Tahoe Rim Trail
Tahoe Rim Trail is a 115.4-mile trail in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, California and Nevada. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. The forest has not published allowed uses for it. It enters Mt. Rose Wilderness and Granite Chief Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 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 | 38.9719° N, 119.9005° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 39.1090° N, 120.2366° 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 30 segments.
The trail
| Length | 115.4 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | asphalt, native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches, 96-120 inches |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Recreation Trail or other national designation |
| Trail numbers | 19E00 |
| Forest | Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (unit 0519) |
| States | California, Nevada |
| Detail published | basic characteristics |
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
Wilderness
- Mt. Rose WildernessFS · about 6% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Granite Chief WildernessFS · the line touches the boundaryWilderness 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
Big Meadow No season published No Campfires | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
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.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Tahoe Rim Trail?
The Forest Service records 115.4 miles under this name in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the sum of 30 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has not published allowed uses for this trail. The forest office can say what is open.
Where does the Tahoe Rim Trail start?
The line begins at 38.9719° N, 119.9005° W and ends at 39.1090° N, 120.2366° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Big Meadow, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Tahoe Rim Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Mt. Rose Wilderness and Granite Chief Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Mt. Rose Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Mount Rose (0.3 mi), William Kent Campground (1.1 mi) and Silver Creek-Truckee (1.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Tahoe Rim 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 Tahoe Rim Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Tahoe Rim Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Recreation Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Forest Service unit 0519. The trail is in California and Nevada.
Source
This page is built from 30 segments named Tahoe Rim Trail in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0519. 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.