Top Trails: Lake Tahoe. Mike White

low brick pillars, a few rock enclosures, and a metal army box holding the summit register. A short walk to the southern lip of the summit area reveals the shimmering surface of White Rock Lake, a mere 1.25 miles southwest of Mount Lola.

      White Rock Lake from Mount Lola

       Lake

To reach White Rock Lake, weave your way down the trail on the southwest ridge of the volcanic mountain amid low-growing shrubs, scattered wildflowers, and a few stunted pines farther down the ridge. After a couple of switchbacks, you make a descending traverse across the head of a canyon, through scattered western white pines, mountain hemlocks, and firs. Briefly descend the cleft of a seasonal drainage until the trail merges with a steep, rocky old road that leads you down to a junction east of the lake. The left-hand branch leads across the seasonal inlet to pleasant campsites along the stream bank. Veer to the right and follow the road past a large meadow to the east shore of White Rock Lake, 3 where shady conifers line the shoreline and dramatic rock cliffs provide a rugged backdrop. Several decent campsites are spread around the lakeshore.

       MILESTONES

1 0.0

      Start at trailhead

2 5.2

      Summit of Mount Lola

3 7.2

      White Rock Lake

      TRAIL 2 NORTH TAHOE

      Sagehen Creek

      TRAIL USE

      Hike, Run, Bike, Horses, Dogs Allowed, Child Friendly

      LENGTH

      5.0 miles, 2 hours

      VERTICAL FEET

      ±225

      DIFFICULTY

      – 1 2 3 4 5 +

      TRAIL TYPE

      Out-and-back

      SURFACE TYPE

      Dirt

      FEATURES

      Canyon

      Stream

      Autumn Colors

      Wildflowers

      Birds

      Wildlife

      Photo Opportunity

      FACILITIES

      None

      Wildflower season reaches a dramatic crescendo in early summer along Sagehen Creek, where a short, easy trail provides access for young and old alike. Those who hike all the way to the end of the trail will have the bonus of a nice view of Stampede Reservoir.

      Best Time

      June is the best time to view the extensive fields of wildflowers along the creek and to see Stampede Reservoir without a bathtub ring. Mid-October is when aspens and shrubs are ablaze with fall colors.

      Finding the Trail

      From I-80 near the town of Truckee, travel north on CA 89 for 6.8 miles to a dirt parking area on the right, just past a highway bridge over Sagehen Creek.

      Logistics

      Though the trailhead is unmarked, the start of the well-worn trail is easy to locate.

      Trail Description

       Wildflowers

1 Head downstream on the north side of Sagehen Creek along the edge of a mixed forest of lodgepole pines, Jeffrey pines, white firs, incense cedars, and junipers. Lush riparian vegetation fills the creek bottom to your right, along with a wide variety of wildflowers, including lupine, aster, paintbrush, mule-ears, corn lily, senecio, penstemon, and buttercup. Wild rosebushes alongside the trail provide delicate pink blossoms and a sweet fragrance in midsummer. Meadowlands farther downstream beckon skilled botanists and curious youngsters alike to wander off the trail and explore the lush surroundings.

      Eastern Sierra meadows along Sagehen Creek

      The short, easy trail along Sagehen Creek provides access to one of the finest wildflower displays in the greater Tahoe area.

       Stream

Eventually, the trail veers to the northeast and moves a little farther away from the creek. You stroll through a forest of mostly lodgepole pines, where, in early summer, a bounty of mule-ears carpets the slopes with a stunning display of yellow that stretches for quite a distance. Careful observation of the hillside above reveals that this area has seen past logging and at least one forest fire. Two miles from the trailhead you traverse a grassy clearing, cross a small rivulet, and emerge into a broad meadow filled with sagebrush and grasses that borders the southeast arm of Stampede Reservoir. The trail follows a raised finger of ground above the sometimes-boggy meadow to a small copse of pines, where an old timber beam provides a way across the main channel of Sagehen Creek. The trail continues alongside the creek for a short distance before disappearing for good in the meadowland. Rimmed by pine-dotted hills, the sapphire blue waters of Stampede Reservoir stretch out in front of you. 2

       MILESTONES

1 0.0

      Start at trailhead

2 2.5

      Stampede Reservoir

      TRAIL 3 NORTH TAHOE