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TRAILS STARTING AT BIG MEADOW TRAILHEAD

          The Big Meadow Trailhead is located 6 miles north of Highway 88 on Highway 89 and about 5 miles south of Highway 50.   To drive there from the Carson Pass Information Station, drive east about 9 miles on Highway 88 to its junction with Highway 89.   Turn left and drive about 6 miles north.   The trailhead parking lot is on the east (your right) side of the highway.   It is identified as the "Tahoe Rim Trail Trailhead."   The parking area is paved and has pit toilets.

          Park near the west end of the parking area and look for the trailhead signboard.   The trail that starts there and goes about 200 yards from the parking lot to Highway 89.   Cross the highway to the actual start of the trail into Meiss Country.   It is marked with a trail marker.   A trail also heads east from the parking area along the Tahoe Rim Trail.   For further information about this trailhead, see the Tahoe Rim Trail web site or the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Recreation page.   The information on that page showing the location of the PCT Trailhead on Highway 88 is incorrect.

THE TRAILS FROM BIG MEADOW

Trail To:
(with elevation at destination)
Difficulty Elevation
Low/High
Mileage
 One way
       Dardanelles Lake
           7750'
Moderate 7260' / 7760'
3.5 miles
       Round Lake
           8037'
Moderate 7260' / 8070'
2.7 miles
       Meiss Lake
           8313'
Moderate 7260' / 8313'
5.9 miles
       Scotts Lake
           8012'
Easy 7260' / 8012'
2.5 miles

          All of the destinations that are accessible from the PCT North Trailhead are also accessible from the Big Meadow Trailhead.   The trail from Big Meadow goes past Round Lake and joins the PCT in Meiss Meadow. (see photo of this junction on the PCT Trails North from Carson Pass page).

          Scotts Lake is also accessible from Highway 88 via a rough road.   See the ENFIA publication Hiking the Greater Carson Pass Region for further information on the Big Meadow (Luther Pass) Trailhead and Scotts Lake.

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