robert stone
11-30-2001, 07:34 PM
<FONT COLOR="Yellow"><FONT size="2">Sierra Nevada Trails
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1) Bowman Lake Loop
Location: Nevada County, north of Yuba Pass on interstate 80 and U.S. 20
Highlights: Canyons, lakes, old town site and cemetery
Difficulty: Easy
Time and Distance: 2 days. But there's so much to see and do that I recommend it for a 3-day weekend, so bring your camping gear. (About 90 miles with optional side trips.) Bring water, and a filter for getting more.
Getting There: About 3.7 miles west of where US 20 and I-80 intersect at Yuba Pass, turn north from US 20 toward Bowman Lake on Forest Road 18, west of Lake Spalding.
2) Barker Pass Loop
Location: West of Lake Tahoe's McKinney Bay.
Highlights: Lakes, Waterfowl, mountain vistas
Difficulty: The first 6.5 miles or so are rough. I'll rate that leg moderate. Then it improves to an easy rating.
Time and Distance: About an hour and 4.8 miles from Tahoma to pretty Miller Lake. Entire Loop is about 30 miles and at least 3 hours. Add an hour or so if you explore spurs, picnic, etc.
Getting There: Turn southwest off Highway 89 at Tahoma onto McKinney-Rubicon Springs Road. A quarter -mile later, go left at the fork, following the sign on the tree. Continue following the signs to a stop sign. Go straight across the road. You'll see a sign saying Miller Lake, 4 miles. There's an off-highway vehicle staging area a short distance farther. Set your odometer to 0 there.
3) Indian Valley
Location: Alpine County, south of state Highway 88 and about 10 miles straight southeast of Carson Pass
Highlights: Pretty lakes and meadows, high craggy peaks, stream crossings. Difficulty: Easy, with a moderate spot or two.
Time and Distance: About 3 hours and 38 miles round trip from Highway 88. Not a loop.
Getting There: 4 miles east of Red Lake on Highway 88, turn south on the paved road to Blue Lakes. About 7 miles later the road will become fairly rough but easy gravel and rock. At about 9.4 miles from the highway turn left at the sign to Tamarack Lake and Wet Meadow on Forest Road 097.
4) Caples Lake Overlook
Location: El Dorado & Alpine counties; north of Caples Lake and Highway 88, and about 16 miles due south of Lake Tahoe
Highlights: A mix of pastoral and high Sierra scenes
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, with a stream crossing I'll rate moderate.
Time and Distance: 4 hours and 7.5 miles round trip. This is not a loop.
Getting There: About 0.7 mile east of the Caples Lake dam, turn north from Highway 88 onto paved Schneider Cow Camp Road and set your odometer to 0.</FONT s></FONT c>
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1) Bowman Lake Loop
Location: Nevada County, north of Yuba Pass on interstate 80 and U.S. 20
Highlights: Canyons, lakes, old town site and cemetery
Difficulty: Easy
Time and Distance: 2 days. But there's so much to see and do that I recommend it for a 3-day weekend, so bring your camping gear. (About 90 miles with optional side trips.) Bring water, and a filter for getting more.
Getting There: About 3.7 miles west of where US 20 and I-80 intersect at Yuba Pass, turn north from US 20 toward Bowman Lake on Forest Road 18, west of Lake Spalding.
2) Barker Pass Loop
Location: West of Lake Tahoe's McKinney Bay.
Highlights: Lakes, Waterfowl, mountain vistas
Difficulty: The first 6.5 miles or so are rough. I'll rate that leg moderate. Then it improves to an easy rating.
Time and Distance: About an hour and 4.8 miles from Tahoma to pretty Miller Lake. Entire Loop is about 30 miles and at least 3 hours. Add an hour or so if you explore spurs, picnic, etc.
Getting There: Turn southwest off Highway 89 at Tahoma onto McKinney-Rubicon Springs Road. A quarter -mile later, go left at the fork, following the sign on the tree. Continue following the signs to a stop sign. Go straight across the road. You'll see a sign saying Miller Lake, 4 miles. There's an off-highway vehicle staging area a short distance farther. Set your odometer to 0 there.
3) Indian Valley
Location: Alpine County, south of state Highway 88 and about 10 miles straight southeast of Carson Pass
Highlights: Pretty lakes and meadows, high craggy peaks, stream crossings. Difficulty: Easy, with a moderate spot or two.
Time and Distance: About 3 hours and 38 miles round trip from Highway 88. Not a loop.
Getting There: 4 miles east of Red Lake on Highway 88, turn south on the paved road to Blue Lakes. About 7 miles later the road will become fairly rough but easy gravel and rock. At about 9.4 miles from the highway turn left at the sign to Tamarack Lake and Wet Meadow on Forest Road 097.
4) Caples Lake Overlook
Location: El Dorado & Alpine counties; north of Caples Lake and Highway 88, and about 16 miles due south of Lake Tahoe
Highlights: A mix of pastoral and high Sierra scenes
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, with a stream crossing I'll rate moderate.
Time and Distance: 4 hours and 7.5 miles round trip. This is not a loop.
Getting There: About 0.7 mile east of the Caples Lake dam, turn north from Highway 88 onto paved Schneider Cow Camp Road and set your odometer to 0.</FONT s></FONT c>