You can book a permit online at Recreation.gov or score one of the first-come-first-serve permits at the Tahoe South Visitor Center, … The Desolation Wilderness Volunteers website is a great place to check trail conditions before you head out. Snow often blocks the high passes until mid July. Please respect the permit system to protect wilderness resources and mitigate wildfire risk. Weather: When planning your trip, be aware that snow can persist in much of Desolation Wilderness through the end of June. Miles & Elevations More common, yet seldom seen, are the smaller mammals like coyote, porcupine, badger, and bobcat. The crest of the Sierra Nevada runs through it, just west of Lake Tahoe. All of these avalanches are thought to have occurred during the March 20-22 rain/ high elevation snow event. Permits are required for both day use and overnight camping. The Tahoe Rim Trail and Pacific Crest Trail pass through the wilderness. The hike up was less than 4 miles with an elevation gain of less than 1,000 feet (you start high). General Information. Maps. Entering Desolation from the Echo Lakes trailhead, solid snow cover begins at Haypress Meadow (8,200 ft.). (Why?). The most extensive forested areas are found on moist soils bordering lakes, streams, and meadows. Clearly this is the largest fish I have heard in recent history coming out of the Desolation. Desolation Wilderness is the busiest wilderness in the country. When camping and backpacking, visitors are required to bury human waste, pack out all garbage, and practice all Leave No Trace methods. Manage dog waste by burying or carrying it out depending on the season. First-come, first-served overnight permits are available the day of entry at the office locations and business hours listed below. What to do: Backpacking, hiking and camping. (530) 647-5415 Desolation wilderness is not so desolate Signed up for a meet-up hike to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower. A windy day atop Mt Agassiz in the Desolation Wilderness. The … State(s): California. Current conditions at OWENS CAMP (OWNC1) Lat: 38.735819°NLon: 120.241583°WElev: 5240ft. Desolation Wilderness supports predominantly red fir and lodgepole pine forests with associated species such as Jeffrey pine, mountain hemlock, ponderosa pine, western juniper, and western white pine. It’ll be helpful when reserving a permit. GPS and/or map and compass are still recommended to find the trail along with proper footwear, clothing […] Also found is a member of the rabbit and hare family, the pika. It is accessible from the Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin. TTY 530-647-5407 Desolation Wilderness Map Index . Desolation Wilderness is a federally protected wilderness of 63,000+ acres in Northern California. In the summer, a quota system is used for overnight trips to limit the number of visitors on any given day in the wilderness. Permits are available only online via recreation.gov; paper permits are not being issued in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aspen and willow are common to these wetland areas. Waste - Visitors are required to bury human waste 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet away from water, trails, and campsites. Stop at Granite Lake for a short rest along the way. They used to be free, but now cost $5 a person for one night and $10.00 per person for two or more nights up to 14 days (non-refundable). Includes details of wilderness areas, latest sierra wilderness news, resources for planning your trip, and notes from professionals in the field. Your source for Sierra wilderness information. The only location on the Tahoe Rim Trail requiring a permit for day use is Desolation Wilderness. 7887 Highway 50 ... 0.02 when modeled against natural conditions. [1], Before European settlement in the mid-19th century, there is evidence this area was used by the Washoe. Desolation Wilderness CA weather - local Desolation Wilderness, California weather forecasts and current conditions. These hardy trees take root in excessively rocky and often nutrient-poor soils. S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 Day hikers may obtain a free permit from one of the offices listed below, or may issue themselves a permit at most major trailheads in the summer. A call center is available to assist daily from 7 am-9pm (summer) and 7am – 7pm (winter). County(s): El Dorado. All of the avalanches seem to have wet snow characteristics with avalanches at lower elevations (below 8000') sliding down near the ground. Always have a leash with you in an immediately accessible location. Due to the Desolations fragile high elevation ecosystem Campfires are not allowed anywhere in the wilderness area. Less common, but also present are brown and golden trout. 35 College Drive "Desolation Wilderness: Trail Destinations", Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front, California State Mining and Mineral Museum, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, University of California Natural Reserve System, Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Desolation_Wilderness&oldid=991693988, Protected areas of the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Protected areas of El Dorado County, California, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 December 2020, at 10:17. Livestock are limited to two livestock per person, or 12 livestock in one group. Long recognized for its mountain splendor, Desolation Valley Primitive Area was established in 1931 and then granted Wilderness status in 1969. In 1969, it became the Desolation Wilderness after the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964.[3]. The Desolation Wilderness provides a home for many species of plants, fish and wildlife. In 2.7 miles this trail intersects with the … The Wilderness sits on the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountain’s Crystal Range, west of Lake Tahoe, and north of Highway 50. Group Size - Maximum group size is 12 people for both day and overnight use. Expect snow on the trail. Trailhead parking areas are closed in winter and many access roads are not subject to snow removal. Desolation Wilderness Permits and Maps For overnight backpacking in Desolation Wilderness, a permit is required. If the recreation area is open, at the junction by the stop sign, turn right and follow it to the end where you will find a trailhead parking lot. Trail Guide Section Index. Due to its popularity and fragile ecosystem, permits are required year-round for both day and overnight visits. Summer Sunday: 8:00am to noon Difficult to follow trail, with hazardous conditions. 1 year ago. (530) 543-2674, LTBMU Supervisors Office Trail Conditions. I have a permit for the weekend of the 3rd/4th, and hoping to hike Pyramid Peak, but a little worried the snow could still be pretty intense. Easy marked dirt trail then on the granite there were stones lined along the way to … Permits are available for all entry points from either the Eldorado National Forest or the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU). By the end of that century, the first formal step to limiting its development when it was made a Forest Reserve, managed first by the General Land Office, and later, by the US Forest Service. Camino CA 95709 Summer Mon-Sat: 8:00am to 4:30pm M-Sat Desolation Wilderness: Home > PSD Limits > Map, List > Desolation Wilderness. The sparse woodlands of widely scattered western junipers and lodgepole pines are interrupted by patches of montane chaparral species such as pinemat manzanita, huckleberry oak, and mountain pride penstemon clinging to the expanses of barren rock. There are also a variety of mountain birds, including the Steller's jay, Clark's nutcracker, mountain chickadee, sooty grouse, mountain bluebird, American dipper, and occasional golden eagle. Desolation Wilderness Hiking Lake Genevieve to Phipps Pass . Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the country. The on-line reservation service, recreation.gov allows visitors to make reservations seven days a week. Desolation Wilderness is in north-central California along the eastern border, 3-1/2 hours northeast of San Francisco, 2 hours east of Sacramento, and 1 hour southwest of Reno, Nevada. Follow Wrights Lake Road until you reach Wrights Lake. Desolation Wilderness is open for foot traffic and equestrian use only—all means of mechanical transportation (including snowmobiles) will not be allowed. Mule deer are the largest of the game species found within the wilderness. Within Desolation's numerous lakes and streams are also a variety of game fish such as the rainbow and brook trout. [2] It was set aside as the Desolation Valley Primitive Area in 1931 with an area of 64,000 acres (260 km2). (Open summer only) From Meeks Bay trail head to Phipps Pass we will be climbing a total of 2561 feet of vertical elevation over 8.88 miles of distance. It has extensive areas of bare granite rock formations. The Desolation Wilderness is located just to the southwest of Lake Tahoe and north of Highway 50. Pacific Ranger District Dogs are to be under the owners control at all times. Desolation is a popular backpacking destination, with much barren rocky terrain at the edge of the tree line. Meiss Country requires no permits, though these areas are a stone's throw from each other. Winter conditions are expected to persist in Desolation Wilderness from November through June. Desolation is a relative term. 530-543-2694, Group size is limited to 12 people per party who will be hiking or camping together. The last half mile of the hike can be difficult, as there is granite rock and boulders that require rock climbing and the trail is not well marked and hard to follow. Trail Conditions Disclaimer: Desolation Wilderness Volunteers provides this information free of charge as a public service to users of Desolation Wilderness, California and its immediate surroundings. Among the many waterfalls within the wilderness is Horsetail Falls. Thanks to it’s breathtaking granite landscape and accessibility, the Desolation Wilderness is one of the most popular wilderness areas in the country. This is until September 14 when conditions will be reevaluated. Black bears are increasingly common, with individuals being displaced from the Tahoe Basin and lower elevation western slopes into the higher country. This Wilderness area is split up into 45 different zones, with each having a specific permitting quota. Day visits are not subject to fees, maximum group size is 12. The Desolation Wilderness is located just to the southwest of Lake Tahoe, north of Highway 50. Large amounts of snow and water from Bayview/Eagle junction onward, with limited dry ground for camping. Had a nice report about fishing down the Rubicon from Clyde Lake as unchanged to better conditions than I have seen in the past. Desolation Wilderness Fishing Update 6 (2000) Well, the Wakabayshis have done it again. at South Lake Tahoe, on Highway 89 Desolation Wilderness is in a glory state that locals haven’t seen for many years – pumping waterfalls, high water levels in the lakes, and with the late start to the season, a pretty empty, crowd-free landscape. Tallac on Mar. The El Dorado County Leash Law is enforced when dogs are harassing wildlife or impacting other visitors opportunities for solitude. 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