Hiking from Echo Lakes Trailhead to Tamarack Lake

The route follows the main trail beside Lower and Upper Echo Lakes before climbing into higher and more exposed terrain.

At nearly eight miles round trip, the combination of distance, elevation, rocky footing, and sun exposure makes the outing feel more demanding than a casual walk around a mountain lake.

Distances can vary slightly depending on the exact starting point, route followed, shoreline wandering, and whether you add nearby lakes.

Along Lower and Upper Echo Lakes

The early miles shift between water, granite, private cabins, forest, and views across Lower and Upper Echo Lakes. I took my time through this section, partly because the cabins have always fascinated me.

They make it easy to imagine spending an entire summer relaxing at Echo Lakes, although hauling supplies in and out might make that fantasy less romantic.

The cabins belong to a recreation landscape that began developing as improved roads made Sierra summer travel more practical during the early automobile era. A 1918 Sacramento Daily Union social column was already referring to people spending time at a summer home near Echo Lake.

A 1915 Auburn Daily Journal report also described trails serving Echo Lake, Desolation Valley, Lake of the Woods, and Glen Alpine.

That does not mean the modern Tamarack route follows an exact alignment dating to 1915. It does show that Echo Lakes had become part of a connected Sierra recreation network more than a century ago.

Past Upper Echo Lake, the cabins and boats begin to fall behind. The terrain becomes rougher, more exposed, and more recognizably Desolation Wilderness.

The Climb Beyond Upper Echo Lake

The hardest part of the hike for me came after leaving the Upper Echo Lake area. The trail began climbing through rocky and increasingly exposed terrain. During my mid-July hike, the combination of sun and elevation made this section more tiring than I expected.

The route reaches elevations around 7,800 feet, which can be noticeable for hikers accustomed to lower terrain. I certainly felt it.

The granite surrounding the trail is part of a much larger geological story.

Desolation Wilderness lies within the Sierra batholith, and glaciers later carved and scoured the landscape. The Forest Service says ice sheets more than 1,000 feet deep once covered portions of the western Sierra slopes and Tahoe Basin.

Their movement helped form lake basins and left behind exposed granite, polished rock, erratics, and the rugged terrain hikers see today.

You do not need to understand the geology to appreciate the hike, but it explains why the route beyond Echo Lakes feels so different from a typical forest trail.

Carry enough water from the beginning. There is no potable water at the trailhead, and water collected in the backcountry should be properly treated.

Eventually, the route leaves the main corridor and turns toward Tamarack Lake beneath Ralston Peak.

The Final Approach to Tamarack Lake

During my visit, the final approach to Tamarack Lake was less obvious than the main trail along Echo Lakes.

Parts of the route appeared worn and indistinct, so I paid close attention to the terrain and surrounding landmarks. Ralston Peak provides a useful visual reference, but hikers should carry a current map or navigation tool rather than relying on the mountain alone.

When I had trouble following the route, I took a more direct line toward Ralston Peak. I later returned toward Echo Lakes by traveling off trail in a southerly direction.

That was part of my original experience, but it is not a route recommendation.

Cross-country travel through granite terrain can be more complicated than it appears. Unless you have appropriate navigation skills and a clear reason to leave the trail, follow the established route and avoid treating my improvised path as directions.