Nevada · Hiking · Near Sunnyside-Tahoe City

Lunar

LunarPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.6 mi
round trip
662 ft
climb
7,781 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Lunar open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. It doesn't name Lunar, 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.

Lunar is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Nevada's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about a mile long, with a total elevation gain of 662 feet, and it starts and ends at roughly 7,477 feet, reaching a high point of 7,781 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.24 miles in, with a grade of about 16 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Incline Village show July and August highs around 76°F with lows near 50°F, while winter highs there sit in the low 40s. The hike takes about half an hour, so it works well as a quick stop. Old Mount Rose Highway, a cross-country skiing route, lies about half a mile away, and Tyrol Ridge is a hike about 0.7 miles off. Climbers can head to Butterscotch Slab aka Trippy #5, about 0.8 miles away, and Mt. Rose Campground is about 3.2 miles away.

Around this trail

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

    Mt. Rose Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 3.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Azzara’s

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi
  • If it rains

    Fox Cultural Hall

    Museum

    On your way back · 5 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 Lunar

    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

      41° / 24°

    2. Feb

      42° / 25°

    3. Mar

      45° / 27°

    4. Apr

      50° / 31°

    5. May

      59° / 37°

    6. Jun

      68° / 45°

    7. Jul

      76° / 50°

    8. Aug

      76° / 50°

    9. Sep

      71° / 45°

    10. Oct

      59° / 36°

    11. Nov

      50° / 30°

    12. Dec

      41° / 25°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Incline Village, NV, 2.4 mi away at 6,356 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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

Tyrol RidgePhoto: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tyrol Ridge

~1 min drive

2.82-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 934 ft elevation gain.

Allison RidgePhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Allison Ridge

~2 min drive

2.08-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 1,405 ft gain/loss.

Incline Flume TrailPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Incline Flume Trail

~2 min drive

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Tamarack Lake TrailPhoto: simonov — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tamarack Lake Trail

~5 min drive

4.96-mile out-and-back hike to Tamarack Lake in Nevada.

Rose Knob PeakPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rose Knob Peak

~2 min drive

0.74-mile out-and-back hike to Rose Knob Peak in Nevada with 588 ft gain.

Tyrolian DownhillPhoto: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tyrolian Downhill

~2 min drive

5.38-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 1,575 ft elevation loss.

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Gray Creek

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5.40-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 113 ft gain.

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Tahoe Rim Trail

~6 min drive

62.74-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 7,599 ft elevation gain

Incline Lake CreekPhoto: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Incline Lake Creek

~2 min drive

2.1-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 371 ft elevation gain

Gray Lake Trail (Mt. Rose)Photo: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gray Lake Trail (Mt. Rose)

~3 min drive

3.06-mile out-and-back hike to Gray Lake in Nevada with 871 ft of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors