Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake Topo Hiking Map

Tahoe to Yosemite Trailhead to Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim Trail Junction

30 minute USGS Backpacking Topo Hiking Maps of the Desolation Wilderness: Truckee & Placerville USGS topo maps

Aloha Lake under Pyramid Peak from Dicks Pass

Topo Maps Index Meeks Bay to Echo Summit

7.5 min topo map Meeks Bay trail head

SOUTH 30 min TOPO MAP Phipps Pass to Echo Summit

SOUTH 7.5 map Phipps Pass to Susie Lake

Full Desolation Wilderness Topo Map

Click map dots for links to Trail Guide Page

Trail Guide Meeks Bay Index

all maps

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miles and elevations

North Desolation Wilderness

Backpacking 12.69 miles from Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake 30 minute topo hiking maps

North Desolation detailed 7.5 MAP: Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass Mileage and Elevations Click Red Dots Central Desolation Wilderness 7.5 map: Phipps Pass to Lake Aloha

Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake: Tahoe to Yosemite Trail topo hiking map.

Above: 30 minute Backpacking Topo Map, Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake, Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

See the detailed 7.5 TOPO MAP: Meeks Bay Trailhead to Dicks Pass 30 TOPO MAP SOUTH: Phipps Pass to Echo Summit

Meeks Bay trail head, Lake Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Main Feature: The main feature of the whole 30 minute USGS Topo Map series on this site is to put these long distance trails into a broad context of local roads, trails, and trail heads to expose potential alternative backpacking routes, side trips, and short hiking trips that you can explore across each section of these hiking trails.

In the North Desolation Wilderness we can see a possible hiking Loop out of and back to Meeks Bay via the General Creek Cross-Country route from the North side of Genevieve Lake. This is a faint non-maintained trail to the Pacific Crest Trail North of where our TYT joins the PCT and TRT. Hikers can loop back to Meeks Bay via Phipps Pass.

The map above shows the General Creek Trail as a maintained route. It is not, but it is well traveled.

Hiking South from the TYT junction with the PCT we can hike East from Upper Velma Lake to exit the Desolation Wilderness through the Camper Flat or Eagle Falls trailheads at Emerald Bay. As we hike South through Desolation Wilderness we are going to encounter a series of trail junctions leading to trailheads along the Western shore of Lake Tahoe and its bays and associated lakes.

Out of Meeks Bay

4.39 miles South of Meeks Bay Lake Genevieve is the first in a series of pretty lakes in a gently rising valley leading to the climb to Phipps Pass. The South side of Stony Ridge Lake marks the end of the Lakes and valley and the beginning of our climb up to Phipps Pass. Yet the lakes are not done. Tiny Rubicon Lake, half surrounded by rock and half by forest precedes Phipps Pass.

Beautiful Rock formations emerging out of forest as we climb higher frame the fine views decorating our last steps South to Phipps Pass. Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay, and Cascade Lake all combine to provide a stunning backdrop that highlights the amazing granite formations around Phipps Pass.

Nature, in it's infinite Wisdom, gives us The Finger as we pass.

From Phipps Pass we begin to get great views Southeast of our next destination, Middle Velma Lake, backdropped by Maggies Peak. We will join up with the Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim Trails .85 of a mile North of Middle Velma Lake..

Locate the Meeks Bay Trailhead

Forest Road 14N42 begins the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Meeks Bay on the West shore of Lake Tahoe along Highway 89.

Backpacking Map Notes
11.5 miles South of our Meeks Bay Trailhead the Lake Tahoe to Yosemite joins with the Tahoe Rim and the Pacific Crest trail just North of Middle Velma Lake. These routes continue together South through Desolation Wilderness. More on the Tahoe-Yosemite, the Tahoe Rim, and the PCT routes. Map Notes: The route of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Phipps Pass South to the Pacific Crest Trail junction has been rerouted. In addition, a "new" trail junction routing the Pacific Crest Trail up to the North side of Fontanillis Lake rather than along Upper Velma Lake differs from the USGS topo hiking map. I have noted both of these route modifications on the map above. High Detail 7.5 Topo Map: Lake Genevieve to Susie Lake
Mapping Information
Mileages Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake: 12.69 miles Details Meeks Bay Trailhead to Lake Genevieve: 4.39 miles Lake Genevieve to the far South end of Stony Ridge Lake: 2.23 miles The South end of Stony Ridge Lake to the Pacific Crest Trail junction: 4.88 miles The Pacific Crest Trail junction to the Middle Velma Lake trail junction to camper flat, & Rockbound Valley: 1.19 miles Total Trail Miles on this map: 12.69 miles Middle Velma to Echo Summit Middle Velma to Aloha Lake: 8.84 miles Aloha Lake to Echo Lake trail head: 7.55 miles Meeks Bay trail head to Echo Lake trail head: 28.71 miles Meeks Bay trail head to Echo Summit trail head: 30.71 miles	USGS Topo Hiking Map Information Upper Map Name: Truckee 30x60, 1977 Lower Map Name: Placerville 30x60, 1976 Compass Offset: Magnetic North is 18 degrees, 34' East of True North scale: 1:100 000 Contours: 50 meters Backpacking Permitting Authority Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit TahoeWhitney: Contact Information Feds: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit National Forest LTBMU Wilderness Area: Desolation Wilderness, TahoeWhitney Desolation Wilderness, the feds. Meeks Bay trail head Physical location Between Highway 89 and Highway 50 in the Desolation Wilderness Physical location Meeks Bay on Road Map Back to Tahoe to Alpine Trail Guide Index Back to Meeks Bay Trail Guide Page