RATING |
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DISTANCE |
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8.4 miles round-trip |
HIKING TIME |
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5.0 hours |
ELEVATION GAIN |
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750 feet |
HIGH POINT |
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7,240 feet |
EFFORT |
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Prepare to Perspire |
BEST SEASON |
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June to October |
PERMITS/CONTACT |
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Fill out a free self-serve permit form at the trailhead; Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, (530) 543-2600, |
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MAPS |
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Tom Harrison Maps “Lake Tahoe” |
NOTES |
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Dogs allowed; wear good boots for this rocky trail |
Get a taste of the wonders of the Desolation Wilderness on this rocky but gradually ascending trail to Susie Lake, which makes a fine day-hiking or backpacking destination.
From the Y-junction of Highway 50 and Highway 89 in South Lake Tahoe, drive 3 miles northwest on Highway 89 to Fallen Leaf Lake Road on the left (1 mile past Camp Richardson). Turn left and drive 5.4 miles to the end of the road and the Glen Alpine trailhead. Day hikers are required to fill out a self-serve wilderness permit at the trailhead.
The Glen Alpine Trail leads into a lake-filled basin in the Desolation Wilderness, with dozens of great destinations accessible, depending on how far you want to hike. First-time visitors looking for a good introduction to this area would do well to choose Susie Lake as their target. The mileage may seem long (4.2 miles each way), but the trail’s grade is so gentle that the hike is easier than you’d expect.
The trailhead is found at the end of narrow, winding Fallen Leaf Lake Road. Be sure to drive very slowly along this road, which in some spots has barely enough room for bikers and walkers, let alone cars. From the trailhead, an easy walk up the gravel and rock road/trail leads 1.0 mile to the site of the historic Glen Alpine Springs Resort. A “curative” mineral spring made this remote spot a popular getaway from the late 1800s until the 1930s. A few interpretive signs are in place here among the old resort buildings, and docents are often on site on summer weekends. The resort’s social hall, designed by famed architect Bernard Maybeck, is worth a look.
Beyond the historic resort, the path narrows to a single-track trail and climbs gently but steadily for 0.8 mile to the Desolation Wilderness boundary and a left fork for Grass Lake. Keep this short, easy hike in mind for your next visit—from here, it’s only 1.0 mile to the edge of lovely Grass Lake, where swimming is a popular pastime. But for now, skip the Grass Lake turnoff and continue straight ahead for another 1.6 miles. A switchbacking ascent is made easier by the trail’s occasional retreat into forest cover. At the next junction, bear left for Susie Lake, passing by a series of small ponds, then left again 0.5 mile later at a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.
Finally at 4.2 miles you’ll reach Susie Lake’s southeast shoreline. An abundance of established backpacking sites are tucked amid groves of whitebark pines and hemlocks. Large, island-dotted Susie Lake would be ideal for an introductory backpacking trip, but it’s also a great place to spend an afternoon, with ample opportunities for swimming, fishing, and napping on the granite boulders that line its shore. Those who prefer to stay out of the high-altitude sun will find plenty of tree-shaded spots.
Susie Lake’s tree-dotted island is framed by the high peaks of Desolation Wilderness.
Once you’ve made it to Susie Lake, it’s a pity not to continue 1 mile farther to even more dramatic Heather Lake, a treeless, granite-bound beauty. The additional ascent is minimal and much of the walk is a lovely stroll around Susie’s southwestern shore. Where the trail reaches Heather Lake, it skirts along its northern edge on a steep, rocky slope.
