Tahoe to Yosemite or Mount Whitney

Here at the Meeks Bay Trailhead we begin our 470 mile Tahoe to Whitney trail guide by following the 181 mile Tahoe to Yosemite Trail out of its Meeks Bay Trailhead to Tuolumne Meadows.

The Pacific Crest Trail

11 miles South of here at Velma Lakes our Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route intersects with the Pacific Crest Trail. From Velma Lakes the trail guide follows both the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trail routes South to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite.

Points far South

From Tuolumne Meadows we will track the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail routes down and finally out of the Southern Sierra through the Mount Whitney Portal.

Plan of Attack

We have three pages dedicated to the Meeks Bay Trailhead of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. This is the first, concerned with finding Meeks Bay Trailhead, the next page deals with resources near Meeks Bay, the roads that bring you there, and trailhead information. The third page deals with the trip itself, your internal and external preparations, your Hiking Plan, and the distances between resupply points down to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite.

Then we hit the trail.

This Page

Finding Meeks Bay Road Map

Finding Meeks Bay Video

Book: Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Next Page

Meek Bay Trailhead Resources

Roads to Meeks Bay Trailhead

Trailhead Information

Meeks Bay Discussion

Third Page

Preliminary Issues: External and Internal

South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail out of Meeks Bay

Maps, Miles, Elevations to Yosemite

Meeks Bay Trail Head

Meeks Bay is the trail head for the Classic 181 mile Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

This page locates the trail head and will give you information about the trail, the trailhead, and nearby resources.

Subsequent trail guide pages will bring you down the Tahoe to Yosemite trail into the heart of the Desolation Wilderness with links to maps, mileages, elevations, and your fine commentary.

The Meeks Bay Resort and Marina sit a hundred yards N of the Meeks Bay Trailhead.

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

The Tahoe to Yosemite trail ends 181 miles South at Tuolumne Meadows on its route along the Western Flank of the Sierras.

You may also follow the Pacific Crest Trail to Tuolumne Meadows, which measures out at 173 miles.

This trail guide follows both routes to Tuolumne Meadows.

See the Desolation Trail page for more information.

The trail guide pages move North and South down the Successive Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails. Besides the trail guide pages the maps and miles pages can be used to index the trails and bring you directly to many points along the trail.

The map allow greater flexibility. Each map has dots that link to the trail guide page for that position.

The miles and elevations pages are the same, with each location linked to that specific trail guide page.

As you head South down the trail these Map and Mileage indexes allow you to easily check out specific locations on the trail while quickly moving from trail section to trail section.

Meeks Bay

Short Trips

Meeks Bay is more than just the trail head for the Classic Tahoe to Yosemite backpacking trip; it also stands on its own as a excellent trail head into the remarkable beauties of the Desolation Wilderness.

Meeks Bay is an excellent trail head for short day hikes or short backpacking trips and loops.

An excellent longer trip option from Meeks Bay would carry you across the 30.71 mile length of the Desolation Wilderness to Echo Lake.

Check out the miles & elevations page for more information on hiking this section of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through the Desolation Wilderness.

Between Meeks Bay and Echo Lake many side trails cut into the main Tahoe to Yosemite-Pacific Crest Trail route. You can use these trail heads to craft hiking and backpacking loops around the Desolation Wilderness.

Check out these maps covering the trails from Meeks Bay to Echo Lake for more ideas for trips, as well as our guide of the main trails.

The National Forest Fire Station 75 yards North of the Meeks Bay Trailhead.

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

We will join with the routes of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail 11.5 miles South of Meeks Bay near the Velma Lakes.

All three of these trails run South together along the length of the Desolation Wilderness, and cross Highway 50 together, into the Meiss Country Roadless Area.

At Meiss Cabin the Tahoe Rim Trail turns Northeast to follow the Carson Range along Lake Tahoe's Eastern Shore, while the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails continue South depart the Tahoe Basin at the Carson Gap

At the Carson Gap the Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest trails part. We can either follow the Pacific Crest Trail to the Southeast, or the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail towards the Southwest.

Discussion on routes

Route Discussion II, leave comments too.

Comments

Meeks Bay Trail Head

Desolation Wilderness is one of the most popular Wilderness areas in the United States.

Thus obtaining permits early is very important.

If you show up at the seasonal permit cabin on a mid-Summer weekend, the chances are you will not get the permit you desire.

Desolation has strict restrictions on the number of permits issued.

Therefore it is important that you contact the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit so that you can reserve your permits before your trip date.

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Permits

Permits for the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail are obtained from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.

It should be no problem getting a permit for the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Sandy_Nevada, a friend of mine, researched the issue in February of 2011 for an upcoming movie she is planning about hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

Sandy was told by the LTBMU that they issue less than 10 Tahoe to Yosemite permits a season. Cool!

Thanks Sandy!

Restrictions getting into Desolation caused by too many backpackers may delay the start of your Tahoe to Yosemite hike at the trailhead if you do not reserve your Tahoe to Yosemite Trail permit early.

next page, The Meeks Bay trailhead #2:

More location information and Resources at Meeks Bay (none...).

Next subsequent page: Heading Down the Desolation Trail on the TYT