South Desolation Wilderness Topo Hiking Map

The Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and Tahoe Rim Trails

USGS 30 minute backpacking topo map of Desolation Wilderness: Placerville

Aloha Lake under Pyramid Peak from Dicks Pass

Topo Maps Index Meeks Bay to Echo Summit

NORTH 30 min topo map Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake

North Detailed 7.5 Topo Map North Desolation Wilderness

SOUTH 30 min topo map Echo Lake trail head to Round Top Lake Meiss Country Roadless Area

Detailed 7.5 map Phipps Pass to Lake Aloha

Full Desolation Wilderness Topo Map

Click map dots for links to Trail Guide Pages

Trail Guide Middle Velma Lake

Backpacking Central & Southern Desolation Wilderness

30 minute Topo Map of Phipps Pass through Echo Lake to Echo Summit: 21.83 miles

NORTH 30 min topo map: Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake Mileage and Elevations Click the Red Dots SOUTH 30 min topo map: Echo Lake trail head to Round Top Lake

South Desolation Wilderness Topo hiking map.

Central-Southern Desolation Wilderness 30 minute USGS topo hiking map with PCT-TRT junction with TYT and the transition South from Desolation Wilderness into the Meiss Country Roadless Area. Click Red Dots.

NORTH 30 min topo map: Meeks Bay to Middle Velma Lake SOUTH 30 min topo map: Echo Lake trail head to Round Top Lake

Above: Phipps Pass through Echo Lake across Highway 50 into the Meiss Country Roadless Area

KILL THIS PAGE: 30 min map SOUTH: Dicks Pass through Echo Lake trail head

The Highly Detailed 7.5 map series covering this area: Phipps Pass to Susie Lake

Phipps Pass to North side of Upper Echo Lake in Desolation Wilderness

Note: Corrections to the trail route as depicted on the 30 minute map above include the trail rerouting from Phipps Pass to the Pacific Crest Trail Junction, the rerouting of the PCT-TYT by placing a trail junction South of Middle Velma Lake up to Fontanillis Lake rather than around Upper Velma Lake, and the route from Echo Summit South to the Frog Pond trail junction.

Also note there are three trail junctions between Gilmore Lake and Suzie Lake, so I added the Southern junction North of Susie Lake omitted from the topo hiking map above. This Southern Junction connects our combined TYT, PCT, and TRT with the trail to Glen Alpine Springs and on East to Fallen Leaf Lake. The middle trail junction has a branch of the Glen Alpine trail coming in from the East and a trail West to Half Moon and Alta Morris Lakes.

These 30 minute maps do not offer the detail and accuracy of the 7.5 minute maps, but have the advantage of giving a broader understanding of the area. Consult the 7.5 minute maps for greater detail and accuracy. I strive to make these older maps reflect trail status as of 2012.

Additional information, corrections, trail and hiking notes, and your experiences can be added to each Trail Guide Page through the Forum for that page. Information you contribute will be available for subsequent hikers.

Main Features: Middle Velma marks both the end of the descent from Phipps Pass, and is just South of our junction with the Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim Trails.

From this junction the Tahoe Rim Trail will correspond with our route until Meiss Cabin, where the Tahoe Rim Backpacker will cut Northeast past Round Lake through the Big Meadow trail head on Highway 89.

We will continue to follow the combined Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails South as far as the Carson Gap, where we will either turn Southwest to follow the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to Lake Alpine on Highway 4, or continue South on the Pacific Crest Trail to Ebbetts Pass.

Continuing South from Middle Velma Lake begins our ascent of Dicks Pass. Dicks Pass elevation of 9390 will be the highest point on our trail until we reach Round Top Lake on the TY Route West of the Carson Pass.