Echo Lake Snowshoeing

Echo Lake is an easily accessible lake in the Desolation Wilderness just south of Lake Tahoe. The lake is broken up into two sections, Lower and Upper Echo Lake, which are connected by a small stream. Surrounded by small cabins, the lake is definitely not the most isolated location to visit in the Desolation Wilderness but come winter the lake freezes and the tourists disappear. Easy access and the lack of people results in the perfect place for a quick snow filled adventure just outside Lake Tahoe.

Echo Lake

I had been waiting all December to find some time to go up to the snow this December and this finally was my opportunity! I managed to convince my dad to join me so we grabbed the snow shoes and we left the bay early to maximize our day. This would be my first time on snow shoes so we decided to do a shorter loop around Lower Echo Lake.

Trip Info
If you are heading in to snowshoe, chances are you will not be able to drive to the Echo Lakes trailhead. On our way out we passed a truck that tried to drive all the way up Echo Lakes Road and got stuck. Unless your vehicle is very high clearance, park at the Echo Lake Sno Park. It is $5 and you can purchase a permit online.

We started at the Sno Park and headed up towards Echo Lake Trailhead. From there follow the Tahoe Rim Trail towards the end of Lower Echo Lake. From there leave the trail and continue counter clockwise around the edge of Echo Lake.

The route is roughly 6 miles with 800 feet of elevation gain. As usual our plan changed while out there, resulting in an 8 mile trip with 1600 ft of climbing.

Map
Trailhead


We arrived at Echo Lake Sno Park at around 9 am. The temps were in the low thirties so we quickly grabbed our packs and snowshoes and headed up Echo Lakes Road. The snow on the road was very consolidated so we left the snowshoes off for the mile we spent on the road. When we arrived at the trailhead there were no self issue permits, just a sign that said to be safe and enjoy the wilderness.

Echo Lake from the trailhead

We opted to move counter clockwise around the lake, that meant following the Tahoe Rim Trail for the first couple of miles. We did not expect the trail to be well marked but it gets enough traffic that all you have to do is follow the footprints of those who have traveled it before you. We did not even have to put on snow shoes until we left the trail at the end of Lower Echo Lake.

The trail is very well marked the day we were out.

We continued along the Tahoe Rim Trail. Around three and a half miles in we decided to depart from the trail and begin our trip back. At this point the snowshoes went on and we
weaved our way through the cabins toward the other side of the lake.

Northwest end of Lower Echo Lake

The well defined trail

Dawning snowshoes.

 We continued across the western shore of Lower Echo Lake until we ran into our first issue. The channel connecting Lower and Upper Echo Lake had yet to freeze! Thankfully it was both shallow and not very wide so we chopped some rocks out of the snow and created a little bridge.

Our makeshift bridge.

 After getting over the stream, we headed left around the lake.

Trudging through some snow.

In between the trees.

Cutting through the cabins.

Skier on the frozen lake. Crazy!

 We followed the edge of the lake back. The path was less defined but it looked like quite a few skiers had come through and we just followed their skin tracks. Eventually we made it back to the side of the lake we started at. From there we followed the fire road back to the car.

It was quite a fun day in the snow and an overall good trip. I will definitely be back up in Tahoe in the near future to snowshoe again!