Desolation Wilderness Permit

Site features

• Aloha

  This zone includes Lake Aloha, Heather Lake, Lake Leconte, Jabu Lake, Lake Lucille and Lake Margery. The PCT passes thru. Access is thru the Echo Lakes Trailhead. High day use at Lake Aloha. Reservable Quota - 18

• American

  This zone contains American Lake, Channel Lakes, Desolation Lake and Chain Lake. Access to these lakes is thru the Echo Lakes Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 5

• Avalanche

  This zone includes Horsetail Falls, Avalanche Lake, Pitt Lake, Ropi Lake, Osma Lake, Toem Lake, and Gefo Lake, This is an off -trail area that is accessible via the Ralston or Echo Lakes Trailheads and primitive routes. Reservable Quota - 10

• Bayview

  This is a Trailhead.

• Brown Mountain

  This large off trail zone at the northwest corner of the Wilderness consists of many unnamed ponds. Access from Loon Lake or Van Vleck Trailheads. Reservable Quota - 4

• Buck Island

  This is a Trailhead.

• Camper Flat

  This zone is in the center of the Rockbound Valley with the Rubicon River paralleling the Rubicon Trail. Camper Flat is a multi-destination hub. Reservable Quota - 10

• Cathedral

  This is a Trailhead.

• Cathedral

  This zone features Cathedral Lake, accesible from Glen Alpine Trailhead, and Floating Island Lake, accessible from Mt. Tallac Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 2

• China Flat

  This zone includes the upper Rubicon River watershed in Rockbound Valley, Clyde Lake, Mosquito Pass and the north shore of Lake Aloha. Primary access is from the Echo Lake Trailhead. Additional access from the Rockbound Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 6

• Dicks

  This zone has Fontanillis Lake, Dicks Lake with the Pacific Crest Trail as its main trail artery. Access is from Eagle Falls or Bayview Trailheads, Lake Tahoe. Reservable Quota - 8

• Dicks Peak

  This zone is located in the center of the Wilderness on the eastern slope of the Rockbound Valley and includes Dicks and Jacks Peaks. Reservable Quota - 2

• Eagle

  This Zone is designed specifically for Eagle Lake. This is a Special Management area with designated campsites. Access is from the Eagle Falls Trailhead. High day use. Reservable Quota - 3

• Eagle Falls

  This is a Trailhead.

• Echo

  This is a Trailhead.

• General Creek

  This large area at the north end of the Wilderness is accessible from the Meeks Bay Trailhead or Richardson Lake. A section of the Pacific Crest Trail passes thru. Reservable Quota - 5

• General Creek

  This is a Trailhead.

• Genevieve

  This zone includes Lake Genevieve, Crag Lake and Hidden Lake. Access is from the Meeks Bay Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 10

• Gilmore

  This zone includes Gilmore Lake and Mt Tallac. Access is thru Glen Alpine Trailhead for Gilmore Lake and Mt. Tallac Trailhead for Mr. Tallac. Reservable Quota - 9

• Glen Alpine

  This is a Trailhead.

• Grass

  This zone surrounds Grass Lake and is accessible from the Glen Alpine Trailhead. - Reservable Quota - 4

• Grouse Lakes

  This east side zone is an area of peaks and rugged terrain. Grouse Lakes are accessed via a primitive trail heading south off the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail near the south shore of Rubicon Lake. Reservable Quota - 2

• Half Moon

  This zone includes Half Moon Lake and Alta-Morris Lake. Access is thru the Glen Alpine Trailhead. A section of the PCT passes thru. Reservable Quota - 3

• Hemlock

  This zone includes Grouse Lake and Hemlock Lake, a Special Management area with designated campsites and restoration sites. Access is from the Twin Lakes Trailhead. High day use at Grouse Lake. Reservable Quota - 6

• Highland

  Highland Lake and Lake Zitella are in this off trail zone. Access is via a primitive route off the McConnell LakeTrail near Horseshoe Lake. Reservable Quota - 4

• Kalmia

  This zone inlcudes Kalmia Lake, Snow Lake, and Tallac Lake. This is an off trail zone. Reservable Quota - 3

• Lake of the Woods

  This zone includes Lake of the Woods, a Special Management area with designated campsites and multiple restoration sites, and Frata Lake. Access is thru the Echo Lakes or Ralston Trailheads. Reservable Quota - 10

• Lakes #3 and #5

  This western slope zone is accessible from the Van Vleck Trailhead via the Red Peak Trail, or from the Barrett Lake 4WD Trail terminous at Barrett Lake.. It includes Lake #3 and Lake #5. Reservable Quota - 4

• Lawrence

  This Zone includes Lawrence Lake, Top Lake, and Lake #9. Access to this area is via the Red Peak Trail from the Van Vleck Trailhead, or the terminous of the Barrett Lake 4WD Trail at Barrett Lake. Reservable Quota - 4

• Lelands

  This zone features the primitive McConnell Lake Trail providing access to Leland Lakes, McConnell Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and 4 Qs Lakes, Trailhead access is thru the Rockbound Trailhead at Wrights Lake. Reservable Quota - 10

• Lois

  This zone surrounds Lake Lois and is accessible from the Rockbound Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 4

• Loon Lake

  This is a Trailhead.

• Lower Velmas

  This zone includes Lower Velma Lake, Upper Velma Lake, Azure Lake, and Granite Lake. Access to this zone is from Bayview or Eagle Falls Trailheads out of Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. Reservable Quota - 20

• Lyons

  This zone includes Lyons Lake and Sylvia Lake. Access is from the Lyons Creek Trailhead via the Lyons Creek Trail, or on the Bloodsucker Trail starting from the Wrights Lake Horse Camp. Reservable Quota - 8

• Lyons Creek

  This is a Trailhead.

• Maud

  This zone includes Maude Lake, The Jones Fork of Silver Creek, and Willow Flat. Access is via the Rockbound Trail from the Rockbound Trailhead at Wrights Lake. Reservable Quota - 6

• Meeks Bay

  This is a Trailhead.

• Middle Velma

  This zone surrounds Middle Velma Lake and is accessible from the Bayview or Eagle Falls Trailheads out of Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe. The Pacific Crest Trail passes by to the west. Reservable Quota -10

• Mt. Price

  This zone consists of of the southern end of the Crystal Range including Mt. Price, Pyramid Peak, and the western shore of Lake Aloha. Trailhead access includes Lyons Creek, Twin Lakes, Rockbound and Echo Lake Trailheads. . Reservable Quota - 6

• Pacific Crest Trail

  Pacific Crest Trail

• Phipps

  This zone includes Phipps Lake, Phipps Peak and Phipps Pass. The Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail navigate this zone. Reservable Quota - 2

• Pyramid Creek (Twin Bridges)

  This is a Trailhead.

• Ralston

  This zone surrounds Ralston Peak and includes Cup Lake and Saucer Lake. Access is from the Ralston Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 2

• Ralston

  This is a Trailhead.

• Red Peak

  This Zone features the primitive Red Peak Stock Trail. Trailhead access is from the Rockbound Trailhead via the Rockbound Trail and Willow Flat Primitive Trail. Reservable Quota - 3

• Rockbound

  This is a Trailhead.

• Rockbound Lake

  This Zone surrounds Rockbound Lake and is accessible from the Loon Lake Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 13.

• Rockbound Pass

  This zone consists of Lake Doris which is on the eastern side of Rockbound Pass. Access is from the Rockbound Trailhead at Wrights Lake. Reservable Quota - 3

• Rubicon

  This zone includes Rubicon Reservior, Fox Lake, and a section of the Rubicon River. It is accessible from Loon Lake Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 12

• Schmidell

  This zone surrounds Lake Schmidell and is accessible from the Rockbound Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 5

• Smith

  This zone surrounds Smith Lake and is accessible from the Twin Lakes Trailhead. The Grouse Lake Trail from Hemlock Lake to Smith Lake is primitive. Reservable Quota - 3

• Stony Ridge

  This zone includes Shadow Lake, Stony Ridge Lake and Rubicon Lake. It is accessible from Meeks Bay Trail head. A section of the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail passes thru. Reservable Quota - 10

• Susie

  This zone surrounds Susie Lake and is accessible from the Glen Alpine Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 4

• Tahoe Rim Trail

  Tahoe Rim Trail

• Tallac

  This is a Trailhead.

• Tamarack

  This zone includes Tamarack Lake, Ralston Lake, and Cagwin Lake. This zone is accessible out of Echo Lakes Trailhead. High day use at Tamarack lake. Reservable Quota - 10

• Tells

  This zone includes Forni Lake, Tells, Silver and McConnell Peaks, and sections of the Red Peak and Highland Trails. Access is thru the Van Vleck Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 6

• Triangle

  The zone includes Triangle Lake and Lost Lake and is accessible from the Echo Lakes Trailhead. A primitive route enters this zone from the Glenn Alpine Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 2

• Twin

  This zone includes Twin Lakes, Island Lake and Boomerang Lake. Access is via the Twin Lakes Trailhead. High day use at Twin Lakes. Reservable Quota - 10

• Twin Lakes

  This is a Trailhead.

• Tyler

  This zone consists of Tyler Lake, Gertrude Lake and Umpa Lake and is accessible from the Twin Lakes or Rockbound Trailheads out of Wrights Lake. Reservable Quota - 4

• Van Vleck

  This is a Trailhead.

• Waca

  This off trail zone contains Waca Lake and Pyramid Lake. Access is via the Echo Lakes Trailhead. Reservable Quota - 3