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Start at trailhead
Stampede Reservoir
TRAIL 3 NORTH TAHOE
Summit Lake, Frog Lake Overlook, and Warren Lake
TRAIL USE
Hike, Horses, Dogs Allowed
LENGTH*
VERTICAL FEET*
DIFFICULTY*
*See table
TRAIL TYPE
Out-and-back
SURFACE TYPE
Dirt
FEATURES
Canyon
Mountain
Lake
Birds
Great Views
Photo Opportunity
Camping
Steep
FACILITIES
Restrooms
Picnic Tables
Water
Two scenic lakes and a spectacular vista point are the principal attractions of this hike, which is within the proposed Castle Peak Wilderness. The hike to Summit Lake is an easy 2-mile stroll, whereas the trip to Warren Lake is another story—over the course of 7.5 miles you gain and lose nearly 4,500 feet of elevation. In between, Frog Lake Overlook provides a grand vista of the Donner Pass region. With three such worthwhile goals, you can tailor your trip to fit your individual needs and schedule.
Best Time
Mid-July–August is the best time for hiking on snow-free trails, though following winters of heavy snowfall, the trail across the upper basin of North Fork Prosser Creek may see lingering snowbanks well into summer.
Finding the Trail
West of Donner Summit, take the Castle Peak/Boreal Ridge Road exit from I-80. Drive to the frontage road on the south side of the freeway and proceed east 0.3 mile to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) parking area. The large parking lot has trailer parking, pit toilets, and running water in season.
Logistics
Avoid the temptation to shorten your trip by beginning at the westbound Donner Summit Rest Area parking lot. Vehicles parked there longer than a couple of hours are subject to fines.
Trail Description
Head north on the PCT around the fringe of the meadow and pass through a pair of large culverts underneath the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-80. Beyond the culverts you make a moderate climb to the crossing of a seasonal creek and then come to a well-signed, four-way junction, 1 mile from the trailhead.
Following signed directions for Summit and Warren Lakes, turn right and proceed on a mild to moderate climb through alternating stretches of mixed forest and open areas sprinkled with granite slabs and boulders. At 1.7 miles, just past a small meadow covered with corn lilies, you come to a junction with the Donner Lake Rim Trail.
To visit Summit Lake, follow the right-hand trail out of the forest and across the slopes of a granite ridge carpeted with pinemat manzanita, where views temporarily open up of the Donner Summit region. Eventually the trail heads back into the forest and leads you onward to the shoreline of serene Summit Lake.
Cross-Country Routes
Several use trails and cross-country routes in the Castle Peak backcountry provide numerous diversions. About 0.8 mile before Warren Lake, a use trail leaves the Warren Lake Trail at a low ridge, northbound for Devils Oven Lake. From there, cross-country routes proceed to Warren and Paradise Lakes. A fine loop trip returns to the trailhead by heading west from Paradise Lake on a jeep road for
