ActivitiesBackpackingFive Lakes — Granite Chief
Five Lakes — Granite Chief
North Shore, backpacking
In short: Five Lakes — Granite Chief is a trailhead for backpacking in the Lake Tahoe area, on the North Shore. Known for: granite Chief Wilderness; less crowded than Desolation; no permit.
Where it is
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Details
- Granite Chief Wilderness
- Less crowded than Desolation
- No permit
No permit required
Conditions today
- Right now
- 72°F, Sunny
- Today
- High 72°, low 48°
- Wind
- 8 mph
- Campfires
- Metal rings only
- TomorrowPartly Cloudy, 10% chance of rain68° 45°
- ThuMostly Clear, 5% chance of rain74° 50°
- FriPM Storms, 75% chance of rain61° 44°
Know before you go
- Permits
- Overnight trips in Desolation Wilderness need a permit from Recreation.gov, and popular zones sell out for summer weekends. Spooner Backcountry needs no permit.
- Fires
- Campfires are not allowed in Desolation Wilderness. Bring a stove.
- Bears
- Store food and anything scented in a hard-sided bear canister, away from your tent.
- Trailheads
- Glen Alpine and the other main entry points fill early on summer weekends. Arrive early or start midweek.
Nearest campgrounds
- Tahoe State Recreation Area4.5 mi, 23 sites
- Lake Forest Campground5.0 mi, 20 sites
- Kaspian Campground6.5 mi, 10 sites