Mt. Tallac is arguably the premier hiking trail in the entire Lake Tahoe area. Despite the strenuous nature of the trek and all the online reviews boasting of the spectacular views, wildflowers, and rugged mountains, we need to find out if this marvel was worth the effort or not.
And what did we find?
Every step it takes to summit this magnificent mountain is worth the exertion. We’ll be back to tackle this beauty again one day.
Our Thoughts on Mt Tallac
What we liked:
- The magnificent panoramic views along trail, especially at the summit.
- A variety of stunning plant life and flowers are found throughout the trail.
- The abundance of cute little critters greeting us on our journey (squirrels, pheasants and those little marmots at the summit).
What we will remember the most:
- The un-prepared hikers on the trail. First, Starbucks girl, whom was walking in sandals and holding a starbucks cup. No other gear to be seen. Second, the couple that gave up on the final boulder climb right before a mellowed out meadow and the summit not far off.
- The relentless uphill rockfall climbs and lack of shade when you’re just a bit out of shape after working at a desk job.
What we didn’t like:
- The long and exposed rock falls were difficult to walk up, especially with the relentless sun.
- Your quads are going to burn on the way up.
- The trail isn’t for beginners, despite the unprepared we hikers we saw that day.
- The official trailhead is small. You may end up adding a substantial amount of mileage to your trek if you arrive after the parking is full.
What the Mt Tallac Trail is Like (Our Experience)
We arrived at the trailhead early to snag a spot in the extremely small parking lot. We saw a lot of cars get creative with parking if they were too late for an official spot. Our best advice is to arrive early.
Before leaving the trailhead, be sure to sign up for a free hiking permit. It is required to be in the wilderness area.
The first few miles of the trail start out gently through lush forest and feature tantalizing views of Lake Tahoe from the lower elevation. This part of the trail is extremely well marked and easy to traverse.
After around 2.5 miles, you’ll reach Cathedral Lake.
Cathedral Lake is what we consider the last of the “easy” parts of the trail. It marks the exit from the tree line and the start of the upward climb to the summit.
You can see the beginning of the type of terrain the trail turns into. Large swaths of fully exposed rock fields that turn into a long upward slog to reach the summit.
After you pass through the exposed rock field and make it up to the back side of Tallac, you’ll think you’ve made it. “False” summits are probably the most frustrating part of hiking and Tallac does not disappoint in this arena.
The good news is that on Tallac, once you’ve conquered the rock fields, you’ve done the tough work. You’re rewarded with a meandering (and far easier) final push to the summit through some lush meadows.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be greeted with some wild pheasants to help you on your way.
Views from the Mt. Tallac summit
After the long hike, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts. Enjoy a full 360-degree view of mountains, lakes and the vast wilderness in the valleys below.
The trail was tough, but worth it. If you’re ready to go, here are some logistics to help you on the day of.
Logistics (the boring stuff)
Mount Tallac Trail Stats
| Round Trip Mileage | ~10.0 Miles |
| Location | Mt Tallac, California 96150 |
| Parking Lot | South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 |
| Elevation Gain | ~3,330 feet |
| Elevation at Summit | 9,735 feet |
| Average Time | 5 to 8 hours |
| Difficulty | Strenuous |
| Entrance Fees | Wilderness Permit Required (free and available at the trail head) |
| Best time to visit | May until October (outside of the snow season) |
| Our Hike Time | 3 Hours 45 minutes to hike up and 2 Hours 30 minutes to hike back down. |
Interactive Trail Map
Check out the trail route below and a few points of interest along the trail. If you can’t see the map, it is viewable directly on google maps here.
What to bring on the Mt. Tallac Hike
Be sure to check the weather conditions and pack appropriately. This is what we brought for this hike:
Standard Gear:
- The 10 Essentials. These are a must for us on every hike.
Special Items of note:
- Clothing – Be sure to bring appropriate clothing for rapidly changing conditions. Weather can change extremely fast in the mountains.
- Water / Snacks – There is no running water available at the trailhead. Bring plenty of water and extra snacks.
- Navigation – We use Alltrails (no affiliation) on all our hikes. We didn’t need it for this hike, but you should always have a form of navigation on any hike you take. We also saw a few complaints online that some hikers felt it wasn’t obvious in some spots.
- Footwear – We recommend hiking boots or trail shoes for this trail. Especially for the uneven rock-fall areas along the trail.
The day we hiked, we saw a gal casually walking up the trail with a Starbucks coffee in her hand, inappropriate footwear and no water or snacks in sight. She clearly had no pockets with a secret stash of supplies.
Maybe the joke was on us as we saw her on the summit.
That might be OK for a casual short hike, but on a 10-mile-high elevation hike, extra water, food and supplies is the right way to go.
You’ll also save yourself from being that couple that decided it was time to turn around after attempting to cross the final uphill boulder field in the relenting sun with no shade in sight. Sadly, they turned around right before the lush meadows on the ridge line. They were tantalizingly close.
Don’t be like Starbucks girl, go prepared with the ten essentials (and sure, bring a coffee for the trail). ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What type of wildlife is on the Mount Tallac trail?
Keeps your eyes out all along the trail for various critters. We saw marmots (they were quite camera shy), squirrels, birds, and of course pheasants.
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