Your point of departure from the Tahoe Basin Southbound is through the Carson Gap. The Carson Gap is the low point in the ring of mountains marking the Southern extent of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The Carson Gap is a mile and a third North of Carson Pass along the Pacific Crest Trail route.

South from the Carson Gap towards the Carson Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail you will pass two unmarked trail junctions. These junctions track Southwest, to your right, and both head down to the same place on Highway 88. You can use either of these unmarked trails to link up with the Tahoe To Yosemite Trail Route to Round Top Lake via Woods Lake.

The first junction is just South of the Carson Gap, and heads straight down from the Carson Gap to Highway 88 by the most direct route possible. The second junction is at the bottom of the steep part of your descent South out of the Carson Gap, at the point you stop steeply descending. This is where the PCT turns East to pass around the last shoulder coming off of Red Lake Peak that separates this position from the Northbound Carson Pass Trailhead.

Continuing South on the PCT for a mile past the second of these two unmarked junctions, you will pass into the parking lot and trailhead for Northbound Hikers on the PCT out of Carson Pass.

This area also serves as an overflow parking lot for Carson Pass. The Carson Pass, the Carson Pass Cabin, and the Southbound trailhead for the Pacific Crest Trail sits about 200 yards further South on the South side of Highway 88.

The Northbound Carson Pass trailhead sits on the North side of Highway 88, about 200 yards to the Northwest of the Carson Pass Cabin and Monument.

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The Carson Pass for Southbound Hikers

As you have already walked the 1.39 miles South from the Carson Gap to the Carson Pass, you have most likely decided to head South on the Pacific Crest Trail towards Ebbetts Pass, rather than following the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to Lake Alpine.

As indicated on the Carson Gap trail guide page, Southbound hikers on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail do not have to pass through Carson Pass. The first and second trail junctions for the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail are just a short distance South of the Carson Gap.

But you still can hike down to the Carson Pass and turn West to connect with the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail at the Winnemucca Lake Junction, which sits a mile South of Carson Pass. The Winemucca Lake Junction is almost your last chance to make your way South along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

I say almost your last chance, because if you really wanted to expand your Tahoe to Yosemite Trail mileage, you could continue South on the PCT to the trail junction in the Forestdale Divide, then head Southwest down to Summit City Creek to pick up the TY route there. (Map: see the Right Side of the map where trails to Summit City Creek come down from Foresdale Divide.)

Check the Carson Pass Region Map, the route discussion on the Carson Gap page, the discussion of route options on the Tahoe to Whitney Forum, and trail guide index pages for discussions and details necessary to consider and balance all your Southbound trail route options out of the Carson Gap.

I suggest that you explore both routes over time.

Carson Pass Elevation: 8600 feet

Mileage: 0 point for measurement South to Ebbetts Pass.

Check the miles and elevations index for distances North and South on both trails.

Northbound Hiker Resupply Options at Carson Pass:

More Travel

There are no services at Carson Pass, but if you are really short of food you can easily hitch a ride from here into the Tahoe Basin and the full backpacker services available at South Lake Tahoe. If you are really short on food and want to continue North to your resupply point at the Echo Lake Chalet, I'm sure you can bum some food from the typically overpacked backpackers who frequent the CPMA. This is almost always an option. Inexperienced backpackers generally carry much more food than they can possibly eat during their trips.

That fact has saved my fat ass more than a few times over the last few decades.

Or, you can continue the 12 miles further North to Echo Summit, where Highway 50 crosses the trail almost within view of South Lake Tahoe, to make the short hitch down to South Lake Tahoe to resupply from Echo Summit. Many long distance Pacific Crest Trail backpackers plan an extended rest and resupply session at South Lake Tahoe. It's also a good place to meet up with the boy-or-girlfriend (wife or husband) for a couple of days...

You can also continue to hike two more miles North from Echo Summit to pick up your resupply package at the Echo Lake Chalet. Your use of any of these options depends on your plans, and how they work out.

The closest exit point hiking to "civilization" from Carson Pass is the South Upper Truckee trail head in Meyers, at 8.42 miles South of Carson Pass. The trailhead is at the end of the South Upper Truckee Road, which will require about a 2 mile hike out to Portal Road and Highway 89, where you can easily hitch a ride into Meyers and on to South Lake Tahoe. Let's get back to Carson Pass.

To Hitch out of Carson Pass

You hitch East for 8.6 miles on the twisting, descending Highway 88, to the well marked Junction with Highway 89. Turn Left at this junction to follow Highway 89 eleven miles North over Luther Pass, which marks your entry into the Lake Tahoe Basin, to the junction between Highways 89 & 50 at Meyers. Located on the North side of Highway 50 just East of the Highway 50 & 89 junction is the Meyers Downtown Cafe. These people are great, and have great food for reasonable prices. I've been ending Winter trips here for quite some time.

From the junction of Highway 89 and 50 in Meyers it is 4.7 miles East on the combined Highways 89 & 50 to the "Tahoe Y," where motel row, full service grocery stores, resturants and liquor stores are located.

Highway 50 turns East at the "Tahoe Y" to follow the South Shore of Lake Tahoe to the California-Nevada stateline, while Highway 89 heads North along the West Shore of Lake Tahoe to connect with Highway 80 on the North side of Lake Tahoe.

There is a row of hotels just West of the Tahoe Y. I suggest the High Country Lodge, which can be viewed on the South Lake Tahoe Resources page along with more information, maps, and a basic list of the extensive services available at South Lake Tahoe. All of these services, including the local Blue-Go bus service are within easy walking distance from the High Country Lodge.

Check out this google map showing you these locations, and many more backpacker resources in the South Lake Tahoe region.

Walking to South Lake Tahoe to Resupply Yourself: South Upper Truckee

If you want to walk into the Tahoe Basin to rest and resupply at South Lake Tahoe, you can easily do this.

After passing Northbound through the Carson Gap and hiking into Meiss Meadow, take a Right, to your North, at the Round Lake trail junction at Meiss Cabin. Head down mountain for six miles to reach the South Upper Truckee Trailhead in Meyers. The South Upper Truckee Trailhead is 8.42 miles North of Carson Pass.

From the South Upper Truckee trail head I would try to hit up a local for a ride to South Lake Tahoe, or at least out to Highway 50 in Meyers. The South Upper Truckee trail head is well-used by local hikers, joggers, bikers, and even the local kids come out to hang out here. But you may have to walk a couple of miles to the junction of Portal Road and Highway 89 where hitching backpackers can easily get a ride from other sportsmen returning from Carson Pass, Kirkwood, or the Eastern Sierra.

The Echo Summit to Carson Gap Map lays out the position of the South Upper Truckee trailhead in relation to nearby streets. I highly suggest that you follow the road to the West, rather than the unmaintained section of road that climbs up to Highway 89. You will have better chances of getting rides following the maintained road out through the housing, rather than the unmaintained road up the highway.

These Tahoe Basin trailheads, when used to access the trails out of the Tahoe Basin to Round Top and the Carson Pass, can be crafted into many fine short or medium length backpacking loops around the Southeast of the Tahoe Basin to Carson Pass and back.

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The Carson Pass on Highway 88

After making the Southbound descent down from the Carson Gap, passing the two unmarked junctions to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail via Woods Lake, and continuing down the Pacific Crest Trail for a bit over a mile, you will encounter the Northbound PCT trailhead, parking lot, and bathroom, as seen in the video clip at the top of this page.

A couple of hundred yards further South sits the Carson Pass proper, where the Southbound Carson Pass's Pacific Crest Trail trailhead is located.

The trailhead continuing South on the Pacific Crest Trail is located on the West side of the Carson Cabin.

The Carson Pass Management Area

Carson Pass is a busy trailhead, not so much for the considerable Pacific Crest Trail traffic that passes North through here every year, but because the Carson Pass Management Area is a year-round local's favorite for hiking, cross-country skiing, and short backpacking trips.

This heavy usage stimulated the Forest Service to form the Carson Pass Management Area, create designated campsites within its bounds, and require all backpackers using this area to obtain permits at the Carson Pass Cabin for a specific camping locations in the CPMA. There is an exception to this strict policy for through backpackers hiking in from other permitting authorities.

Detail of Carson Pass Management Area Map

	The Yellow line marks the boundary of the Carson Pass Management Area.
	The Green line marks the boundary of the Mokelumne Wilderness.

Through hikers may camp in the CPMU if their permit specifies that they are spending a night at a named location within the CPMU. I almost always specify a night at "Round Top Lake" when my hiking plans put me anywhere near the CPMA.

The Tiny Extent of the CPMU

The yellow line on the map above defines the Carson Pass Management Area, which is bound by these signs:

The green line marks the boundary of the Mokelumne Wilderness.

What this means to Long Distance Backpackers

South and Northbound backpackers on the Pacific Crest Trail do not have to worry too much about the camping restrictions at the Carson Pass Management Area, as the PCT route just scrapes the Eastern edge of the CPMA. Most Pacific Crest Trail Hikers are just passing through a corner of the Carson Pass Management Area on their way to campsites to the North or South.

On the other hand, (or foot!) the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route passes right through the heart of the Carson Pass Management Area.

When my long-distance hiking plan calls for me to spend a night in the Carson Pass Management Authority, I always have the authority issuing my permit (which is almost always the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit) to specifically note Round Top Lake or 4th of July Lake as one of my specific nightly campsite locations.

As all wilderness management authorities and National Forests must honor long distance permits issued by another National Forest or management authority, as long as the permit names the location you plan on camping. When your long distance backpacking trip crosses "special zones," such as the Carson Pass Management Unit, naming your campsites is very important.

If you have not named a campsite in the Carson Pass Management Authority on your permit, or are beginning a trip at Carson Pass, you must get a permit for camping in the CPMA at the Carson Pass Cabin.

If you pass through the Carson Pass Management Area on a weekend during the Summer season, the chances are good that there will not be any more permits available.

This is a busy place, so do plan ahead.

Nearby Campsites

NORTH

To the North of Carson Pass there are campsites in Meiss Meadow just South of Meiss Cabin (Less than 3 miles North of Carson Pass), at Meiss Lake just a short distance N of Meiss Cabin, and excellent sites a few miles North of Meiss Cabin at Showers Lake (Less than 5 miles North of Carson Pass. Oh, and there is a nice place to camp on the way South to Meiss Meadow coming down from the Carson Gap. Look to your left about three-quarters of the way down to the Meadow from the Gap. You will see a nice site protected by trees sitting above the creek.

Echo Summit to Carson Gap Map

Note: Click the Colored Dots on the Maps!

SOUTH

To the South of Carson Pass there are good campsites at Lost Lakes (7 miles South of Carson Pass) and Tamarack Lake (11.5 miles South of Carson Pass). The series of lakes between Tamarack Lake and Wet Meadows Reservoir have many nice campsites.

Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass Map

Note: Click the Colored Dots on the Maps!

Local Backpacking Trips

You can start many excellent long and short distance backpacking trips out of the Carson Pass Management Area.

To the North of Carson Pass the Pacific Crest Trail tracks across the Carson Gap into Meiss Meadow, and continues on to Echo Summit via Showers Lake.

From Meiss Meadow one can choose to follow the Round Lake trail down past Round Lake to the South Upper Truckee Road in Meyers, or branch off at the Big Meadow trail junction to follow this part of the Tahoe Rim Trail through Meiss Country to exit at the Big Meadow trailhead on Highway 89 sitting to the North of Luther Pass.

To the Southwest of Carson Pass sits the jewel of the CPMA, Round Top and The Sisters, with Round Top lake nestled under the ridge arms of the massif's crestline.

In recent years the heavy use of this beautiful area caused the CPMA to be formed. They laid out a limited number of campsites and restricted the number of camping permits issued. I hiked through here many times before I took note of the CPMA, paid attention to its designated campsites, and finally visited the Carson Pass Cabin to take offical note of the many changes in permit policy the establishment of the CPMA ushered in.

Through hikers who wish to stay here must name any campsite location in the CPMA on their permit.

Round Top Lake frozen in late Winter

From Round Top Lake one can follow the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail around the mountain's Southwestern shoulder, shown above, to drop down to the Summit City Creek via Fourth of July Lake. Fourth of July Lake sits in a small ledge wedged on the flank of the mountain above Summit City Creek.

Route options within Route Options

From the trail junction in Summit City Creek one can turn Right, or Southwest, to follow the unmaintained sections of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail towards Lake Alpine, or turn Left, and pass by the magnificent Devils Corral on your way to camp at Lost Lakes via Upper Blue Lake. From there you can head back to the Carson Pass via Forestdale Divide. A nice little loop.

This route is good for a fine two or three day backpacking loop circling Round Top and the Sisters from Carson Pass. Or you can hook up with the Pacific Crest Trail and hike South to Ebbetts Pass.

Through Hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail

As mentioned above, there are excellent campsites both to the North and South of the Carson Pass Management Area on the Pacific Crest Trail.

7.5 minute hiking topo Map: Carson Pass to Lost Lakes

30 min hiking topo Map: Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass

Note: Click the Colored Dots on the Maps!

Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass Miles and Elevations

South on the PCT: Carson Pass to Forestdale Divide

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Section: Carson Pass to Ebbetts Pass

Location: Carson Pass