Nevada · Hiking

Lonesome Trail

Lonesome TrailPhoto: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
184 ft
climb
5,035 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Lonesome Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike on Bureau of Land Management land in Nevada, within the Sierra Front Field Office. The trail is about 1.3 miles long, with a low point of 4,989 feet and a high of 5,035 feet, so the climb from the start at 5,030 feet is just a few dozen feet. It works well as a quick stop, and it sits close to other routes. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring and early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Minden weather station, about 6 miles away, show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 83°F. Midsummer is hotter, with July highs near 91°F, and winter brings cold nights and a few snowy days. The Appaloosa Trail and Fay Luther are both about 0.1 mile away, so you can easily pair them with this hike. Across the line in California, the West Fork Carson River is about 4.4 miles off and Hope Valley campground is about 6.4 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Lonesome Trail

    Best months: April–June and September–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

      47° / 19°

      6 wet · 3 snow

    2. Feb

      51° / 22°

      6 wet · 2 snow

    3. Mar

      58° / 27°

      5 wet · 2 snow

    4. Apr

      64° / 30°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      73° / 38°

      3 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 44°

      2 wet

    7. Jul

      91° / 49°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      90° / 47°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      83° / 40°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      71° / 31°

      3 wet

    11. Nov

      57° / 23°

      4 wet · 1 snow

    12. Dec

      46° / 19°

      6 wet · 2 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Minden, NV, 6.2 mi away at 4,709 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors