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| Granite cliff rocks on Herlan Peak with views toward the south of Lake Tahoe |
About halfway between
Tahoe Meadows and
Spooner Summit, the
Tahoe Rim Trail (
TRT) traverses the forested east-side slopes of
Herlan Peak. The
Tahoe Meadows-Herlan Peak round trip distance is almost 25 miles (40 km). I hiked this trip in June of this month. Both the scenic
Twin Lakes and the Sand Harbor Overlook with its
unforgettable vistas of Lake Tahoe and the
Sand Harbor Peninsula at the bottom of
Herlan Peak are worth the trip.
Being at
Tahoe Meadows and not sure about a 25-mile-long hike? You don't have to do that one. Exploring the beautiful
Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Loop Trail with its hidden picnic bench or the
Tahoe Meadows Loop Tail System may be a pleasant alternative: strolling alongside clear brooks and around wetlands surrounded by sandy hills and pine forest.
Back on the TRT. This
Carson Range TRT section is very popular with
mountain bikers. The 9.5-mile-TRT-stretch between Tahoe Meadows and the
TRT/Tunnel Creek Road intersection is
open to bikes on EVEN days. This north-south section is a mostly gentle trail through pine and fir forests with openings offering views of
Lake Tahoe on the west side and
Washoe Lake on the east side.
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| Washoe Lake seen through an opening near Diamond Peak |
You will pass the top of the Diamond Peak Ski lift after about five miles from the Tahoe Meadows trailhead. After continuing southward for another two miles, the trail makes a long, descending switchback through pinemat manzanita and chinquapin. Once you have reached the bottom of the downhill path, you will enjoy a relaxing section along the TRT to its intersection with Tunnel Creek Road.
The shallow grass-lined
Twin Lakes are located 0.3 miles south of Tunnel Creek Road. Some years, they are dried up by the end of summer and all that is left are boulder-strewn pond beds.
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| Upper Twin Lake |
Past the eastern tip of
Lower Twin Lake, the TRT switchbacks up onto
Herlan Peak for “never-ending” 1.5 miles. I saw a lot of cyclists hoping off their bike and pushing. Once you get the sign saying “
Sand Harbor Overlook Loop 0.6 Mile,” leave the TRT (and your bike) and make the final steps to the top of Herlan Peak.
Sand Harbor Overlook Loop trail is also known as
Christopher's Loop spur view trail—or simply
Christopher's Loop (see map below). This 1.2-mile loop trail leads you to the Herlan granite cliff with its spectacular views of Lake Tahoe—and also of
Marlette Lake and
Snow Valley Peak. If not yet tired, you may want to test your Pacific Crest knowledge by pointing out and naming the peaks and saddles lining the horizon across Lake Tahoe.
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| Sand Harbor Overlook trail on Herlan Peak |
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| Marlette Lake with Snow Valley Peak seen from Herlan Peak |
Getting to the Tahoe Meadows TRT trailhead
To get to the TRT trailhead at Tahoe Meadows, find the parking and rest area half a mile southwest from
the Mt. Rose Summit parking area along
State Route 431 (
Mt. Rose
Highway). The
TRT
passes right through the parking lot. Start at the interpretive board, where trail-map hand-outs are frequently made available. For a short distance, the TRT almost merges with State Route 431, but then
veers off to the left. Very soon you'll reach a bridge over
Ophir Creek,
where the
Lower,
Middle and
Upper Loop Trails intersect. Once you have reached the saddle above Ophir Creek with the first view of Lake Tahoe, you should not have any problems in following the TRT—with occasional TRT marks fixed on the bark of a tree.
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| Map section with TRT (green) and Tunnel Creek Road (black) in the Twin Lakes-Herlan Peak area |
Veer left at the Lake Aloha/Gilmore Lake junction to follow the Lake Aloha direction (Trail 17E32 in the map). After passing various lily ponds, you will soon arrive at the 17E32/PCT-TRT junction (trail post shown on the left). Turn left (southwest) and descend to a beautiful meadow, which is densely covered with wildflowers including alpine tiger lilies. The first Susie Lake overlook is coming up soon. The PCT-TRT makes a half-circle around Susie Lake and then continues westward to Heather Lake and Lake Aloha. Susie Lake's shore allows for stunning views of Cracked Crag and Jack's Peak.
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