Photo: The view across the far side of Winnemucca Lake.
Winnemucca Lake
The hike to Winnemucca Lake (4 miles) is great for families, novice backpackers, or those who have little experience hiking in the backcountry. The trail is wide and easy to follow with no steep climbing. Smaller children will delight in a stroll to Frog Lake in the first mile, and ambitious hikers can make the climb beyond Winnemucca Lake to Round Top Lake and Fourth of July Lake (8 miles).
Directions: Carson Pass stretches across California Highway 88, approximately 30 miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe. From South Lake Tahoe, go south on California Highway 89 to the “T” at Highway 88. Take Highway 88 West. The parking lot and trailhead are located at Carson Pass; there is a day-use fee.