Lyons
Lyons Trail is a 5.1-mile trail in Eldorado National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Desolation Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Eldorado National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 38.8100° N, 120.2397° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.8488° N, 120.1820° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5.1 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 16E13 |
| Forest | Eldorado National Forest (unit 0503) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Desolation WildernessFS · about 33% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedFy27 Hemlock Rx
29 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedBig Trees State Park Broadcast Burn Rx
38 mi from the trail midpoint · 170 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Guidebooks for Desolation Wilderness and California
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Lyons Trail?
The Forest Service records 5.1 miles under this name in Eldorado National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Lyons Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Lyons Trail start?
The line begins at 38.8100° N, 120.2397° W and ends at 38.8488° N, 120.1820° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Lyons Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Desolation Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Desolation Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Lyons Trail?
Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground (1.9 mi), Wrights Lake (2.2 mi) and Lovers Leap (3.7 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 4 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Lyons Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Lyons Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Lyons Trail?
Eldorado National Forest, Forest Service unit 0503. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Lyons Trail?
The interagency feed shows 2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Fy27 Hemlock Rx at 29 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named Lyons in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0503. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.