Echo Lake Is Still Perfect

 Just off Echo Summit is Echo Lake at 7400 feet. Gorgeous and surrounded by mountains, Echo Lake is the most popular trail head into Desolation Wilderness because it is the highest trail head. Which means less elevation gain on your hike.

In the distance is a glimpse of the Crystal Range, a series of mountains that are just a few feet shy of 10,000 feet.

Echo Lake Road goes from Highway 50 just to the lodge/chalet at the close end of the lake. From the chalet, there is only a hiking trail that leads along the shore to many summer cabins, which are hiking/boat access only.

If you like, there are kayaks and canoes available for rental.

Or you can take a ride down the lake in the boat taxi, pictured above.

This is the outflow from the lake. It is ice cold because the lake only just thawed!

Part of the water goes down Echo Falls to the east. That water flows into the upper Truckee River, which leads to Lake Tahoe. However, there is a flume that carries a portion of the water toward Highway 50, to ultimately join the American River heading west.

If you look at the lake photo above, you'll see snow on the Crystal Range mountains. Up there is Lake Aloha. At over 8000 feet, it is still frozen. You might think that water would flow east to Echo Lake. However, it flows south and ends up going over Horsetail Falls below.

You see Horsetail Falls when you drive west from Echo Summit on Highway 50. It is visible as you come around the big curves above Twin Bridges. The water joins the American River just above Strawberry.

I hear you commenting about the scenery. Yes, you're right. We're not in Kansas anymore.