Day One

Leave SF by 8 AM

If you're okay with adding ~1 hour to your trip, go to Frescana Mexican Bistro

• Located at 3141 US Hwy 50, Ste. C, in South Lake Tahoe
• Order a breakfast/lunch burrito to get energized before your trek!
• Open everyday · 8 AM - 8 PM

Drive to Echo Lake parking lot

• There’s a general store for last minute needs and treats
• Campsites are also available should you need to buffer either end of your trek

Enjoy the 4.1 mile hike to Ralston Lake

• At 3.6 miles, you’ll see a sign to turn left towards Tamarack and Ralston Lakes
• The last 0.5 mile, you'll hike along Tamarack Lake, cross a small stream (keep an eye out for a felled tree), then reach Ralston Lake
• There is a fair amount of flat ground with trees for shade and privacy on the NE side of Ralston Lake
• If the lake level is high enough, there are some awesome cliffs to jump off of on the eastern side of the lake
• Ralston Lake is very secluded with low foot traffic. We had the lake all to ourselves!

Settle in and set up camp

Car to camp: 4.1 miles - 965 feet of elevation gain - 3 hours

Desolation Wilderness is part of Eldorado National Forest, one of eight national forests along California's Sierra Nevada mountain range

Day Two

Hike to Lake of the Woods or Lake Aloha

• It's a 4.6 mile round trip hike to Lake of the Woods or a 4.8 mile round trip hike to Lake Aloha
• Enjoy views of the notorious Aloha Lake!

Or if you're feeling ambitious, hike to Ralston Peak

• It's a 7.4 mile RT climb with 1,395 ft. of elevation gain
• This hike ventures you above the tree line so bring lots of water and sunscreen!
• Roughly the last 0.5 mile of this trail is marked by cairns so keep an eye out
• From the summit, you can see 11 lakes!

Washoe and Maidu Native Americans were the first to traverse ENF before the Gold Rush brought thousands of emigrants to CA.

DAY THREE

Pack up and pack out before noon

• Sleep-in, cook a hot breakfast and check for any litter around camp
• Top off your water supply before you head out

Return to Echo Lake parking lot

• Breath big, dive deep, emerge anew.

Head home

Camp to car: 4.1 miles - 961 feet of elevation gain - 3 hours

10,000+ years ago, glacial ice sheets carved out the basins where Echo Lakes and nearly 130+ lakes formed in Desolation Wilderness