 miles off, offers fishing.

Around this trail

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

    Summit Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 1.0 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Donner Day Lodge

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 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 · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Summit Lake

    Best months: June–August. 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° / 15°

    2. Feb

      41° / 15°

    3. Mar

      48° / 19°

    4. Apr

      53° / 22°

    5. May

      62° / 28°

    6. Jun

      72° / 32°

    7. Jul

      80° / 37°

    8. Aug

      79° / 35°

    9. Sep

      73° / 31°

    10. Oct

      61° / 24°

    11. Nov

      49° / 20°

    12. Dec

      39° / 14°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sagehen Creek, CA, 8.1 mi away at 6,337 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000Photo: ray_explores, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000

Next door

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WARREN LAKEPhoto: On^ste82, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Warren LakePhoto: scorpio-tiger, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

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