TRT - Desolation Wilderness Section

The Desolation Wilderness Section of the Tahoe Rim Trail is widely considered the most scenic segment of the entire 165-mile route, passing through a landscape of stunning granite basins, hundreds of pristine alpine lakes, and barren high-country terrain that gives this officially designated wilderness area its evocative name. The centerpiece of this section is Lake Aloha, a broad shallow lake created by a historic dam that spreads across a vast granite bowl at 8,116 feet and fills with spectacular reflections of the surrounding peaks.

The TRT traverses Desolation Wilderness on the western shore of Lake Tahoe, accessing terrain that also forms part of the Pacific Crest Trail corridor through this region. The polished granite slabs and glacially carved basins of Desolation host over 130 lakes and ponds, and the concentration of water amid the stark rock landscape is extraordinary. Day use permits for Desolation Wilderness are required and help manage the high visitation pressure in this popular area. The route passes Aloha, Heather, and Susie Lakes on a rolling traverse of the upper basin before reaching the TRT junction. Evening light on the granite turns the landscape gold and pink in a display that makes the effort of reaching this elevation entirely worthwhile.