The full Desolation Wilderness experience: the quiet western lakes most visitors never reach, plus the PCT highlights, all in four days.
The full Desolation Wilderness experience. Rockbound Pass, a chain of gorgeous lakes, and the iconic Lake Aloha, all connected in a satisfying loop. This is Desolation for people who want more than a weekend overnighter. You'll see the quieter western lakes (Doris, Lois, Schmidell) that most visitors never reach, plus the classics on the PCT side.
Start: Rockbound Trailhead
End: Rockbound Trailhead
Water: Streams, Maud Lake
Short day — use the time to set up camp well and explore the dark granite shoreline of Maud Lake. The trailhead sits above Wrights Lake; the route climbs quickly into open Sierra granite terrain past scattered lodgepole.
Water: Multiple lakes, streams
Lake-hop through the Desolation Wilderness — Island, Schmidell, and Leland Lakes before Rockbound Pass (8,600ft). The Rubicon River crossing below the pass can be thigh-deep before mid-July; use a stick. Fontanillis is stunning.
Water: Fontanillis Lake, Dicks Lake, Susie Lake, Lake Aloha
Climb to Dicks Pass (9,380ft) — one of the finest viewpoints in Desolation — then descend past Dicks Lake and Susie Lake. Lake Aloha sprawls across nearly 1,000 acres of granite bedrock; camp above the high-water line.
Water: Lake Aloha, streams
Long return through Desolation Valley — expect weekend crowds near Echo Lakes and Wrights Lake. The final descent drops steeply back to the trailhead. Afternoon thunderstorm window is real in summer — move early.
Dicks Lake, Velma Lakes
Zone-based permit system; 70% reservable on recreation.gov; mosquitoes can be fierce; near Lake Tahoe for pre/post trip amenities
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