Five Lakes Trail is a 4.7 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Alpine Medows, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until November. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.
dog friendly
kid friendly
birding
hiking
nature trips
snowshoeing
trail running
walking
horseback riding
forest
lake
river
views
wild flowers
wildlife
blowdown
muddy
rocky
snow
Nestled in the foothills of the Granite Chief Wilderness peaks just north of Lake Tahoe, the Five Lakes promise dramatic yet tranquil surroundings, a place to relax, fish, or swim. Best visited after the snow has retreated in the summer, the Five Lakes Trail is one of the easiest and most accessible hikes in the Granite Chief Wilderness so you're unlikely to have this trail to yourself. Don't be disheartened if the trail is busy however, as the lakes themselves allow for plenty of chances for quiet and solitude. Great views, beautiful wildflowers, and plenty of room for exploration. It's like a playground but better. Stretching is encouraged since almost all of the elevation gain is accrued during the first mile or so of the hike. Once at the lakes, you can take it easy, swim, eat, and lay out, or you can continue on and hike around the ski resort, or head west or south and hit up the PCT and other trails.
A good chunk of the elevation is done in the first mile or so. The views after that are breathtaking. The lake was fairly warm (end of August) and great to swim in. Highly recommended!
A great hike! We got to the top with the lakes in 1 hour, then swam in the largest lake for 30 minutes, then ran down in 30 minutes.
Very moderate hike. Up in 45 minutes. Beautiful area. Swim in lake was perfect!
Just did it today- about 1 hour 15 min up with my 12 year old son at a moderate walking pace.. Can get down in about half the time but it is slippery so poles could help here. Amazing views of Alpine, interesting trees along the way, and of course the Lakes for dogs to cool off!
This trail kicked my butt. It was definitely worth it tho. It took about 2.5 hours to get to the lakes because I took my time going up. Spent about an hour or so at the lakes and then took about an hour to walk down. Loved the views. The lake wasn't too cold and allowed my friend and I to go swimming. Would definitely do this hike again. Super dog friendly as there were dogs everywhere on the trail.
The beginning part of the trail had lots of clouds which made for a nice shady cool start with that moderate incline. There were tons of friendly dogs happily hiking off leash and my two dogs thoroughly enjoyed greeting each one along the way. The Five Lakes are beautiful. I would recommend walking around the lakes once you get there and find your own private spot away from crowds. The water is a perfect temperature for swimming for dogs and humans alike. Parking is along the road and for a busy day there was plenty of space to park.
Beautiful hike. A bit scary getting down. We got caught in a hail, lightning and thunder storm. Made it down safely and the upside is we got to see some waterfalls on the way down.
Tip: look at the weather before doing a mountain hike.