After Red Peak and the pass, you'll meander through meadows and dried up stream beds for about 3 miles, passing by Leland and McConnell Lakes, until another signpost at Horseshoe Lake. From here, take the trail or bushwhack another mile until Camper Flat, where the trail picks up again. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The trail is difficult but definitively worth while. We love camping and the truck camper seemed to fit our need to get into four wheel drive places in the wilderness. It is located west of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50 in El Dorado County. The Camper flat and Desolation Valley granodiorites are the youngest plutons of the group. Youâll be able to see if there is an extra deposit or fee for pets before you request a booking. Simple, easy, and fully insured. Not a whole lot of wildlife except birds, hawks, and chipmunks. Large herds of mule deer are quite common, as are black bears (though they donât roam in herds). If you wake up before sunrise you can also catch the sun as it begins to hit the rock faces which makes for a truly amazing sight. Loved the truly desolate experience. A faint trail exists for the first five minutes and then a decently exposed rock scramble is required. After Modd Lake, 2 miles of steep switchbacks take you up to the pass. Backpack to this secluded destination that's hidden from most of the traffic in Desolation Wilderness. Along Camper Flat, I met two hikers from New Hampshire who had been doing the loop earlier in the morning. The trail from Horseshoe Lake to Camper Flat is nearly nonexistent, with the exception of small cairns often a few hundred yards apart. The town's counterpart, which is just across the California-Nevada state border, Stateline, NV, has several gambling casinos that are a major draw for many visitors to the area. This so called "plan" changed on route. Living quarters in the front with dedicated space for hauling motorcycles or other âtoysâ in the back. This peak is rather unattainable as a day hike since its difficult to access, so if you're up for a scramble give it a shot! Shortly after Horseshoe Lake, the trail disappears onto a large granite slab marked with cairns. The nearest temperature station is XN TAHOE VALLEY AP which is approximately 9 miles away and has an elevation of 150 feet (1,850 feet lower than Desolation Wilderness). Scuba divers, and to a certain extent, snorkelers can enjoy the sights of sunken barges, boats, and other watercraft that litter the bottom of Emerald Bay. Tree cover is sparse, and most of the Desolation Wilderness is laid bare to the hot California sun. The Desolation Wilderness can be a busy place, so a permit system was established in an effort to spread people out and preserve the quality of the experience for everyone. After 2 miles or so, you'll arrive at 4-Q's Lakes, an iconic destination with lots of options for camping. A good friend and I did this trip over the summer, it was one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had. Renting an RV lets you enjoy the flexibility of RV travel without all the costs and maintenance of ownership. We only saw people hiking up the day we were leaving (though going midweek might have had something to do with that). There are plenty of other reasons though, like roadside assistance, detailed listings, and a wide variety of RVs to choose from. At the Mineral Spring near Camper Flat, be sure to take the south west trail (Blakely Trail) back towards Lake Schmidell (Not the trail towards China Flat). The nights were dead silent and the stars were absolutely stunning. It has also been called the Blakely Cutoff trail. The climbs can be pretty difficult but they are definitely worth the panoramic views you're rewarded with at the top. A great moderate level trip with very few people. In contrast, its seemingly raw state, it is a quite fragile ecosystem. The ground is rocky and hard underfoot. If you choose not to take the water taxi, add 5 miles to the overall trip. This 26 mile loop meanders through some of the most primitive trails in Desolation Wilderness. Several animals, some endangered, make their home in Desolation Wilderness, including wolverine, fisher, red fox, and pine marten. Desolation Wilderness is accessed through 13 trailheads: Loon Lake, Van Vleck, Rockbound, Twin Lakes, Lyons Creek, Pyramid Creek, Ralston Peak, Echo Lake, Glen Alpine, Mt. Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the country and employs a quota system to mitigate resource damage Clear trail intersection signs will help discourage off-trail travel and reduce resource impacts that can result from such travel. We would spend four days tramping around with two nights spent at Lake Aloha & one night at Camper Flat. Drivers should be comfortable driving bus-sized vehicles and dealing with parking limitations. Definitely recommend the views up Red Rock and a compass. A formal-sounding name for camper van, but just as photogenic. The group was traveling the Velma Lakes Trail from Camper Flat to ⦠We did the Rockbound Pass Loops over the Labor Day weekend. At the bottom of this slab is a drainage area, where the trail cuts back south instead of continuing on north east. Whether you want to pick up an RV near home to set out an epic road trip or if you want to have one ready at your destination, you can search by location for any type of rig. Various maps, personal letters, and other key documents are also showcased on the walls of the museum. 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