How To Go Backpacking To Loch Leven Lakes (California)
Looking for a backpacking trip in the Tahoe National Forest without needing a permit? The Loch Leven Lakes trail is a great backpacking route to see three different lakes with stunning scenery.
In addition to the Sierra Nevada views, we chose this trail because it’s dog-friendly trail and isn’t too long. We visited in late May when there was still snow on the trail – but I just know the lakes would be amazing in summer for swimming, fishing, and camping under the stars.
If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly backpacking trip, the Loch Leven Lakes trail offers a manageable climb with a huge payoff. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your own weekend backpacking trip here.
Not sure what to bring, or don’t want to backpack alone? A guided California backpacking trip takes care of the gear, food, and planning. You just show up, enjoy the trail, and meet new people who love the outdoors.
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Backpacking Route Overview: Loch Leven Lakes Trail
The Loch Leven Lakes Trail is a popular out-and-back route that leads to a series of mirror-like lakes amidst the granite domes and pine forest. If you’re coming from the Bay Area, it would take about 3 hours to get here. It’s also an hour away from Lake Tahoe, so you could easily make this part of a longer trip.
Duration: 2 days, 1 night
Route overview: Loch Leven Lakes Trailhead to Lower, Middle, and High Loch Leven Lakes
Total distance: 7.5 miles (12.1 km) round trip
Total elevation gain: 1,538 ft (469 m)
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Nearest parking spot: Rainbow Bouldering Area near the trailhead, or roadside parking along Hampshire Rocks Road
Where we camped: Middle Loch Leven Lake
Trail map
We mostly planned our route via AllTrails, but also printed out a physical map from this link:
- Forest Service Interactive Topo Map (zoom in and click on the Cisco Grove region for Loch Leven Lakes trail to download map)
- AllTrails map (you can also download it as a GPX file and upload it to your navigation device for future use)
Get AllTrails+ to access offline trail maps
Things you need to know
When you’re arriving at the trailhead, make sure you don’t have any food in your vehicle, and dispose your trash beforehand because there’s no trash service here.
Permits
There are no permits required to backpack and camp at the Loch Leven Lakes. However, camping spots are limited so do be prepared to hike all the way to High Loch Leven Lake for more solitude.
Make sure to apply for a free fire permit – required for using portable stoves and starting a campfire. You can get your California campfire permit online here which will be valid for the year.
Best time to backpack Loch Leven Lakes
I recommend planning a backpacking trip here in late June to early October, when the snow has melted and temperatures are warm enough for swimming.
- July to August: Warm days, ideal for swimming, may still have bugs
- September to October: Fewer bugs, colder nights, fall colors
- May to June: Snow-covered trails and flooded areas make it more challenging, plus the bugs are out
Parts of the trail seem quite steep even when there wasn’t any snow, and the trail is not marked for winter use which can make it hard to navigate. Hence I don’t really recommend backpacking here in winter.
If you’re visiting Tahoe during snow season instead, here’s what Lake Tahoe is like in winter, including winter-friendly activities and where to stay.
Safety tips
Bear safety
There may be bears in the area, so make sure to bring bear canisters to store all your food and scented items while you’re camping. It also helps to prevent other critters from getting to your food. Make sure to never store food inside your tent.
Mosquitos in early summer
Believe it or not – the bugs show up as soon as the snow melts. If you’re heading out in early summer (June to July), bring bug spray or a head net. Alternatively, treat your clothing with permethrin as it kills mosquitoes on contact. We’ve also gone as far as to bring a mosquito repellent device along.
Filter your water
Although the lakes and streams look clean, make sure to bring your water filtration devices. We use the Sawyer Squeeze together with the CNOC roll-top bag and I highly recommend it.
Pack the right gear for the temperature
If you’re planning to backpack in the off-season, make sure to have enough buffer for unexpected weather changes. For example, the weather could get 10 F colder than you expected, so an insulated sleeping pad, at least a 3-season sleeping bag, and a fleece liner would go a long way.
Navigation
Make sure you download your offline maps before going instead of relying on cell service. You’ll also want to bring a portable charger as backup.
Take note that if you’re hiking in early summer, slushy snowpack can give way and post-holing becomes an annoying thing to be careful of. Watch your step and walk on stable parts of the trail to avoid losing your footing especially at a rocky section.
Which Loch Leven Lake to camp at
Most backpackers aim for Middle or High Loch Leven Lake for camping. We chose to set up camp Middle Loch Leven Lake because we were exhausted after trying to avoid water on the trail and trudging through the snowpack. Thankfully we found space easily and didn’t have to continue to the High lake.
- Lower Loch Leven Lake: 2.6 miles in with 990 ft elevation gain
- Middle Loch Leven Lake: 3 miles in with 990 ft elevation gain
- High Loch Leven Lake: 3.7 miles in with 1,066 ft elevation gain
Make sure to camp at least 100 feet from the lakeshore, always pack out your trash, and follow the Leave No Trace guidelines.
Our 2-day Loch Leven Lakes backpacking trip report
Trip dates: late May 2025
We decided to backpack here during Memorial Day weekend since we didn’t manage to find permits in Desolation Wilderness. Since it was still early in the season and the Loch Leven Lakes are at around 6,800 ft elevation, we expected to have some snow on the trail.
When we were there, daytime temperatures hovered around 60 F and at night it went down to 40 F. Even though it wasn’t a difficult route, navigating through the snow and water got us pretty exhausted on both days – but it was so worth it.
Hike to the Transcontinental Railroad
Distance: 1.2 miles
Elevation gain: 280 ft
We arrived at the trailhead after lunch and got parking by the roadside. It was a pretty warm Memorial Day weekend and there were plenty of cars here. However, the trail didn’t seem that crowded and we mostly passed people who were finishing their hike.
The start of the trail was a mix of forested trails and rocky granite climbs, and we passed our first water which was a pond. Shortly after, we crossed a bridge which then revealed the first bit of snow we would encounter on the trail.
I was surprised to see railroad tracks in the middle of the “wilderness”, and later learnt that this is the Transcontinental Railroad. It was built in the 1860s and played a big role in trade and migration – what a cool history lesson.
Climb switchbacks up to Big Bend Overlook
Distance: 1 mile
Elevation gain: 680 ft
We took a break in the shade after the first hour, just before tackling the switch backs that lead to the highest part of the trail – Big Bend Overlook.
As we continued hiking up the trail, we found ourselves slowing down to avoid getting our shoes wet from the wet trails. We stepped on rocks, walked around puddles, and balanced on logs to stay on the trail.
My hiking poles helped with the balancing – but after a while I resigned myself to the fact that my shoes are bound to get wet anyway. I eventually let myself step through the water so I could avoid slipping due to fatigue. That’s also when I knew I needed to train my leg muscles a bit more.
At some point the trails resembled creeks and some parts of the trail were even flooded from the melted snow. I initially thought it was cool to have snow on the trail, but it started to feel annoying as some of the snowpack gave way if we stepped the wrong way.
I guess that’s the reality of hiking in the early summer season, but the tradeoff is that you get snow-capped mountain views.
Arrive at Middle Loch Leven Lake
Distance: 1 mile
Elevation gain: flat-ish
The rest of the trail was meant to have minimal elevation gain, but once again navigating through the snow was quite the workout. It was also obvious that the trail had been unmaintained for a while as there were lots of fallen trees we had to go around.
It did not feel like just 1 mile when we were there, but were so happy to finally see the Lower Loch Leven Lake. We stopped to take some pictures before moving on to the Middle Lake as we were eager to set up camp.
The rest of the trail was mostly downhill, and we passed a few groups who had already settled into their camping spots at the Middle Loch Leven Lake. It’s the largest of the three lakes so we had no problem finding enough flat ground for our group of 6.
I initially felt uneasy about our campsite being so close to the trail we came from, but relaxed after a while as nobody else came up after us. We enjoyed dinner during golden hour and went to bed shortly after sunset.
Morning side trip to High Loch Leven Lake
Distance: 1.5 mile round trip
Elevation gain: 80 ft
Similar to the previous day, this trail would have been easy in summer – but tricky when it’s covered in snow. Nonetheless, we decided to check out the High Loch Leven Lake to see what the hype was about.
This part of the trail was even more unmaintained and we saw fewer footprints in the snow here. There were plenty of sections where we had to step through trees and overgrown areas, and I think I lost my sunglasses here as it probably got caught on something.
When we got to the High Loch Leven Lake, we didn’t continue along the lake because the water level was high enough that it submerged the trail. However the view from the tip of the lake was still very cool.
Pack up camp and hike out
Finally, we left our camp in the late morning and took 3 hours to hike back out. I already knew it wasn’t worth trying so hard to keep my waterproof boots dry, and it was this trip that convinced me that what I really needed were quick-drying trail runners.
We saw the train at the railway tracks on the way back because we took a break before the crossing. I could feel my legs being so sore at the end of the hike, but it was a great trip to kickstart the summer backpacking season.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a beginner to intermediate backpacking trip in the mountains that doesn’t require a permit, the Loch Leven Lakes trail is a great option. My favorite part about this adventure was waking up to a half frozen lake that was so still and mirror-like, except for when ducks came out to the lake.
Don’t forget to treat your clothing with permethrin, bring a water filter, and download your offline maps. For more ideas on things to do near Lake Tahoe in summer, check out this article. Happy adventuring!
