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Echo Lakes to Lake Aloha

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate Intermediate
 4.7 (40)
  1. Areas
  2. CA
  3. …High Sierra
  4. …Tahoe National Forest
  5. Desolation Wilderness
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“Lakes, peaks, and lots of people can all be found on this section of the Pacific Crest Trail. ”

Nick Wilder
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Map Key

12.8

Miles

20.7

KM

Out and Back

8,340' 2,542 m

High

7,424' 2,263 m

Low

1,434' 437 m

Up

1,436' 438 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (2°)

18%

Max Grade (10°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Fishing · Lake · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Family Friendly If you take the water taxi, you add fun, decrease the distance by 5 miles, and focus your energy on the prettiest section of wilderness.

Overview

A beautiful hike around both the Echo Lakes leads to the heart of the Desolation Wilderness and Lake Aloha. This is one of the more popular trails in the area, so expect to share it! Consider taking the water taxi (in season roughly July through Labor Day weekend) to make this journey shorter and easier.

Need to Know

If you plan to continue past Upper Echo Lake to the wilderness area and Lake Aloha, you must fill out a free wilderness permit at the trailhead. If you'd like to make this an overnight trip by camping in the Desolation Wilderness, you'll need a separate wilderness permit with an advance reservation. Visit the Eldorado National Forest website for more information.

You can take a water taxi across both Echo Lakes and save about 5 miles of your round-trip hike. It's fun and very scenic as well. Taking the taxi makes this much shorter and easier. More Taxi Information.

Description

If you're not taking the taxi, head up the hill to the PCT and start your journey following the banks of Lower Echo Lake. The trail is pretty open and can be quite hot. Echo Lake is lightly developed with vacation homes, but after about 2 miles you hit the wilderness boundary and the setting becomes more serene.

Pass a flower-filled meadow at 4.5 miles and continue past several junctions until you reach Lake Aloha. This lake is especially large and dotted by innumerable islands of polished granite. It's so complex that you really can't see the full expanse from any one point. Scramble up to an elevated perspective to more fully appreciate its scale.

Enjoy the views, perhaps a swim and a picnic, and then take a left at Lake of the Woods Trail to make a little loop and get more views of Lake Aloha. Soon you'll take a left on the PCT to Lake Aloha Trail (17E39). This will quickly get you back to the PCT and your return hike back to Echo Lakes.

Contacts

Land Manager: USFS - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Office

Shared By:

Nick Wilder with improvements by Jesse Weber
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.7 from 40 votes

#1

in Desolation Wilderness

#240

Overall
  4.7 from 40 votes
5 Star
70%
4 Star
25%
3 Star
5%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Desolation Wilderness

#31

in California

#240

Overall
34 Views Last Month
33,902 Since Aug 9, 2016
Intermediate Intermediate
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Photos

Pyramid Peak with Lake Aloha in the foreground.
Sep 10, 2017 near South L…, CA
Northern part of Lower Echo Lake
Jun 25, 2018 near South L…, CA
Lake Aloha from the eastern shore.
Dec 27, 2020 near South L…, CA
Lake Aloha with Pyramid Peak and Mount Price in the background.
Dec 27, 2020 near South L…, CA
You'll enjoy a great view looking over Upper and Lower Echo Lakes from the trail to Tamarack Lake.
Jun 25, 2017 near South L…, CA
The Pacific Crest Trail along Lower Echo Lake.
Aug 16, 2016 near South L…, CA

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Check-Ins

Jun 30, 2021
Vardhan Mu
May 29, 2021
Tom H
May 7, 2021
Michelle Jarrett
Aug 28, 2020
R Ocampo
Nov 10, 2019
Analicia Hawkins
Hiked partway in and out — 1h 00m
Nov 2, 2019
Tilman Giese
Sep 24, 2019
Caitlin M
Very nice, not too steep
Sep 13, 2019
Emy J
9h 15m

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