Tahoe Rim Trail
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The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 165-mile (266 km) long-distance hiking trail which forms a loop around Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada and Carson ranges of California and Nevada in the United States. The trail ranges in elevation from 6,240 feet (1,900 m) at the outlet of Lake Tahoe to 10,338 feet (3,151 m) at Relay Peak in Nevada. About 50 miles (80 km) of trail above the lake's west shore are also part of the much longer Pacific Crest Trail.
The idea of a crest trail around Lake Tahoe was first proposed in 1978 by Glenn Hampton, a recreation officer of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) of the U.S. Forest Service. The trail was completed in September of 2001, almost entirely through volunteer effort. The trail currently exists on land managed by the LTBMU and Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park.
The main hiking season is usually from July through September, though lingering snow patches may sometimes be found into August of high snow years. The trail is open year-round, but is not marked for winter use. The climate is typical of the Sierras, with severe storms during the winter and almost no precipitation falling in the summer.
Mountain bikes are permitted on roughly half the trail, and the entire trail is open to equestrians and skiers. Motorized recreation is prohibited along its entire length. Hikers must obtain permits before entering the very popular Desolation Wilderness area southwest of the lake.
[edit] References
- Hauserman, Tim The Tahoe Rim Trail ISBN 0899972888
