Star Lake Trail via High Meadows Trail is a 13.6 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near South Lake Tahoe, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.
dog friendly
backpacking
camping
fishing
hiking
horseback riding
mountain biking
nature trips
rock climbing
snowshoeing
walking
bird watching
running
forest
lake
river
views
wild flowers
wildlife
HIKERS: do not use the jeep trail - use the cold creek trail instead (you can see it on the map). It adds an extra mile each way but it is worth it!
I did hike from Coldcreek,to High Meadows,then onto Star lake,three days to nights,and a nice hike up to Freels Peak
The trail starts out on a gravel fire road but after about 3 miles turns into a beautiful hiking trail that leads to a gorgeous mountain lake. I would rate it a bit more difficult than the app indicates.
Ken Goudey recorded Recording - Jul 28, 12:14 PM
Star Lake is beautiful in July. Worth the climb, which shouldn't be underestimated, particularly when you factor in the elevation. The Jeep trail is straight up and unkind for the first half of the hike. Once on the Star Lake Trail, the route pays much higher dividends. Several water opportunities along the way. Lots of mountain bikes and dogs.
Very nice, but challenging long day hike. We started from the lower parking lot and the AllTrails app recorded 15.2 miles round trip. The trail is easy to follow, but not a lot of signage once you are going- the app helped to confirm we were on track. Only small patches of snow as you get higher up. 2 stream crossings that we crossed on downed logs just below the trail. The 2 miles back down the steep Jeep trail near the end is hard in the legs. All in all a great hike - especially when Desolation Wilderness is still mostly blocked with deep snow.
Friends and I hiked this trail yesterday. I would rate it as strenous rather than moderate due to the very steep first two miles on the fireroad and the length. There were some small patches on snow on the upper half of the hike, but nothing one can't easily hike over. There were two challenging waterfall crossings due to high volumes of melting snow, but both had a large log downstream that can easily be walked over. Gorgeous views of Lake Tahoe, and Star Lake was very pretty as it was half frozen and the mountains behind it still had snow on them.
The first part is a pretty monotonous road. Its steep which I found easier on the uphill. Coming down with a backpacking backpack was really annoying. But...the lake and the upper part of the trail are amazing and worth it. In the afternoon we went to Freel peak, not too much farther and a great time.
Star
