Eldorado National Forest

Recreational Activities: Hiking, Biking, and Horses

Wrights Lake Area

NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL INFORMATION

Legend: Symbol Descriptions

Wrights Lake Area Trail Descriptions

Rockbound and Twin Lakes Trailheads: There are two ways to access Wrights Lake. From Highway 50 approximately four miles east of Kyburz, turn left on the Wrights Lake Road and continue north for eight miles to the Wrights Lake Campground. At the campground take the left fork for the Rockbound Trailhead Parking area and the right fork for the Twin Lakes Parking Area. The second way is from Highway 50 approximately ten miles east of Pollock Pines; turn left on Ice House Road. Continue north for eleven miles and turn right on the Ice House/Wrights Lake Tie Road. Follow this road for approximately eight miles and turn left on the Wrights Lake Road. The campground will be two miles north of this junction.
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Beauty Lake: Park at the Rockbound Trailhead , and follow the Rockbound trial one-half mile to Beauty Lake. Return the same way or make a loop by following trail 16E15 south to the north side of Wrights Lake. Follow the dirt road around the lake (through the summer home tract) and take the paved road west (to the right) through the campground back to the Rockbound trailhead.
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Bloodsucker Trail: This trail starts at the southern end of the Wrights Lake Equestrian Campground and heads in a southerly direction ant an easy grade. The trail merges with an old logging skid road and follows it for approximately 0.2 miles. The trail profile begins again and climbs at a gentle grade of about twenty percent. At one and one-half miles the trail to Bloodsucker Lake intersects with the Bloodsucker trail. The Bloodsucker trail continues in a southerly direction at a grade of about twenty percent. The trail intersects with the Lyons Lake trail approximately one and one-half miles east of the trailhead parking area for Lyons Lake trail. This trail is recommended for hikers, mountain bicycles and equestrians.
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Lake Loop: Park at the Twin Lakes Trailhead . Go through the gate and cross the Chappell Crossing Bridge. On the west side of the crossing take the left fork of the trail which follows the lake shore and follow it until it connects with the end of the summer home cabin access road on the north side of the lake. Follow this road counter clockwise around the lake to the campground tent loop and follow the campground road to the boat access area and pier. From here follow the shoreline trail to the dam and cross the stream on the road bridge. On the east side of the bridge turn left on to the trail again and follow it along the lake edge back to the trailhead.
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Lyons Creek Trail: Park at the Lyons Creek trailhead on the Wrights Lake Road. Follow the old roadbed east generally paralleling Lyons Creek through meadows and forested areas. The wildflowers are gorgeous in the early summer. The last two miles to Lyons and Sylvia Lakes are inside the Desolation Wilderness boundary and require a wilderness permit .
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Meadow Loop: Park at the Twin Lakes Trailhead. Go through the gate and turn right on the trail before you cross the bridge. Travel approximately one-half mile to the junction with the Twin Lakes Tie (16E17). Turn left and follow the trail to the bridge with wood steps on each end. After crossing the bridge follow the trail to the next intersection and keep left. This will take you along the west side of the tall grass meadow. You may be surprised to see people canoeing through the meadow in the meandering narrow stream channel. Views of the rugged mountain peaks are plentiful form this side of the meadow. Follow the trail back to the Chappell Crossing Bridge and the trailhead.
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Rockbound Trail: Park at the Rockbound Trailhead. Follow the directions to Beauty Lake (16E08). At this point several options are available; turn south on the Beauty Lake trail or continue east to the Twin Lakes Tie Trail junction, or cross into the Wilderness and visit Maud Lake. This trail offers nice views of the Crystal Range and the Wrights Lake basin. This is a very dry trail so bring plenty of drinking water. One-half mile past the Rockbound and Tyler trails junction is the Desolation Wilderness boundary. A wilderness permit is required beyond this point.
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Twin Lakes: Park at the Twin Lakes Trailhead parking area. Go through the gate and turn right on the trail before the Chappell Crossing Bridge. Obtain a day use permit at the trail sign if hiking into Desolation Wilderness . Follow signs around south east side of the Wrights meadow area. This is an easy section of the trial with a five to ten percent grade. The wildflowers are beautiful in the early summer. Turn right (east) at the junction of Wrights Lake Loop trail (16E17) and continue east. The grade increases quickly to twenty-five to forty percent. Follow the trail approximately one mile from the loop trail junction to the wilderness boundary. A Desolation Wilderness permit is required beyond this point.
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Twin Lakes Tie: Follow the directions to the Rockbound Trail and turn right at the intersection approximately one-quarter mile east of Beauty Lake, heading back toward Wrights Lake. Drop down the grade and turn left at the old roadbed on the north side of the lake. Continue straight (east) at the intersection in the meadow and cross the footbridge across the creek. This trail terminates at the Twin Lakes Trail junction. Turn left to go toward Twin or Grouse Lakes (Desolation Wilderness permit required) or turn right to return to Wrights Lake via the Twin Lakes Trailhead.
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Windmiller: The trail starts across form the wilderness trailhead over flow parking area near the entrance to Wrights Lake (use the Rockbound and Twin Lakes Trailhead directions). The trail heads in a westerly direction on top of a ridge. The first 1.3 miles of the trail has an average grade of about five percent and is easy to follow. The trail descends into the Jones Fork drainage at a grade of twenty to thirty percent for approximately 1.3 miles to a dirt road. Follow this road for approximately 0.3 miles to the Ice House/Wrights Lake Road. The trail is in fair condition and has several scenic views of the Jones Creek drainage and the Crystal Range to the east. The trail is recommended for hikers, mountain bicycles and equestrians. No motor vehicles are allowed.
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USDA Forest Service - Eldorado National Forest
Last Modified: Monday, 24 January 2005 at 20:07:55 EST