You can’t say you’ve stood on top of Lake Tahoe unless you’ve been to the summit of Freel Peak, a 10,881 mountain that’s the highest point in the Lake Tahoe Basin area.
As you can imagine, the views are sublime. Lake Tahoe spreads out to the north, with the Desolation Wilderness to the west, Nevada to the east, and more mountain wilderness to the south.
GETTING THERE
The summit is reached by taking a spur trail from the Tahoe Rim Trail. For day hikers it’s a 2,700-foot climb and 10-mile round trip from the closest parking area, located on Willow Creek Road aka Forest Service Road 31051, about 3.5 miles from Luther Pass Road.
Coming from Luther Pass Road, the trailhead is just past the second bridge on Willow Creek Road on the left.
TRAIL DESCRIPTION
Once hiking, it’s a little over a mile to the Tahoe Rim Trail junction. Taking a right turn towards Star Lake, it’s another two miles to the spur trail junction. Both crossroads you encounter have sign posts to guide your way.
From the Tahoe Rim Trail to the peak is the hardest section. I hiked Freel in August and temps reached into the 80s that day so heat exposure was a real factor even at altitude. I started modestly early, at 8 a.m., which provided shade for much of the ascent. On the final stretch to the peak, however, the shade will disappear as the sun gets higher and the trees get smaller and sparser.
My lack of altitude acclimation meant the final mile was slow going. From the Tahoe Rim Trail, it’s 1,100 feet to the top and the final 500 feet of climbing is completely above tree line. All things considered, I reached the peak in three hours and was back down in just under two hours.
Besides the magnificent views, the trail offered some interesting moments. I’ll never forget a very tame and very plump chipmunk allowing me to take multiple up-close photos of him.
CAMPING
I camped near the trail head at an existing primitive site just before the second bridge on Willow Creek Road. It’s free and saves you the early-morning drive to the trailhead. There’s no facilities and it turned out to be very buggy the night I was there.
