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South Lake Tahoe Backpacker
Rest and Resupply Resources
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Hikers The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hiker will not need to rest or resupply at South Lake Tahoe as they have just begun their journey. This page may well serve to show the Tahoe to Yosemite hiker where they can spend a night and enjoy some good food before starting their long hike out of the Meeks Bay Trailhead. Pacific Crest Trail Hikers The Pacific Crest Trail hiker may need or want to stop at South Lake Tahoe for any or all of its delightful resources. South Lake Tahoe offers everything from full grocery, gear repair and replacement, and a few days of hotel beds, big salads, and thick Prime Rib. Access to South Lake Tahoe is via a short hitchhike East from where the Pacific Crest Trail and Highway 50 intersect at Echo Summit. I have found that many Pacific Crest Trail hikers plan on a few days off at South Lake Tahoe. They generally need new boots by the time they make it up to South Lake Tahoe, and a couple of days to break them in. Those PCT hikers who do not stop at South Lake Tahoe are picking up their resupply package at the Echo Lake Chalet. The Local Scene Killer folk here, if you can cut through the tourists and urban crap. Lake Tahoe has changed a lot during the 45 years I've observed it. But I've met good people from around the country and around the world on backpacking trails and at blackjack tables in the Tahoe Basin. I'm not an expert on Lake Tahoe's social resources, though I've spent a lot of time there over the years. The following guide outlines some basic good stuff long distance backpackers will ask of South Lake Tahoe during rest, recovery, and repair. |
South Lake Tahoe Road Map & Index of Backpacker Resources
View South Lake Tahoe Resources in a larger map |
On This Page e. From Reno
2. Transportation in the Lake Tahoe Region a. Blu-Go b. New: Shuttle Around Tahoe 3. Lodging
4. Echo Lake Chalet (Resupply Point for Long Distance Northbound Pacific Crest Trailers) Resupply Page: Echo Lake Chalet Forum Page: Echo Lake Chalet Comments and Questions
5. Other Resources a. Resources b. Gear c.1 Land of the Sky Outfitters d. Repair e. Gaming Clubs f. Pot Club h. Food i. Outside LINK: About Lake Tahoe j. Trailguide LINK: Lake Tahoe Resupply Forum
6. Entertainment |
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Above: South Lake Tahoe Region Road Map with Backpacker Resources. Rest and Resupply Information Zoom in for Details! |
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Comments?Additions, Notes, Tips or Comments? Post them in the Resupply SectionLake Tahoe Backpackers Resources pageon the Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney Backpacker Forum |
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Getting There and Back
Public Transportation The public transportation you take depends on which trail head you have come out of and where your are entering the trails. The main highways around Lake Tahoe are Highway 50, coming East and West into South Lake Tahoe, or Highway 80, coming East and West into the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. Highway 89 runs North and South along the West Shore of Lake Tahoe connecting Highway 80 in the North with Highway 80 in the South. Arriving Driving If you are driving, you have more control of your arrival time, and can get to your chosen trail head early enough to make good miles backpacking to your first campsite before dark. But if you are taking public surface transportation, hitchhiking, or flying into Reno, San Francisco, or Sacramento, the chances are that you will arrive in South Lake Tahoe too late in the day to get to any of the trail heads before very late in the afternoon, or early evening. This will necessitate spending a night camping near the trail head, or picking up local accommodations (see below) before beginning your hike. |
Public Transportation to South Lake Tahoe
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Train to Trail Amtrack offers train service from their Bay Area Stations to Sacramento, where the intrepid backpacker can connect with an Amtrack Bus which will take them across the Western Sierras on scenic Highway 50 to the South Lake Tahoe "Y." Plane to Trail If you fly into San Francisco, you can take BART from the San Francisco Airport to the Richmond BART station where you will connect with Amtrack's train service to Sacramento. Plane, Train, and Bus to Trail This also works if you want to go to Yosemite from the SF Airport. From the Sacramento Amtrack station you will transfer to the San Joaquin Train to Merced, rather than the Amtrack bus to Lake Tahoe. In Merced's Amtrack station you can catch Yosemite's YARTS bus for a fun ride to Tuolumne Meadows or the Yosemite Valley. It's fun because it is primarily a bus for, and full of backpackers, and we are a gas! But of course, I suggest you take the Amtrack bus to Lake Tahoe and walk to Yosemite. Do it Right, if you are going to do it! Forget the Rolling Transportation: Just Walk to Yosemite... It is much more rewarding to backpack across the Northern Sierra's Crest into the Yosemite Backcountry to Tuolumne Meadows, than it is to take the bus there. Hell, you can always take the bus back from Yosemite, but at the risk of missing the most interesting local personalities when you hitch hike there and back. ... Arrrgg Although the Amtrack bus to Lake Tahoe drives right past Echo Summit and Meyers on Highway 50, it will not stop and let you off until it reaches the Tahoe Y. The Amtrak bus arrives at the South Lake Tahoe "Y" (See picture below, where Hwys 89 and 50 intersect) in the early afternoon, but you are still far from any of the trail heads. (see local transportation)
If you fly or hitch hike into Reno, Trailways offers bus service from the Reno Airport to South Lake Tahoe's casinos and the South Lake Tahoe Airport. From the Casinos you can take a regularly scheduled Blue Go to the Tahoe Y, or call the Blue-Go custom shuttle to pick you up at any of the Trailways stops, the South Lake Tahoe Airport, or the Tahoe Y, and take this on-call shuttle all the way to the South Upper Truckee trail head in Meyers, or have it leave you at the closest point in the Bus's range to Echo Summit, (which is in Meyers on Hwy 50, this point is marked on the map) where you can easily hitchhike up the short steep grade to the Echo Summit trail head. Just don't look too sloppy or stupid, and you will easily get a ride. The only problem with this plan is that the Blue Go shuttle is generally very busy, and may take HOURS before it can pick you up. This is crucial for backpackers who want to get to the trail head before dark. You may want to call Blue-Go and make a reservation for the time and place you want to be picked up beforehand, while allowing some extra time for any potential transportation delays you may encounter on your way to South Lake Tahoe. On the other hand, if you are heading to the Meeks Bay trail head from South Lake Tahoe, you need to hitch hike North on Highway 89 from the Tahoe Y transportation hub, which is centrally located at the junctions of Highways 89 and 50 in South Lake Tahoe.
Another option for getting to Meeks Bay trail head from Reno is to take Amtrack from Reno to Truckee, then catch the TART bus in Truckee to a bit past Tehoma. Tehoma is about 3 miles North of the Meeks Bay trail head, so you will still have a bit of a hitch or a couple of miles hiking South from Tehoma to the Meeks Bay Trailhead. Tart Phone: (530) 550-1212 or (800) 736-6365 |
Transportation in South Lake Tahoe
Local Blu-Go On Call Shuttle South Lake Tahoe is served by a custom shuttle and a scheduled bus service, Blue-Go, that will pick you up at the Tahoe Y, or any location in their South Lake service area, and bring you right to the South Upper Truckee trail head in Meyers. It will leave you at the base of Hawley Grade, and you can easily hitch up to Echo Summit, if you are starting or continuing your trip from there. The fee is $6. If you are going up to the Echo Summit trail head on Highway 50, this shuttle, or one of Blu-Go's scheduled busses will deposit you near the base of the grade up to Echo Summit in Meyers on Highway 50. I have marked the end of the Blu Go service area on the map below. From there you will have to make the short hitch hike up to the Echo Summit trail head. This should not be hard. Locals seeing me walking towards the mountains with my pack have stopped many times to ask if I wanted a ride to Echo Summit. If you are heading up North on Hwy 89 to Meeks Bay from the Tahoe Y, you've got to hitch-hike up 89 to the Meeks Bay trail head. The Tahoe Y transportation hub has a Blue-Go transportation office where you can pick up additional information, order a shuttle ride, or to get as close to your trailhead on one of their regularly scheduled buses.
Blue Go Phone: 775-589-5284 Blue GO OnCall Shuttle: 530- 541-7149 |
Shuttle Around Tahoe I was chatting with the helpful and informative Suzanne at the LTBMU about resources in South Lake Tahoe when she mentioned the quality of service of Shuttle Around Tahoe. Ah, an excellent transportation resource for those who have no wheels and lots of cash. But time is money (food is time too...) and if you need to get in, get out, get resupplied, or run around town these folks are at your service, for a reasonable price. As a backpacking bum this service is beyond my reach. I certainly hope South Lake Tahoe can fund the Blu-go Shuttles sufficiently to get me to local trailheads. Otherwise I hitch. It's just the way it is for me. Here's what they say: Anyone Website |
More South Lake Tahoe Resources
Trailhead Locations & Local Resupply Options Highway 50 The South Upper Truckee and Echo Summit trail heads are both located just off of Highway 50 to the West of South Lake Tahoe, which makes South Lake Tahoe your best local source for last minute supplies and equipment fixes before hitting either of these trail heads. This is also true for the Meeks Bay Trail head, if you are coming North up Highway 89 from Highway 50 and the South Lake Tahoe Y. Highway 80 If you are coming South from the North Shore of Lake Tahoe on Hwy 89 to Meeks Bay from Hwy 80, Tahoe City and Truckee are your last chances to eat, pick up extra trail food, or repair/replace broken equipment.
Spending a Night in Lake Tahoe before Hitting the Trail Because of the time it takes me to get to Lake Tahoe from the Bay Area without a car, I am always forced to consider spending the night near Lake Tahoe to get an early start the next day. There are two options. First, make my way to the trail head, hike a little ways down the trail, and set up camp before it gets completely dark. Second, I can obtain local accommodations and get an early start the next day. Yeah, sure. If I had the money for that, I would have a car and be at the trailhead by 8 am. Having the time to long distance backpack means not having the money to long distance backpack. Time is money!
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Backpacker-Friendly Accommodations in South Lake Tahoe
The High Country Lodge
| If you decide to spend the night in South Lake Tahoe, I highly recommend the High Country Lodge on Highway 50 about 3/4ths of a mile West of the Tahoe Y bus station, on the East side of Highway 50. These nice people are very backpacker friendly. |
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I found this restful, warm, clean, friendly, and quite place last June after 7 days of freezing my ass off in the snowy mountains South of Tahoe. I tried each motel as I walked West along Hwy 50 from the Tahoe Y. Each motel was very expensive, and none of the proprietors would negotiate, until I walked into the High Country Lodge and met Tami and Dwayne, who negotiated with me: $160 for four nights. I was cold but tough, they were willing to deal. Tami warned me that these prices, and negotiation in general would only happen during off-peak times, as they relied on peak rates during the high season to make their money for the whole year. So your best bet for backpacker deals can be found mid-week during the peak season, and during off-peak season periods. I have little money, and they knew it. If you are not walking in off the snow-plowed road they may charge more. My only problem is when my snow trips and ski season high points happen at the same time. Not to worry, Winter is ending in the High Sierra... Notice that the room is equipped with a Microwave and Refrigerator. There is a Raley's at the Tahoe Y bus hub. The Raley's combined with a microwave and fridge makes it easy to keep food costs way down. High Country Lodge1227 Emerald Bay Road (AKA Highway 50) South Lake Tahoe, Ca, 96150 Information: 530-541-0508 Reservations only: 800-824-4660 High Country Lodge: Website Tell them I sent you. |
Resources Discussion
The Master of Lake Tahoe ResourcesAbout Lake Tahoe puts a wide range of topics and resources in the Tahoe Basin at your fingertips. About Lake Tahoe features information about Accommodations, Hiking, and a wide variety of Forums about activities at Lake Tahoe. If you are going to visit Lake Tahoe, you should check out about Lake Tahoe. Check the Map for the locations of all these resources. |
The Master of Lake Tahoe Entertainment, IIIf you are heading up to South Lake Tahoe to begin a trip, passing by on the Pacific Crest Trail and stopping for rest, repair, and resupply, or are up in the area for any reason you should check out Jack's Fabulous LakeTahoe channel on YouTube. You gotta see this guy Jack. He lays out the local happenings in South Lake Tahoe, including community events, casino events, and most especially the local music scene. If you are passing through South Lake Tahoe on trail or trip you should check out FLT to see what's up in the local scene. |
Gear resources in South Lake Tahoe include a wide variety of sports equipment shops, of which Tahoe Sports Ltd, located in the Tahoe Crescent V shopping center just West of the California-Nevada border on Highway 50, is among the largest. I've recently been contacted by Peter Hussman at Land of the Sky Outfitters just across from Rayley's at the Tahoe Y. Here's what Peter has to say to long distance and local backpackers:
The Tahoe Sports web site lists another location in the shopping center just behind the Tahoe Y Transportation Hub, just across Highway 50 from Lake of the Sky Outfitters, but it was closed the last time I was there in June of '09. Tahoe Sports Ltd has a decent selection of a little bit of everything, including fuels, nylon buckles, and backpacking food. Check the Map for the locations of all these resources. |
I had damaged webbing when I did my first of two June trips. I hoped to have a tailor fix me up in South Lake Tahoe. Though there are many capable tailors in South Lake Tahoe, I arrived in town from the trail head late on a friday night, and they were all closed for the weekend. I ended up cutting the broken buckle out of the webbing and threading in two buckles I bought at Tahoe Sports Ltd. It worked. |
Like to gamble? The Lakeside Inn is located at #168 Highway 50, about a mile East of the California-Nevada border. The Lakeside is know as a locals casino, and its friendly laid-back staff matches its atmosphere. This is the only house in Tahoe that still sports single-deck blackjack, with a two-dollar minimum bet during weekdays. |
Ah, Pain Relief. As you may know, California has a medical pot law. If you have valid California certification for medical pot, I highly (hehe) recommend the Tahoe Wellness Collective, located at 3445 Lake Tahoe Blvd (Hwy 50), 530-544-8000. To avoid problems, you can fax them your certification, but they will accept any valid walk-in patients who's status they can verify. These new-age old school hippies fund many community resources with the proceeds from their sales. |
The Central Location: The Tahoe Y
South Lake Tahoe Ernie's Coffee Shop is know by many as the best breakfast in South Lake Tahoe. Ernie's is conveniently located between The High Country Lodge and the Tahoe Y on Highway 50, (also known as Emerald Bay Road) at 1146 Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe. I've been going there as long as I've been going to South Lake Tahoe. They recently moved into fancy new digs across the Highway from their original location.
Izzy's Burger Spa I can't say enough good things about Izzy's Burgers, their fries, or their fine staff. 591 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, Ca. www.izzysburgerspa.com - (530) 544-5030 - Meyers My favorite in Meyers is the Downtown Cafe. Great food, great owner and staff, and just really nice in every respect. It's located about 50 yards East on Highway 50 from the Highway 50 intersection with Highway 89 on the North side of the road. Here's the important information: Downtown Cafe 3200 Hwy 50South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 (530) 573-0228 Another great cafe is The Getaway Cafe, formerly Chris' Cafe, which is located near the junction between Highways 89 and 50 at 3140 Highway 50 in Meyers. This long-time excellent cafe is close to both the South Upper Truckee trail head, and is just below the grade up to the Echo Summit trail head. I have not eaten there since their fancy upgrade. I fear their prices have gone up with their upscale remodel and fancy approach. Meeks Bay The only food resource near the Meeks Bay trail head is located about 4 miles North on Highway 89 at the PDQ Grocery and Deli in Tahoma. The PDQ deli features huge sandwiches on excellent home-made rolls. Yummy. I have posed a picture of the place on the Meeks Bay Trail Head Page. Camp and Go Pirate camping is the name of the game in National Forests. There are plenty of private places where you can legally throw down in National Forests around Lake Tahoe. Just make sure you pick a place that will not bug the locals, don't start a fire, and leave your camp site cleaner than you found it. Check the Map for the locations of all these resources. |
Tahoe to Lake Alpine/Ebbetts trails index
Backpacking Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney
Your guide to the High Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails
