Last Updated on July 11, 2024 by foxintheforest

Lake Aloha, California can best be described as a mini Lake Tahoe. Its rocky shores and crystal-clear water lull you into an alpine wonderland. And the best part? It’s not too strenuous to get here if you do it right. And don’t worry – I’ve been hiking in the Lake Tahoe area for nearly 20 years – I know how to do it right.

Nestled in the heart of California’s Desolation Wilderness, Lake Aloha is a real gem. If the literal gem-colored waters don’t captivate you, then the trail to this wonderous place will.

There is mainly one way to do this 12-plus mile hike, annnnnddd of course that isn’t the way we did it.

When I had a morning off from parenting, my partner and I decided that we weren’t just going to head to Lake Aloha, but we were going to make the 3-mile detour to summit Ralston Peak (9,235′). Since we also wanted to squeeze lunch in there before returning to our family’s house we chose to run this 14.8 mile trail.

Trail Information

AllTrails rates this hike hard – but to be frank with you it’s not. The trail to Aloha Lake is long, but by no means hard. It’s mostly flat with a few distinct uphill sections that are a bit of a grind, but not tremendously steep by mountain standards.

Overall, I give it an upper-end of moderate rating for the distance alone – especially if you have mountain hiking experience.

Pro Tip: This hike IS hard if you are hiking in the middle of the day. There is limited shade and the mountain sun can be brutal. But if you start early in the morning (and you should for parking alone) it’s very moderate.

Mileage: 12.3 miles with a little lollipop Loop. 11.8 without the lollipop.
Elevation gain: 1,860 feet with the lollipop, 1,400-ish feet without.
Duration: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: moderate, but near-difficult due to length.
Dog-Friendly? Yes, ON LEASH. But do be aware, there is ROCKY terrain here that easily harms paws and no shade which can quickly over-heat a dog so plan your hike wisely.
Highlights: LOTS of lakes and water, wildflowers, Aloha Lake is very unique, option for a boat taxi (shaves 2.5 miles one-way)
Lowlights: Hiking mid-day is NOT advised in summer, no shade, rocky sections that feel like hiking up an old road.
Red Tape: Day use permit is required (free at the trailhead), a backpacking permit is required (see below), the water taxi is $22 one way, very limited parking.

Adding Ralston Peak

No for a difficult hike, I would add Ralston Peak to your day. This is a fantastic 3-mile out-and-back detour that brings you to the tallest peak near Echo Lake. What makes this so great is it is a simple class 1 (meaning no rock obstacles) trail to the top.

From here you can see Lake Aloha, Echo Lake, AND Lake Tahoe. Plus maybe a half dozen other lakes in the Desolation Wilderness. I’ve been on countless Lake Tahoe hikes and this one is absolutely one of my favorites.

Pro Tip: The trail comes and goes, so you’ll want a GPS device to navigate to the summit.

Mileage: 15.9 miles
Elevation gain: 2,895
Duration: 7-8 hours
Difficulty: Challenging
Dog-Friendly? yes, ON LEASH. Rocky terrain and off-trail navigation is required in some parts for the peak, but it would be doable with a dog.
Highlights: Aside from what’s mentioned above, the views are INCREDIBLE from the top. Steep drops and exposure do exist on the summit. Really unique wildflowers that aren’t found on the main trail.
Lowlights: Exposed. You have to gain and lose elevation to skirt a hill. The trail can be intermittent in the trees, there is a patch of sand that wears on your ankles.
Red Tape: See above!

Lake Aloha is a Reservoir

Technically Lake Aloha is a reservoir and they drain it every fall. So if a fall hike is on the agenda, certainly check recent conditions before heading out so you’re not disappointed.

Trail Running Lake Aloha

We opted to Trail Run to Lake Aloha and then onwards to Ralston Peak. Overall the trail running was so-so. There were lots of sections that were too rocky with loose stuff to run, or you’d lose the trial completely.

However, it’s entirely possible to run and overall we had a great time. Running down the ridge on Ralston was a hoot!

Parking at the Echo Lake Trailhead

Parking is VERY limited at the Echo Lake Trailhead. This isn’t surprising considering Echo Lakes is home to several of the top hikes near South Lake Tahoe. We were here at 6 am on a weekday in July and it was already nearing full.

There is some parking along the road but it’s limited due to the road being narrow and sketchy.

The lot you come to about 0.2 miles from the actual start of the hike sucks you in, you can park in about 5-10 spots below that, or along the road (we did see a lot of no-parking signs and tickets though – so be aware).

Pro Tip: If you want to park here, arrive no later than 6 am! Heavy summer weekend traffic a 5:30 start wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Reaching Lake Aloha

The trail to Lake Aloha is really straight forward. Signposts mark all junctions making it really easy to follow along and you’re on the PCT which is well-trafficked. Side spurs do see a lot of use here (there’s a lot of places to backpack in the area). These also make for great options for side trips if you have some more stamina.

You’ll skirt Echo Lake (stunning) and pass by a lot of private cabins. Once you work your way through the “upper” Echo Lake the terrain starts to steepen a little bit after hiking through a lovely pine forest.

Now you’ll be exposed for most of the rest of the hike. Work your way up the rocky, steeper trail (my least favorite part – at least the views are nice!).

Once you reach the saddle you’ll continue straight, passing Lake Margerie and a few ponds. Just about when you’re wondering where Lake Aloha is, you’ll be at the shores.

We found the shores to be stuffed with backpackers – especially the first spots you arrive at. Wandering around either side of the lake has some better camping, but the further north we ventured, the more downed trees were at the water’s edge.

Swimming in Aloha Lake

Aloha Lake is crystal clear – much like Lake Tahoe. It felt like a mini Tahoe to me! The water is (thankfully) much warmer and wonderful for swimming. I dipped my legs in, but since I was running and there were plenty of people around, I wasn’t quite confident to get in naked and didn’t want my underwear chaffing me the rest of the day.

It would totally be worth it to hang out here for a while but do understand that there is very limited shade. And hiking back in the blasting sun would suck. So if you plan on taking a dip and you’re not backpacking, an early start is heavily advised!

Tagging Ralston Peak

Ralston Peak is an easy add-on (from a detour perspective) to your day and makes the hike a challenging one!

You can either wander around the lollipop and check out Lake of the Woods (more elevation gain/loss) or you can come back the way you came and detour towards Lake of the Woods.

Well before you reach the lake (about 0.2 miles after you turn off the PCT) you’ll crest a small ridge (if you retrace your steps). From here there is a huge cairn, head south.

The trail is obvious for a while, gaining a small hill. From here you’ll see the remainder of the climb and it looks far (but in reality, it’s about a mile to the top from here).

You’ll bypass the undulating ridge you see and gain a steeper, yet gentle gully. The trail gets intermittent through here for sure so carry a GPS device to navigate.

Eventually, the terrain opens up as you approach treeline and an obvious trail appears. Follow it to the summit!

The going is really gentle with only a quick section of rock hopping which is quite lovely compared to my favorite Colorado 13ers.

We saw some really funky flowers called Oneseed Pussypaws. The – er – intriguing name aside, these flowers only grow in this region which was pretty cool.

The summit changes character drastically though. Steep drops and cliffs exist at the top (along with a few far-too-friendly chipmunks – don’t feed them!). But the views were worth the exposure!

Returning to Echo Lake

Simply come back the way you came to get back to the car. Just bear in mind that it’s going to be much more exposed and hot if you’re doing this in the summer.

One thing you can do is give your feet a break and take the water taxi! You’ll see a sign for the water taxi near the upper edge of Upper Echo Lake.

The Water Taxi

You may call it a cop-out, I call it a change in perspective, but the Echo Lake taxi ride was really refreshing. We opted to take the taxi because my partner did this trail run off the couch and his knee was not in the best shape by mile 14.

It’s $22 per person one way – which is a little expensive, but it was really cool to see the lake from the water. There are tons of cute cabins tucked in there, the water was beautiful, and you got a totally different perspective than you would hiking.

The taxi is available from 9-5 (the last boat leaves Upper Echo at 4:30) during certain times of the year. Their website gives all the info.

Backpacking and Hiking Permits

You do need a permit both for day hiking and backpacking. The good news is, the day use permits are self-issuing at the trailhead and don’t run out.

The bad news is backpacking here is exceptionally competitive. They are required year-round and you can book them on recreation.gov.

You’ll need to book a specific zone and they do sell out almost immediately. But the good news is, you only need to snag your first zone. After that you’re allowed to move around however you want without booking the next zone.

This is good news because it means you can book a less competitive zone for one night, then spend the next night at Aloha Lake.

However, permits are a little confusing and based on a quota system. They do have some walk-up permits, but your best bet is going to be to make a plan in advance.

When is the best time to hike or backpack to Lake Aloha?

Most years early July through September will be best. During light snow years, you may get lucky in June, but expect some snow on the trails.

Late fall and winter outings are pretty pointless since the lake drains and has to be refilled again. Some people head out in early to mid-spring, but again, you’ll be contending with a lot of snow. If that’s your plan, opt for an early start so you can travel over snow when it’s firm and is able to hold your weight. Once it warms up to slush, it’s tedious to walk in.

Should You Backpack to Aloha Lake or Do a Day Trip?

I think this is a great question and it had me wondering if I should plan a backpacking trip here. Of course, that wasn’t practical for me at the time and if I backpacked here, I’d plan a longer route (I’ve always wanted to thru-hike the Tahoe Rim Trail).

If you don’t mind crowded backpacking spots, an overnight here would be great. If you do mind the crowds, a weekday in September may be the best time to go.

It’s certainly a unique lake, but given that there isn’t much shade and the mosquitos are bad, a day hike is just as worthwhile too!

What to Pack

Here’s a look at what I bring on every mountain hike. My one added recommendation here would be to bring a water filter! We had ours (even though there was a technical issue). You can carry less water and filter at the lake or one of the other lakes you pass along the way which lets you lighten the load!