Great hike. Sections of steep and flat to mix it up. Be sure to do the extra half-mile jog out to the lake. Beautiful.
John H.
Évaluation du lieu : 3 Sacramento, CA
4 stars for the scenery and the workout; minus one if there are dirt bikers! If you’re looking for a 3 – 4 hour scenic high Sierra hike with steep(not mountain goat!) climbs, and don’t mind sharing the trail with an occasional mountain bike or dirt bike, you might want to check out the Ellis Peak Trail, accessed via Barker Pass Road. It’s a good summer or fall hike and it’s dog-friendly. Be sure to add in drive time to the trailhead — about 30 minutes from Tahoe City and about 20 minutes from Homewood. You’ll find the trail listed online or you can pick up a free map at Sugar Pine Point SP entrance. At the trailhead, the sign reads 5 miles to Ellis Peak. Using MapMyRun, we measured it at 3.5(7 miles round trip). Starting out, you’ll be eating dust for the first mile as you grind out the first of three steep climbs to the peak. Don’t get discouraged! At the top of this hill, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping vistas as you hike gradually uphill across decomposing granite. Next, you’ll drop steeply for a mile through forest, eventually crossing a trail to go straight up the hill. This second steep climb gets you to a ridge where you’ll see a trail heading to the peak. It’s a brief glute-burner for your final climb to the top, where ya can plant your flag, eat lunch and enjoy the 360º views. Save some energy for the way back, where you still have one short climb and a mile-long dusty climb to go. Expect a mountain bike or two; hopefully you won’t encounter any dirt bikers as they’ll raise plumes of dust. Directions: From Highway 89 in Homewood, drive 2 miles north on 89 to Tahoe Pines. Turn left on Barker Pass Road(road sign is poorly placed, 100 ft. west of 89) and bear left at the fork(3.7 miles). Continue uphill for approx. 4.7 miles, winding up the side of the mountain where you’ll encounter sharp switchbacks shortly before the paved road ends. Park anywhere; the trailhead is just up the hill on your left. For you navsat hikers, the Ellis Peak lat/long is — The roundup: Distance: 7 miles Time: 3 – 4 hours plus time at the top Difficulty: Strenuous, with steep hills in loose footing. Highlights: Awesome views of Lake Tahoe, rim views, downhill return. Sucks: Dirt bikers use the trail. And, it’s a 30 minute drive from Tahoe City! Water: Two liters. Dogs: Allowed!
