Looking South across Lower Echo Lake

The Trails

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Backpacking Echo Lakes
Hiking from Upper Echo Lake to the Lower Echo Lake Trailhead

Meeks Bay Trailhead to the Echo Lake Trail head, The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

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Upper Echo Lake

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Echo Lake Trailhead

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Miles & Elevations Index

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Nearing
the
Lower Echo Lake Trailhead

Hiking South for 2.69 miles from the trail down to the Boat Dock on the trail around the North side of the Echo Lakes on the far North side of Echo Lake brings us to the Echo Lake Trailhead.

Or we can call the Echo Lake Chalet from the Boat Dock for a ride on their Boat Taxi to the Echo Lake Marina between Memorial Day to Labor Day. I'd rather walk.

From solid rock to soft forest floor trail beds, we cross a variety of excellent trail surfaces between the Tamarack Lake trail junction to the Echo Lake trail head.

I'm just happy to get off of constant pounding of downhill hiking on hard rock surfaces!

Dicks Pass to Echo Lakes
15 minute backpacking MAP

South Desolation Wilderness
30 minute backpacking MAP

Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Backpacking Miles and Elevations

Meeks Bay to Echo Lake Forum

comments?


Trail, Echo Lake	fine rock formations, Echo Lake

fine rock formations, details, Echo Lake

Approaching
the
Lower Echo Lake Trail Head

We're just one mile North of the Echo Lake trailhead.

Rock Faces descend off of Flagpole Peak sit to our immediate NE, above us, with the crystal blue waters of Lower Echo Lake to our SW. It is a beautiful location, despite the vacation houses.

Our fine level trail winding through rock and forest splits the distance between steep rock and deep blue water. It's reallyl pretty along this section of trail.

Our generally downhill run from the North side of Lake Aloha ends at Echo Lake. South from there we have a two mile climb to the Echo Lake trail head on Highway 50.

Elevation
7520' feet on the trail along Lower Upper Lake.

Mileage
27.71 miles South from the Meeks Bay Trailhead.
1 mile South to the Echo Lake Trailhead.
3 miles to Echo Summit Trailhead.

note
Mileage sign at Echo Lake trailhead states: Aloha Lake 5 miles. This is incorrect according to my measurements and experience. Check the map and hike the trail to verify my observation: ALWAYS Double-Check your (and my) mileages. Trail distances are constantly changing as the trails are being regularly rerouted.

mileages and elevations

Hiking along Lower Echo Lake nearing the trail head



			The trail South along Echo Lake.
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	Sign posts on the East side of Echo Lake keep you on the trail to the trailhead, rather than down to cabins.		top of page

Houses accompany the rock and lake hiking South to the Echo Lake trailhead


lots of fine rock lines the trail along Echo Lake. The reddening of the setting Sun highlighted the rock colors

Frodo lives here, Echo Lake	Nice wooded trail section along Echo Lake

Not my patio, but my view was the same while passing by. comments?

North: Upper Echo Lake South: Echo Lake trail head

Mid-Point: Echo Lake

I was racing against sunset as I flew South by the luxury houses lining the East shore of Echo Summit. This section of trail has been unfairly disparaged. The trail snakes along between a beautiful rock and forest ridge and and the crystalline blue waters of Echo Lake.

But I am running low on energy. Since I'm not resupplying between Meeks Bay and Tuolumne Meadows, the pack is very,very heavy, which is very tiring.. The short length of Desolation Wilderness requires I pass it quickly, which is always challenging at the start of a trip.

Despite my dedication to observation and enjoyment of every inch of trail I cover, I was determined to push until darkness terminated my day.

In any case, I would not take the boat taxi through this section of trail, even if it was still running.

Echo Chalet Boat Taxi information.

comments?