California · Mountain biking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Mount Watson Access Road

0.6 mi
round trip
227 ft
climb
Singletrack
surface
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Mount Watson Access Road open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Mount Watson Access Road, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Mount Watson Access Road is a short, easy ride in Burton Creek State Park, on the California side of Lake Tahoe. It lies within the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, which is managed by State Park and Recreation. The route is an out-and-back that climbs about 227 feet over roughly 1.3 miles, from a low point of 6,914 feet to a high of 7,161 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. July typically brings highs around 78°F and lows near 46°F, and August is similar, based on typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tahoe City. That station sits about 900 feet lower than the road's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. Angry Bear and Ocelot, two mountain biking spots, sit about 0.1 mile away. Twin Crags, a climbing area, is about 1.6 miles off, and William Kent Campground is about 3.4 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Lake Forest Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.8 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Thai Kitchen

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi
  • If it rains

    Watson Cabin

    Museum

    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 · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Mount Watson Access Road

    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, 1.5 mi away at 6,230 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors