Alpine Meadows: Hiking Trails and Ski Area

Alpine Meadows offers two distinct ways to plan a stay: hiking trails lead to lakes and through the forest, while Treeline Cirque provides access to the ski area's slopes. The Five Lakes Trail ends in the Granite Chief Wilderness; the Bear Creek Trail is a shorter forest hike that is also open to bicycles. When planning your trip, compare trail profiles, starting points, and the options available at the base area.

Hiking Trails in Alpine Meadows

Along the Five Lakes Trail, you pass more than five unnamed lakes where fishing and swimming are possible. This is a steep, 4-mile round-trip hike. It begins on private land and ends in the Granite Chief Wilderness. These details distinguish the destination at the lakes from the character of the trail: it is a steep route, not simply a short stay by the water. From Highway 89, you can reach the trailhead by traveling 2 miles along Alpine Meadows Road; roadside parking is available there.

The Bear Creek Trail follows a 2.5-mile round-trip route through the forest. It is rated easy and is also open to bicycles. One trailhead is on Alpine Meadows Road, opposite the Five Lakes Trail trailhead; the other end begins at the Alpine Meadows Horse Stables. Conditions on private land may change; follow the owners' instructions.

The distance and difficulty ratings highlight a clear difference: Five Lakes is a steep, 4-mile round-trip hike; Bear Creek is shorter at 2.5 miles and rated easy. When choosing between the hikes, you can also take into account that Bear Creek is open to bicycles.

Pacific Crest Trail and Ski Area

The Pacific Crest Trail currently runs near the Alpine Bowl and Summit Six lifts in Alpine Meadows. From the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail, hikers can head south to the Five Lakes and Alpine Meadows.

Treeline Cirque is a high-speed, four-person chairlift. From the base area, it gives skiers and snowboarders direct access to the front and back sides of Alpine Meadows' slopes. To reach the chalet, take Treeline Cirque from the base area to the mid-station or summit, then ski down. The Alpine base area offers a ski-lodge experience. Alpine Meadows has a more relaxed pace and a central base area suited to families.

History of the Ski Area

In November 2011, Alpine Meadows joined forces with another resort; together, the two resorts offered 6,000 skiable acres on a single lift ticket.

Discover more destinations: Roseville, Carnelian Bay, Dollar Point, Colfax, Homewood, Tahoe City, Emigrant Gap, Lincoln

For the broader travel overview: Placer.