Goose Meadows
Campground
Campground · 1.1 mi from the trail
California · Mountain biking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City
Big Chief Trail (Lower)
- 2.6 mi
- round trip
- 652 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is Big Chief Trail (Lower) 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.
Big Chief Trail (Lower) is a 5.3-mile out-and-back mountain biking route in California's Tahoe National Forest, within the Truckee Ranger District. The trail rises from about 6,334 feet to about 6,991 feet, a climb of 652 feet, and is rated moderate. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City show July highs around 78°F with lows near 46°F and only about one wet day in the month. That station sits roughly 760 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The trail starts close to two climbing areas, South Wall and Big Chief, both about 0.2 miles away. Pole Creek Nordic, a cross-country ski area, is about 0.6 miles off, and Goose Meadows campground is about 1.1 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Sandy's Pub
Pub
On your way back · 3 miIf it rains Watson Cabin
Museum
On your way back · 6 mi
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in Sunnyside-Tahoe CityLocal outfitters
- Alpenglow Expeditions4 mi away
- West Shore Sports14 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- South WallRock climbing0.2 mi
- Big ChiefRock climbing0.2 mi
- Pole Creek NordicCross-country skiing0.6 mi
Goose MeadowsCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain1.1 mi- Cena Lar TrailMountain biking1.2 mi
- Goose MeadowCamping1.3 mi
Martis CreekCanoeingPhoto: Schmiebel, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)3.8 mi- Cold CreekCanoeing5.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Tahoe Rim Trail (Painted Rock North)Mountain biking · ~4 min drivePhoto: AT2663, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Cena Lar TrailMountain biking · ~2 min drive
- Big Chief Trail (Upper)Mountain biking · ~4 min drive
- Truckee View PointMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Tahoe Rim TrailMountain biking · ~5 min drivePhoto: AT2663, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Big Chief Trail (Middle)Mountain biking · ~3 min drive
- SawtoothMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Tahoe Rim Trail (Painted Rock South)Mountain biking · ~5 min drivePhoto: AT2663, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Lower Missing LinkMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Tahoe Rim TrailMountain biking · ~4 min drivePhoto: AT2663, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Big Chief Trail (Lower)
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.
Jan
40° / 21°
11 wet · 7 snow
Feb
40° / 21°
10 wet · 7 snow
Mar
45° / 24°
10 wet · 7 snow
Apr
50° / 28°
8 wet · 4 snow
May
59° / 34°
7 wet · 1 snow
Jun
69° / 40°
3 wet
Jul
78° / 46°
1 wet
Aug
77° / 45°
2 wet
Sep
70° / 41°
2 wet
Oct
59° / 33°
4 wet · 1 snow
Nov
48° / 26°
7 wet · 3 snow
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 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
