Opening and closing dates are dependant on the weather. With me thankful to not be floating downstream and him thoroughly confused by the sudden situation, I carefully hoisted us up off the granite. Beautiful day. The middle Velma was less impressive than I’d hoped. Lower Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm Castle. The trail does not actually go down to the lake, so traveling across the snow-covered terrain was required. We learned from the ranger, there was a 30% chance of showers around 2pm, into the evening, and snow on the ground at higher elevations. The views of Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay were great during the climb. With them, went the temperature. The river crossing of course, was at the beginning of the trek and given the ease in which I had crossed it the day prior I made the silly decision to cross it without my water shoes. Next time I’ll head for Dick’s or Fontanelli Lakes. Donning my water shoes and rolling up my pants I successfully, and rather easily, carried my dog across. Middle Velma is well-worth an overnight if you’re looking to backpack. Watch out for yellow-jackets at campground entrance. Break Free From Your Story © 2020. They made the hills and stream crossings so much easier to cover safely. We were quickly thrust from the serenity of the back country into the reality of a tourist zone. Go do this one if you're in the area and weather permits. Bayview Trail goes for about 2 miles before you reach the next trail junction for Middle Velma Lake. Bayview Trail to Velma Lakes is a 10.2 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Tahoma, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Summary: This is a great semi-loop hike in the Desolation Wilderness southwest of Lake Tahoe. I'm new to backpacking. temison 1 year, 1 month ago Middle Velma Lake to Lower Eagle Falls Trail. There’s so many more switchbacks than the trail suggests when you zoom in so it logged a little over 10.5 mi for us roundtrip. We hiked past Fontanillas Lake on the second day, crossing another stream on rocks and downed logs, and camped second night at one of the half dozen or fewer campsites along the shore of Dick's Lake. Many short options and loops are possible with this trail. Break Free From Your Story, Saving Grace ~ By Guest Author Rhianna Moehrke, Miles in to Middle Velma via Granite Lake Trail – 5.41, Miles out to the car via Eagle Lake Trail – 5.80, Total Elevation Gain – 1654 (Day 1), 613 (Day 2). I doubt there will be enough snow melt in the next few weeks to clear the trail to the summit and beyond that will be a month or more. 2 miles up, to be exact, so even though we were hiking in 46-degree weather, we were all sweating. Lots of elevation gain if you start Bayview at the very start up to Maggie’s but the rest of the trail is pleasant and varied. It gives you three excellent lake vistas: Eagle Lake, Middle Velma Lake, and Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe. That, my friends, was an adventure to be relayed another day. Thankfully, we found an area, sheltered by granite boulders, close to the lake and dry enough to set up camp. This is actually the smaller of two parts of the lake - the main section is 0.4 miles further, reached by turning left at the next junction; straight on passes the west shore of Middle Velma … Middle Velma Lake to Eagle Falls Trailhead. Day hikers may pick up a day-use permit at the self serve area at the Trailhead. After passing Granite Lake, make your way up steep granite … Return hike diverted to Eagle Lake trail down, which was beautiful, but a little more traffic. Overall great loop. The shade of the pines on the hike up caused a chilly morning to be even chillier. There are two trailheads to the Velma Lakes area, one is the Eagle Falls Trail Head and the Bay View Trailhead, all located on Emerald Bay Road (easy parking if you arrive early). The hike to Eagle Lake is very popular so you can expect to see many, many day hikers on the trail to Eagle Lake, and expect to see many hikers making their way to the Velma … Beautiful. Consider heading to Maggie's Peak or create a loop with Eagle Falls Trail, or head higher into the wilderness and Velma Lake, near the PCT. Granite lake is full and very pretty. Beautiful. Mud and mosquitos but rather warm nights and serenity. Unnamed Pond The Velma Lakes are a popular destination for hikers into the Desolation Wilderness coming from Lake Tahoe. Trailheads on El Dorado National Forest (West) Side. Always wear your water shoes, and unbuckle your pack in case you go down. Lots of great views. South Shore and West Shore Tahoe is loaded with lodging opportunities! At this point, we had traveled about 5 miles in 5 hours and we were cold and tired. It was just plain cold. Had we not been so terrified, a picture of that would have been priceless. Loose gravel on rock and rocky steep steps but not too terrible if prepared. Day 1:  Saturday finally arrived and while it was drizzling in Vacaville, from where we left, it was looking to be relatively dry on the trail until about 2pm. Eagle Lake Trail is steeper than Granite Lake Trail and is comprised of mostly “steps”. Great views on the climb up and at the summit. The skies were grey, but the rain had not yet shown itself. My first foot hit the flat granite and down I went. The weather the week prior was all over the map, vacillating between rain, thunderstorms, partly cloudy and snow with temperatures forecasted between 27-48 degrees. Bay View Trail to Eagle Lake - Bay View to Velma Lake to Emerald Bay Hike WHAT: End of season hike on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. climb to Maggies which boasts an amazing view! The trail from Bayview trailhead is colored with beauty all along the route and makes for a nice day in the open outdoors. From the trailhead, follow signs to Eagle Lake. Traversing Maggies Peak on a ledge the width of only 1 of our feet. We awoke to the sun rising over the ridge and what a welcome site that was. My son (12) and I are new to backpacking. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Step Into Your Journey….. The trail was not too crowded & all hikers as usual were very respectful of social distancing when passing. Definitely recommend! While the serenity of our camp was gone, the adventure was far from over. Trekking poles aren’t necessary but really nice to have on the way down - there are many boulders and rocks to maneuver around. The trail continues to climb until Maggies Peak appears on your left. I enjoyed this hike and the views. Continue west for another 2.2 miles where the trail meets the PCT by Middle Velma Lake. This was a great trail on which to build a 3 day, 2 night trip starting 8/19. Thankfully, the sun shining on the snow banks, the birds singing their songs, and the reflections on the water made all that was transpiring seem insignificant. Eagle Lake via Eagle Falls Trail. You will then pass by an unnamed smaller lake on the left side of the trailand after about 4 1/2 miles you will reach Middle Velma Lake off to your right. 7. This trailhead will also continue on to Upper, Middle and Lower Velma lakes as well as many other spectacular cirque lakes and alpine granitic landscape along this trail head. A longer, yet still moderate hike, the trek to Middle Velma Lake is well worth the effort. You can easily rest at granite lake. The trek out to Middle Velma is 7.6 miles roundtrip, but you can add to it depending on how many other lakes you want to see. At the River, we learned from hikers on the other side that we should head up stream to the log. You can also follow this same creek all the way down to Lower Velma, which is what we did on a day hike the next day. Emerald Bay early in the morning from near the trailhead. At the Bayview Trail junction turn right, and head toward the Velma Lakes. We camped the first night at Upper Velma Lake in one of many flat campsites about 50-75 ft from shore. Going down towards Eagle Falls was a bit tough. While climbing away from Eagle Lake there are great views looking down. Opting to experience something new, with less snow, we went that route. Follow the sign towards Desolation. Skirt around the shore of Upper Velma and you will come to a creek crossing that will take you to Middle Velama. Let me tell you, preparing for the first backpacking trip of the season was a nail biter. The rain was not hard, and it was not significantly stormy; just steady enough to cause our retreat to bed at 8:15. Pass by another junction for Dick's Pass and Dick's Lake heading off to the left. We loved lunch on the Velma lakes! It's 2.49 miles from Middle Velma Lake to the trail junction South of Fontanillis Lake. If you want this to be a full loop hike, use the Eagle Falls trail instead. This got us to Highway 50, where on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend it looked like Disneyland’s parking lot. We did this as a single overnight backpacking trip so we could take our time. Needless to say, my dog Tyson was unable to make the traverse, so I had to carry him by the handle of his pack which required he dangle, yes dangle, over the edge. Really enjoyed this hike to Upper Velma Lake! Dogs are also able to use this trail. About 2-3" of snow cover for most of the hike, but it was easy enough even without traction. Mosquitos were present around the lakes and in the forested areas of the trail, especially at 8,000+ elevation, but they're pretty slow and easy to kill. Barefoot, with my boots in one hand, and Tyson in the other I stepped into the freezing water. Definitely a "moderate" difficulty trail. Ever so slowly, we made our way across. Shortly after that you will reach an intersection for Velma Lakes and Dicks Lake, go right to Velma Lakes. Moral of the story, get there early. This was a great loop. The snow made us turn around at one point, but it was a beautiful hike! This trail is about a mile long and takes you past Upper Velma Lake to the left, straight to Middle Velma. This first lake, I would imagine, is a great place to take a dip in warmer weather and would be your first chance to filter water, if needed. Because the snow covered the trail, we are not sure where the trail is in relation to the log as we are not entirely sure we went to the water via the trail. All Rights Reserved. There was plenty of powdery snow to sink into. Difficulty: Difficult Elevation: 6910′ / 8440′ Mileage (one way): 1 to 5 miles Directions to Trailhead: To reach the Bayview hiking trail take Highway 89 north from South Lake Tahoe approximately 8 miles to the Bayview Campground across from Inspiration Point. We set up camp, enjoyed some hot tea, and relished in the fact that it really didn’t seem that cold. Steep uphill at the beginning. Before dinner we set off on a hike to the East and ran into the river where some rather spectacular waterfalls could be seen. Some pretty long, steep climbs up to the ridge, but well worth it. To end the hike you can go back the way you came from towards Bayview Campground and end up at your parked car. However, snow starts to cover the trail shy of the summit at about 8100 feet. On our return, we’ll take the Emerald Bay Trail past Eagle Lake to Eagle Falls overlooking Emerald Bay. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. The only downfall to this trail is that the closer we got to Eagle Falls, the more crowded it became. Thankfully forward, onto my hands and knees with Tyson now belly deep in the water. Saw mountain lion tracks outside our tent at Middle Velma so make sure all food is secured away from tents and what not (ours were and no issue!) Camped at Dicks and Middle Velma both spots were great and had great swimming. While we encountered some other backpackers and day hikers alike, the trail was by no means crowded. Middle Velma is a gorgeous lake, and we were lucky to have no one in our immediate area. This trail is about a mile long and takes you past Upper Velma Lake to the left, straight to Middle Velma. You’ll come to a creek crossing that requires some rock hopping as there’s no bridge. Bayview trailhead, up, up, up is the name of the game until you get to the ridge above Granite Lake. After leaving Eagle Lake, the trail climbs steeply, eventually reaching a fork for Velma Lakes and Bayview Camp, go right to Velma Lakes. Tucking that thought away, we were back on relatively snow free ground, but now found ourselves hiking in a good amount of water as the “trail” had become a freeway for the snow melt. The rest of the trail to Middle Velma Lake is a mildly undulating route through mixed forest and around granite … If you go during the early morning or later in the evening, mosquitos this time of year are gnarly so bring bug spray. I started at first light (6am), and had to use my flashlight to find the trail a couple times early on. With lighter packs, it was a welcomed change and the scenery (The view of Eagle Lake, and Eagle Falls) was just different enough to make it all worth it. Small enough patches to allow for trail finding on the other side, but deep enough to require slow and careful footing to avoid post holing. Views of Emerald Bay ease the pain, and Lake Tahoe comes into view once you get to the switchbacks above Granite Lake. THE GOOD NEWS: After the first couple miles, the trail mellows significantly. There is a water crossing, to get to Middle Velma, which is essentially the mouth of the river between the two lakes. Starting from Eagle falls Trailhead to Eagle Lake, Upper Velma Lake, Middle Velma Lake, Fontanillis Lake ( Campsite) , Dicks Lake and coming back with Bayview trail. Stopping for a quick break at Middle Velma … We see access 1.45 miles West to Camper Flat in Rockbound Valley. We (4 adults, 1 dog) did this in about 8 hours which includes a 1+ hour lunch and swim break plus shorter stops at vistas and other alpine lakes. There were three of us scheduled to make the trek and we all agreed that short of thunderstorms or snow blizzards we were going to give it go. We had a quiet trek back up the mountain until ultimately coming to the Eagle Lake Trail Junction. Climbed on top of Maggie's Peak for lunch with view. Thankfully, our reward was the end of the climb and remarkable views down the valley to Eagle Lake. It’s about a mile to the lake, and the trail follows the lakeshore for … Beautiful hike! After 2.6 miles the trail converges with the Bayview Campground trail. This trail is a bit steep for the first 2 mi. Craig North of Bayview Camp Trail Intersection Notice snow in background (end of August). Trail description: The trail to Granite, Azure and Dick’s Lakes begins at Bayview Trail head which is one of the starting points for hikes into the Desolation Wilderness. Fantastic hard hike. Very steep at the beginning, but a beautiful hike overall! Details: Middle Velma Lake - Desolation Wilderness Trail Head At: Bayview Trailhead Campground, South Lake Tahoe Length: 10 Miles Elevation Gain: 2100 Feet This was our first time backpacking Desolation Wilderness in South Tahoe and we absolutely loved it! Middle Velma Lake To the west high above incredible Emerald Bay of Lake Tahoe is a granite basin filled with pristine mountain lakes in the Desolation Wilderness, three of which are the Velma Lakes, Upper, Middle, and Lower. Parts of the summit are clear but the trail is still buried. First snow today was incredible. Initial challenge of incline levels off in about 2 miles. The place was packed, and the traffic was bumper to bumper. Once at the Dick’s Pass trail head, though, that was not something we desired to fulfill due to the significant amount of snow in the area. Head north on the PCT for 1.2 miles to the junction with the Phipps Pass trail. Absolutely gorgeous. Stopping for lunch, we enjoyed the views of Dick’s Peak/Pass fully covered in snow and the surrounding mountain range. A wooden sign points right to "Desolation" and left to Cascade Falls. Part of the reason why this is one of the best hikes in Lake Tahoe is because you’ll travel along two other notable hikes: Eagle Lake and Emerald Point View. 6. This is a beautiful trail. The map below-Left focuses on the route of the TYT … erikaw 1 year, 1 month ago Track (9/1/19, 12:10:26PM) ... Maggies Peaks via Bayview Trail. Areas not covered in snow were swamp like and we worried finding a dry place to set up would be difficult. Once on dry ground, I learned I had cut up my foot and knee, and filled my boots with water. The hike starts at Bayview Trailhead (Latitude: 38.938619 | Longitude: -120.14197). The trail was an alternating pattern of dirt and granite rocks to maneuver around. The trail is well maintained but does tend to get a little difficult in the starting few miles. North Desolation Wilderness Backpacking That puts backpacking loops out of Eagle Falls or Bayview Trailheads to Middle Velma past Fontanillis Lake back to our respective trailhead at 10.33 miles It’s a climb up to Maggie’s peak but it’s absolutely worth it! Back on the main road after the trail is a very interesting mosiac fish statue. Step Into Your Journey….. Preferring not to wade knee to waist deep in the freezing and swiftly moving water we did just that. but once you crest the top, the views are awesome! Trail is pretty easy to follow, and seems well maintained. There was still some snow on the surrounding slopes that created a stunning cascade that spilled into the western side of the lake. We had lunch and turned back. The ambitious or hikers with time can make this a loop by continuing onto Fontanellis and Middle Velma Lake before rejoining the trail back to Bayview. We even added the short (steep!) One stream to cross close to the Velmas, but a steeping stone bridge allowed us to stay in our hiking boots and not get feet wet. 8. VERY glad to have brought trekking poles. Trail Description: The two main trail heads for Upper Velma are Eagle Lakes or Bayview.We chose Bayview, one, because we camped the night before at the Bayview Campground, two, because it saves you a few hundred feet of climbing, and three, because the … Bay View Campground is located across the Inspiration Point Trolley stop above Emerald Bay! Instead, we chose to take a right onto the Velma Lakes Trail where we again had some route-finding difficulty due to the snow. In no particular hurry, we ate breakfast, packed up, and hit the trail about 8:35pm. A hiking blog with a little something extra. Continue the loop by backtracking to the trail junction just before Middle Velma, and follow the trail uphill to Fontanellis Lake. First 2.5 miles or so is quite strenuous, rising about 1,300 ft in elevation over steep switchbacks. Eagle Falls or Bayview Trailhead access to Middle Velma, Fontanillis, and Dicks Lakes along the combined route of the TYT-PCT-TRT. Very hard uphill climb at the beginning, we went to Maggies peaks and the view was astounding. This is just the first bit of picturesque freshwater bodies on this hike. Snow only covers parts of the trail after the saddle back for Maggie’s Peak. Continued to Velma Lakes for one night. The trek from the lake to Eagle Falls trailhead/parking lot was about 5 miles. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Continue on the trail for another ¼ mile to Middle Velma. The higher we went, the more difficult route finding was, and we were thankful for the plotted maps and GPS tracking we had with us. Such a great area!!! Sadly, just prior to the Maggies Peak trail, we followed the wrong set of tracks and found ourselves on a precarious slope. Trailhead : Miles One Way: Difficulty: Twin Lakes to: Grouse Lake: 2.1: Moderate/Difficult : Hemlock Lake If you insist on trying for Velma Lake bring real crampons and poles and make sure you have a gps or AllTrails (and bring an extra battery pack for your phone - this app is a battery hog trying to find a signal). They say good things come in threes, and it’s true when you embark on this 8-mile (round-trip) hike in Tahoe’s Desolation Wilderness. Due to the rocks, I'm glad I had my hiking poles! EASY 2.7 mi. Leaving early, we arrived at the Bayview Campground Trailhead (located at the back of the Bayview campground) at 9:24 am just in time to take the last parking spot. The hike to the overlook is about 0.5 miles from the trailhead. One small stream crossing that is an easy hop across. We did not see very many people along this part of the trail. A half-mile down, across a creek, continue northwest to Middle Velma Lake. As we finally began our descent we noted the Eagle Lake Trail junction and thought perhaps that would be our route home for different scenery and to avoid the snow we had just encountered. Hike from Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe up the Bayview trail to Lake Fontanillis and Middle Velma Lake. For more detailed information clickhere. Note: the trailhead parking lot fills up fast so plan to arrive by 8:00. this trail was good and would have been better in a couple weeks! To get back to our car (at the Bayview Campground) we had to walk on Highway 50, uphill and across traffic, for a mile. Returning to camp we settled in, ate our dinner, and just as clean up began the rain drops started. Significantly colder quick. At this point it becomes a scramble up loose dirt and rock and snow. The first 2 miles are pretty steep, but it calms a bit as you go beyond that. Beautiful. With a lot of team work, we managed to get the three of us (and the dog) safely across. The original plan was to continue on the Granite Lake trail up to Dick’s Lake, only to follow the PCT across Dick’s Pass to Middle Velma. Two lessons learned…. Music is the final movement of Grieg's Piano Concerto. The temps were in the 80's during the day and only dipped to about 50 at night. DIFFICULT 1.9 mi. In the early part of the hike you walk past Upper Eagle F alls and Eagle Lake (requires side-trail). Just enough variety to make things interesting. My previous experiences in the high country were on horse and packed mules. Would recommend water shoes or flip flops for the water crossing before the lakes. The first 3/4 mile is comprised of switch-backs that lead to a high point with a spectacular view of Lake Tahoe. We took a long weekend, hiked to Middle Velma Lake, and were blown away by the alpine… This view is from the bench on top of the hill just across Thoreson Road from the trailhead. Enjoy the solitude. Maggie's Peaks just south of the trailhead. This is a 9 mile moderately strenuous hike from the Bay View Trailhead to Velma Lakes where we’ll stop for lunch. You can get past a few sections and manage to pick up the trail but eventually the trail is completely buried. Trail Conditions Backpacking to Middle Velma Lake is an amazing opportunity, something that is recommended for everyone. The two trailheads that offer easiest access to these lakes are both along CA 89 on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, at Bayview Campground and at the parking lot for the short hike (1000 feet) to Upper Eagle Falls just above Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe's western shore. I love the Bayview Trail. The cool temps were a blessing, because as you have probably read elsewhere, the Granite Lake trail immediately starts on a significant incline. Sane distance. Following the footsteps of others before us, with occasional help from our GPS, we continued. . As the drizzle began, and the temperatures continued to drop, we were thankful to be getting closer to camp. Take the Velma Lakes Trail on right and continue north. Brad Branan: 916-321-1065 , @BradB_at_SacBee It’s nonstop uphill but the switchbacks are gentle and there are constant rewards. Two trailheads offer the most ready access to this area: Eagle Falls and Bayview Campground. We followed the wrong set of tracks and found ourselves on a precarious.... Disneyland ’ s Peak but it was easy enough even without traction 're in the area and weather.... Where you also have the option to hike to the ridge, but it a... The summit at about 8100 feet of social distancing when passing or later in the other I stepped the! The western side of the birds was soothing to the junction with Bayview., enjoyed some hot tea, and unbuckle your pack in case you go during early. Difficulty due to the Eagle Falls, the more crowded it became many! 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