Eldorado National Forest

An adventurous journey with 10+ mile hikes

Trek into the wilderness and sleep in the backcountry

Pups are welcome at camp and on hiking trails

Places we've visited and fallen in love with

Hiking to Ralston Lake and Lake Aloha in Eldorado National Forest

Yvonne Leow

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http://www.bewilder.club/experiences/eldorado-national-forest-desolation-wilderness-ralston-lake

Last updated

August 3, 2024

Trip · 3-day backpacking trip

For · Friends and intermediate backpackers

Vibe · Challenging and hard

Distance · 24.2 miles and 4,462 feet of elevation gain

Permits · Yep, select Tamarack as your destination zone for your wilderness permit and apply for a CA Campfire permit online

Drive · 3 hours from SF

Ideal dates · August to October

Pets · Welcome on trails and campgrounds!

Eldorado National Forest (ENF) is 596,700+ acres of granite peaks, alpine lakes, and lush meadows. The forest features Desolation Wilderness (and parts of Mokelumne Wilderness), which is one of the most-visited backcountry destinations in the country! Elevation in the area can range from 1,000 to 10,000+ feet so you can experience a diversity of wild ecosystems.

Check Current Forest Conditions

Official Forest Service Website

Directions To Trailhead‍

Main image credit: Tessa Morris

Prep Itinerary Gear Food

Stuff to know

You'll need a wilderness permit so reserve and print yours ASAP. It costs $6.
‍Apply and print out a CA campfire permit too. It only takes a few minutes online.
Black bears roam ENF all year, but keep your site clean and store food, and scented items properly, and you'll rarely spot them.
Bring rain gear, camp below the tree line, and avoid afternoon hikes (when thunderstorms are most likely)
The lowest elevation you’ll be at is 7,500 ft. so make sure you’re comfortable and/or familiar with the altitude
Face masks and social distancing are required. Recreate responsibly!

Resources

Check the weather

Reserve your campsite

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Itinerary

Day One

Leave SF by 8 AM

If you're okay with adding ~1 hour to your trip, go to Frescana Mexican Bistro

Located at 3141 US Hwy 50, Ste. C, in South Lake Tahoe
Order a breakfast/lunch burrito to get energized before your trek!
Open everyday · 8 AM - 8 PM

Drive to Echo Lake parking lot

There’s a general store for last minute needs and treats
Campsites are also available should you need to buffer either end of your trek

Enjoy the 4.1 mile hike to Ralston Lake

At 3.6 miles, you’ll see a sign to turn left towards Tamarack and Ralston Lakes
The last 0.5 mile, you'll hike along Tamarack Lake, cross a small stream (keep an eye out for a felled tree), then reach Ralston Lake
There is a fair amount of flat ground with trees for shade and privacy on the NE side of Ralston Lake
If the lake level is high enough, there are some awesome cliffs to jump off of on the eastern side of the lake
Ralston Lake is very secluded with low foot traffic. We had the lake all to ourselves!

Settle in and set up camp

Car to camp: 4.1 miles - 965 feet of elevation gain - 3 hours

Desolation Wilderness is part of Eldorado National Forest, one of eight national forests along California's Sierra Nevada mountain range

Day Two

Tahoe National Forest — Credit: Tessa Morris

Hike to Lake of the Woods or Lake Aloha

It's a 4.6 mile round trip hike to Lake of the Woods or a 4.8 mile round trip hike to Lake Aloha
Enjoy views of the notorious Aloha Lake!

Or if you're feeling ambitious, hike to Ralston Peak

It's a 7.4 mile RT climb with 1,395 ft. of elevation gain
This hike ventures you above the tree line so bring lots of water and sunscreen!
Roughly the last 0.5 mile of this trail is marked by cairns so keep an eye out
From the summit, you can see 11 lakes!