Castle Peak Trail - South Lake Tahoe, California
by Rebecca Hollman
updated Dec 16, 2019
Castle Peak Trail - South Lake Tahoe, California
One of the better day hikes in the Lake Tahoe area, the Castle Peak trail leads to incredible views of hundreds of miles in each direction on a cloudless day. One of the shorter, albeit still difficult, hikes in the area, Castle Peak is perfect for a full day of hiking. It’s about 4 hours in total for the hike, plus the drive in and out to the Lake Tahoe area. This is a good hiking trail near Truckee for those looking for a short but challenging hike.
About the Trail:
This trail is a 6 mile out and back in the Tahoe Wilderness, rated as intermediate to difficult. It has just under 2000 feet of elevation gain, most of which is in the last few miles. Dogs are allowed on this trail if they are on a leash. By starting near the high point of Donner Pass, this high summit is a relatively easy objective and a surprisingly short outing. Don't be fooled by the first mile though - the top section gets much steeper and rockier. This trail is super popular in the summer, as it is one of the shorter hikes in the Donner Pass area. Expect lots of hikers and for the parking lot to get full on a summer weekend.
Castle Peak is actually the mouth of an ancient volcano. You can see three turrets easily from the highway and on the whole of the trail. The third turret to the right from the view of the trail is actually the summit, although most people stop at the first turret they reach. The first turret offers similar views of the basin and the true summit requires a class 3 scramble to get up.
Castle Peak’s proximity to Sacramento, California and Reno, Nevada make it a great day trail since you can drive from either city and hike the trail in a reasonable amount of time. In the warmer months Castle Peak is an easy, quick hike with nice views of the northern Tahoe area and the Sierra crest. In the winter it is also an easy venture with ski descents to the west into Round Valley and south into Castle Valley back to the interstate. Castle Peak can be climbed any time of year and it is a good snowshoe destination in the winter. From June through October, the area is usually free of snow.
Park Information:
ENTRANCE FEES: Access to the trail and parking lot is free, however it is first come first serve for parking.
HOURS: There are no set hours and there are no park rangers or officials regulating entrance to the trail. Good practice says don’t be out before dawn or after dusk, unless you plan on camping on the trail. There is no rules against camping on this trail, however there doesn’t seem to be many comfortable areas that you would want to pitch a tent.
Trail Info:
From the parking lot follow the only trail ascending up, following along a road that can be driven on with high clearance 4WD vehicles. This reaches a secondary parking lot where the trail bends up to the left to intersect with the PCT. This first section following the dirt road is relatively flat and very easy to hike. Once you follow this ridge up, you will see the three turrets in the distance. This is where the trail becomes loose gravel and is quite slippery (especially on the way back down). Keep following the trail up and up until you reach the first turret. You can explore up on the top of this and see amazing views in all directions. You can technically continue on to the second and third turrets, but this will require some boulder scrambling. Once you've enjoyed the views provided at the top, head back down the way that you came to return to the parking area, and your vehicle.
Trail Map:
Getting There:
Take Interstate 80 to the Castle Peak/Boreal Ridge exit 176. This is about 40 miles heading west from Reno, NV and 90 miles heading east from Sacramento, CA. Park on the north side of the highway at the Castle Valley Road parking area (or, with high clearance, drive about a mile up the road and save yourself a little bit). It is an obvious parking area with a gravel lot. It can fill with cars early in the summer months.