California · Mountain biking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Bogus Basin

0.7 mi
round trip
70 ft
climb
Singletrack
surface
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Bogus Basin 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.

Bogus Basin is a short, easy mountain biking ride in California's Tahoe National Forest, within the Truckee Ranger District and the Royal Gorge area. The route is an out-and-back of about 1.3 miles, with a low point of 7,210 feet and a high of 7,280 feet, so the climb is only about 70 feet one way. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 82°F with lows near 44°F, and only about two wet days a month from July through September. That station sits roughly 1,300 feet below the basin, so temperatures up high run cooler. The Walter and Esther Hewlett Royal Gorge Rim Trail is about 0.3 miles away, and the Rowton Peak Trail is about 0.4 miles away. Power Line Boulder, a climbing area, is about 1.2 miles off, and Milton Reservoir offers lake fishing about 1.9 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Onion Creek Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.4 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Donner Ski Ranch

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 3 mi
  • If it rains

    Watson Cabin

    Museum

    On your way back · 15 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–Sep

    Best time to visit Bogus Basin

    Best months: May–September. 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

      41° / 17°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 18°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 22°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      53° / 26°

      7 wet

    5. May

      63° / 33°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      73° / 38°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 44°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 42°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 36°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 29°

      4 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 23°

      7 wet

    12. Dec

      39° / 17°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Donner Mem Sp, CA, 7.7 mi away at 5,937 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors