![]() Tallac hike at sunrise (highly recommended) when the trail was quiet and cool. Overnight permits are subject to quota and must be issued at the Visitor Center or Forest Service Ranger Stations. Looking to do more than just day hike? If you’re interested in staying overnight in the Desolation Wilderness you will need a permit. Tallac trailhead, you can self-issue a required wilderness permit for day hikes. Tallac Day-Use Permitsĭo you need a permit to day hike Mt. After Cathedral Lake the trail gets more strenuous & steep. The stretch of trail from the trailhead to Cathedral Lake is great for beginners. If you aren’t sure you can make it all the way to the summit, you can hike 1.7 miles (one-way) to Floating Island Lake or also 2.3 miles (one-way) to Cathedral Lake. Parts of the trail are rocky and can be tiring on your feet. Make sure you wear supportive hiking footwear. You’ll want to be prepared with the important day hiking essentials, including a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water, and snacks. We saw people who were very unprepared, carrying little water, no backpack, and wearing poor footwear. We were coming down around 11am and it was uncomfortably hot. I recommend starting at or before sunrise to beat the heat (and the crowds). Tallac is a challenging hike! There is no shade on the steepest part of the ascent, and it can be VERY hot. If you want to carry less water on the beginning portion of the hike, you can pack a water filter and refill at one of the lakes. Cathedral Lake is the last water source on the Mt. There is a small running creek right after the start of the hike and two small lakes that you pass on the way up. You should pack plenty of water (at least 3 liters) and snacks for the hike. What to know before you go Cell phone serviceĬell phone service is limited at the trailhead, so if you are meeting friends make sure everyone knows where to meet and has directions ahead of time. For more safety tips on hiking with dogs, check out this post. Bring hiking booties to help protect their paws and be aware that these rocks can also be very hot underfoot in the summer. Sharp talus & granite can be difficult for inexperienced pups. It’s important to understand the conditions of the trail though. Once you are heading east on this paved road, follow the signs to “Tallac Trailhead.” If you are coming from the south, it is a left turn about 3/4 mile past the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center. Take Highway 89 to the Camp Shelly/Tallac City Camps turn-off. If you are coming from the north, this is first right turn after Spring Creek Road (just after the “25 MPH” right-hand curve). Tallac Trailhead is located east of South Lake Tahoe near Fallen Leaf Lake. Wild Defined – Candice Burt, Ultra Athlete Extraordinaire.Guthook Hikes – Trail Apps for iPhone & Android.Since Dick’s Pass would’ve been blocked by fire the only other routes were to continue onto Velma Lakes and Phipps Pass or back the way I came over Maggie’s Pass. I then pondered the routes to get out of Desolation if something went horribly wrong. After hiking about another hundred yards after he and I parted our ways, I stood staring at the enormous clouds of smoke from the King Fire. He cautioned me to reconsider my decision to stay at Fontanillis saying the heavily wooded path and 1,400 foot climb back up over Dicks would have left me little margin for error as an escape route. Tallac on Friday, then returning to my car at the Tallac Trailhead. ![]() We discussed my route beyond Fontanillis which would’ve been over Dicks Pass to Gilmore Lake for the next night, summiting Mt. It got out of hand from the two idiots that started it. He said some other backpackers and pitched in with a bucket brigade trying to extinguish the fire but with little luck. He told me he had just come over Dicks Pass to see an illegal campfire on the west side of Dicks Lake. Not too far from Fontanillis lake, my destination for the night, I met another big guy with a sizable backpack coming back up the mountain stopped to chat for a while. I kept trudging on though, only meeting a couple of people on the way up, and one young trail runner girl who passed me going down to Azure Lake. View of King Fire form ridge at Maggie’s Peak ![]()
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