As the 2021 hiking season gets underway, people are once again frantically searching the internet for the best long trails to hike. Thru-hikes of the major long distance trails (i.e., the PCT, CDT, and AT) are still a dicey option for many backpackers. Many hikers are searching for shorter trails as they wait for public health conditions to return to normal.

Virtually everyone in the outdoor community is closely watching this situation. Many are making dire predictions about the surge of hikers expected out on the medium-distance trails. After all, the John Muir Trail, the Wonderland Trail, the Long Trail, and Colorado Trail saw tons of additional use in 2020, thanks to the pandemic.

One popular trail that’s expected to see a generous spike in thru-hikers is the Tahoe Rim Trail (or TRT). This trail is attractive for hikers and backpackers for so many reasons.

• At less than 200 miles, the TRT is a manageable distance for just about every skill level
• Resupply is easy, with only no need for super long food carries
• There are no difficult permit lotteries in place like other popular West Coast trails
• Hikers can begin and end the trail in the same spot, thereby reducing the need for shuttles or hitchhiking
• And most importantly, it’s a drop dead gorgeous trail with panoramic views every day!

I personally thru-hiked the TRT in late June 2020, just as things were beginning to open up last year. So, if you’re among the many hikers who plans to head out to Lake Tahoe to his the trail this summer, I have a few bits of advice that might make your adventure a bit more enjoyable.

#1 – Figure out your food storage early

Due to a recent increase in bear activity in the Tahoe Basin, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association and U.S. Forest Service currently require “all food to be stored in bear proof containers OR using bear proof techniques.”

Given this guidance, my first choice for bear-safe food storage was an Ursack. At 7.6 ounces, the Ursack Major is definitely heavier than the food bag I used on my AT thru-hike in 2019. But it’s essentially a high strength ballistic fabric (like the kevlar in bullet-proof vests), not an ultralight DCF food bag.

Unfortunately, my original plan to just pop into an REI to simply purchase an Ursack the week before my thru-hike began didn’t quite work out as planned. It was the pandemic after all, where supply chains were being stretched to their capacity. The closest REI (in Reno, Nevada) was completely sold out of Ursacks, and so was every other outdoor retailer in the Reno and Lake Tahoe area.

This disappointment meant I’d have go to with my plan B – lugging my unwieldy bear can on the trail.

Not only was this plastic bear canister more difficult to squeeze into my pack than an Ursack (since it can only fit upright in my pack), but it was super heavy at 2 pounds, 9 ounces. I also planned to carry 6 days of food for my first leg of the trip, so it was like felt like 20 pounds of bricks forcing the shoulder straps of my frameless pack to dig into my neck and shoulders for the first few days. Not fun!

Luckily, the Ursack I ordered online arrived in time for my resupply in Tahoe City, so I was able to swap out my bear canister for the remaining 3 days on the trail. However, I would definitely recommend you either: (a) figure out your food storage plan well in advance of your TRT thru-hike; or (b) use a backpack with an internal frame if you plan to carry a hard-sided bear canister on the trail.

#2 – Avoid Tahoe Meadows on Even-Numbered Days

The 9.5-mile stretch of the the Tahoe Rim Trail that runs between the Tahoe Meadows trailhead and Tunnel Creek Road can be an insanely frustrating experience if you have the misfortune of getting there on the wrong day.

On even-numbered days, this section of the trail is open for hikers, horses, and bikes. And, it is extremely popular with mountain bikers during the peak summer months. I didn’t consider that information whatsoever when I planned my itinerary, and I could kick myself now.

On the fourth morning of my thru-hike, I came to the trail sign announcing the Tahoe Rim Trail was switching from hiking-only use to a multi-use trail. I stole a quick glance at my phone to check the date, and that’s when I unwittingly realized it was even-numbered day of the week. But how bad could it be, really??

Let me tell you, it sucked! The first few miles from Tunnel Creek Road to the Diamond Peak ski lift utterly were insane! I had to step off the trail at least once a minute the entire way. There were tons mountain bikers zooming toward me without any regard for trail etiquette. I was completely miserable for the next few hours until I finally made it up to Ophir Creek.

In fairness, the majority of these mountain bikers out there were polite. Some even thanked me for moving aside as they rode past me. But it was still inconvenient as hell. And then there was the handful of the bike riders who were brazen jerks as they sped by at 20 mph creating chaos on a narrow single track!

Thus, the moral of this anecdote is to just save yourself this unnecessary frustration. Plan your itinerary in advance so that you can traverse this dreaded area on an odd-numbered day and simply enjoy the scenery!

#3 – Crowdsource the Water & Trail Conditions

The Tahoe Rim Trail is so well-marked, you won’t really need many navigation tools to successfully hike it. But, many hikers like using an app like Guthook (aka Atlas Guides), which shows the trail’s route, elevation profile, water sources, road crossings, waypoints, and more.

Despite the number of hikers downloading the Guthook app for this Tahoe Rim Trail, I was a bit disappointed on how few hikers seemed to be actually adding comments about the trail’s conditions in the app.

Sharing information is one of the great little things about the trail community. Crowdsourcing data is often what helps others find unexpected water sources, avoid a sketchy hazard on trail, or simply plan out our days.

For example, I intended to camp one evening near a particular creek. But when I saw a recent comment in Guthook about a 200 pound bear that was making a nuisance of himself nearby, I quickly decided to adjust my mileage for the day.

Similarly, I noticed a piece of paper from the Nevada State Parks taped to the sign at the Spooner Lake trailhead. The note warned hikers that the pump at the Marlette Lake Campground was currently broken. This was technically true. However, there was also a lovely seasonal stream 0.2 miles down a side trail from the campground that was flowing quite nicely. So I quickly posted this real-time water update to my fellow hikers.

These two examples of crowdsourcing information is one of the reasons the Guthook app is so valuable on a trail where finding your way doesn’t really require its use. So don’t be shy. Go ahead and contribute your noteworthy observations so others can have the best hike available to them.

#4 – PROTECT your skin

The elevation on the Tahoe Rim Trail ranges between 6,240 and 10,388 feet above sea level. This means the intense UV rays in California and Nevada can quickly burn and blister your skin.

If you’re more accustomed to hiking at lower elevations or forests with lots of tree cover, you might not have the experience of worrying about the hazard. However, once you get above treeline on the Tahoe Rim Trail, you’ll be craving some additional sun protection.

Sunscreen is always a great option. But, let’s be honest. Most hikers are lazy about reapplying it throughout the day. Plus, it gets your hands greasy and it seems to be a magnet for any dust or dirt (leaving you looking even filthier than you already are!).

A much better option is to hike in a long sleeved shirt (with a hoodie, if possible). This apparel will help minimize the UV rays on your arms and the back of your neck. There are so many great hiking shirts with UPF 50 protection out there these days too, from manufacturers like Outdoor Research, Patagonia, NRS, Mountain Hardware, Columbia, and others.

And while you’re at it, consider adding some sun gloves to your packing list. Your hands and wrists can also become painfully sunburned while you’re hiking at altitude. I used these fingerless sun gloves from REI for my thru-hike and was especially grateful for them on the exposed, eastern side of the trail.

#5 – Consider hiking Counter-Clockwise

The conventional direction most hikers attempt the Tahoe Rim Trail’s loop is clockwise. There’s no real benefit to hiking in this direction though. The entire path is so well-graded that one direction isn’t noticeably harder than the other as you make your way around this lake.

I opted to hike the opposite direction (counter-clockwise) for my early season hike, and I’m so grateful. By hiking against the current, I got to hike in my own orbit, but I also had the chance to momentarily cross paths with more people and meet them face-to-face throughout the day.

Hiking counterclockwise has some other benefits too. For example, many hikers want to save the Desolation Wilderness until the end of their hike. This means starting your hike in Tahoe City and heading north (clockwise). That itinerary makes your logistics significantly more difficult because you won’t get to use the easiest trail town on the route – Tahoe City – for your resupply.

A better itinerary is to begin your thru-hike on the opposite shore at Spooner Lake and head north (counterclockwise). This option allows for easy resupply points every 50-60 miles (Tahoe City and Echo Lake/South Lake Tahoe), and you are able break the driest section of the trail into more manageable chunks instead of hiking through the entire thing.

#6 – Cache Water at Spooner Lake

Water is super scarce on the eastern side of the Tahoe Rim Trail. In fact, there’s hardly any water available in the 40 miles between Ophir Creek/Mt. Rose and Highway 207/Edgewood Creek. And the only reliable year-round source is Spooner Lake.

However, relying on Spooner Lake has its own downsides. First off, you have to hike about a mile off-trail (roundtrip) to get access to the lake. Then when you arrive, you’ll discover this lake has the most horrible tasting water.

Your only other option is a piped faucet down on the far end of the Spooner Lake picnic area. But that requires a 3-mile hike (roundtrip) from the trail, so very few hikers are eager to make the trip out there to refill their water bottles.

A far better plan is simply to cache some water jugs near the Spooner Lake Trailhead instead. This will ensure you have good source as you come through and minimize the number of miles you have to hike off-trail.

If you opt for to cache your own water though, remember to follow these basic etiquette rules:

• Cache your water somewhere out of sight. Ideally it should be hidden somewhere you’ll be able to find it, but others won’t
• Mark your water jugs with your name and an ETA date so other hikers know it’s not free for the taking if they do stumble upon it
• Remove your water jugs after use, don’t just leave them behind (there are trash cans at the Spooner Summit North parking area on the north side of US-50).
• If you have extra water left over, consider using a marker to re-label it as “FREE WATER” for other TRT thru-hikers an place it near the trailhead. Everyone loves a little trail magic!
• Remember that lightweight plastic jugs (like the kind sold in grocery stores) can expand or crack in freezing temperatures

#7 – Find the Stealth Spots with a View

I’ll admit it. I often find myself wanting the convenience of camping near a water source in the evenings. Not too close, mind you. I have no desire for wild animals traipsing through my campsite to get to that babbling brook or curiously nosing around my food.

But, I do enjoy being close enough to get water easily and having the convenience of rinsing off my face/feet at the end of those longer hiking days.

Despite this preference, my most scenic and memorable campsites along the Tahoe Rim Trail weren’t the ones with easy access to water. They required a good hike to a stealth spot with a views of the lake below. These were my spur of the moment finds where I decided to simply stop and make camp.

Because of that positive experience, I strongly encourage hikers move out of their comfort zone and find at least one or two stealth spots during their journey. Aim for somewhere away from the scrum of fellow hikers where you can simply stare at the sunset in the evening. Enjoy your environment for its solitary natural beauty. Trust me, you won’t be sorry!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. Some hard earned wisdom from a former Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hiker who made some good (and bad) choices in preparation for her own trip. The Tahoe Rim Trail is one of the loveliest trails I’ve ever hiked, and it’s easy to see why it’s on so many hikers’ bucket lists.

If you’re looking for more information on the Tahoe Rim Trail, check out:

• A quick overview of my TRT Thru-hike (by the numbers), HERE
• My packing lists for the first 120 miles of the trail HERE (solo hike) and final 50 miles of the trail HERE (hiking with my son)
• My day-by-day trail journal for the Tahoe Rim Trail,HERE

Happy Hiking!