Tunnel Creek
- DIFFICULTY: moderate
- ESTIMATE DISTANCE TO CLIMB (feet):
1500 (Trail Cross
Section)
- DISTANCE FROM I80/395 INTERCHANGE
(miles): 45
- START LAT/LONG: N39 deg
13.32', W119 deg 55.68'
- END LAT/LONG:
N39 deg 12.06', W119 deg 55.16'
- ROUTE TO TRAIL BEGINNING (miles from I 80/US
395 interchange):
0.0 South on US 395
10.5 Exit 46 Mt Rose Highway Nevada Route 431
32.3 Left on Country Club Lane
34.6 Left on Rte 28
35.5 Park just after Ponderosa Ranch
36.2 Route 28 is marked by no parking signs for about 0.5 mi before
the trail start and apparently the parking ban is enforced. Park
along Rte 28. Since road is very narrow use foot path that travels
from between Route 28 and Lake Tahoe.
36.5 Walk to trail entrance on left side of Route 28. Trail is
marked by Tunnel Creek sign and a gate across the trail.
- GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MAP QUADRANGLE:
Marlette Lake A small trail map which loads rapidly and a large printable trail map
which takes several minutes to load into a separate window.
- TRAIL SYNOPSIS: Travels very
steeply up along a jeep trail passing through a pine forest
including Jeffrey Pines and fir trees. After a sign to the western
portal to the tunnel, the forest changes to broad leaf forest with
primarily Quaking Aspen trees. After a road junction, the trail
narrows follows the old flume.The forest changes back to pines
primarily Jeffrey Pines. The view of Lake Tahoe are spectacular.
(photograph)
CAUTION!! The trails are used by mountain bikers. Since some bikers
travel excessively fast on down hill stretches , hikers may want to
avoid peak times (weekends) and use the trail during week days or
during the off-season.
- TRAIL DESCRIPTION (first number is distance
in miles):
0.0 Pass gate and Tunnel Creek sign.
2.3 Pass sign to western tunnel portel.
2.4 Pass road junction.
2.5 Taking right turn and pass along flume trail.
- GEOLOGY: Granite
- PLANTS: Jeffrey Pines and
Quaking Aspens.
- ANIMALS:
Trail Map
Trail Cross Section
Photograph