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Fallen Leaf Lake (clue revision 10-13) LbNA #11667

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Oct 16, 2004
Location:
City:South Lake Tahoe
County:El Dorado
State:California
Boxes:1
Planted by:artTrekker
Found by: Dinker
Last found:May 28, 2022
Status:FFFFFFFFFFaFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Oct 16, 2004
Fallen Leaf Lake is a beautiful small lake near Lake Tahoe, and is a worthy side trip in itself. The search for this box takes you on a lovely little hike--maybe 2-3 miles round trip (you can make it longer) and mostly level--to see the lake and a terrific view of Mount Tallac. Dogs love this trail and swimming at the lake. There are great places to picnic once you reach the lake, and this trail is usually much less crowded than nearby beaches at the big lake.

Roughly 3 miles north on Hwy 89 from the south Y intersection with Hwy 50 is Fallen Leaf Lake Road. It is between Camp Richardson and the visitor center. Turn onto Fallen Leaf Lake Road, and in half a mile, you'll reach the campground. It is another quarter mile or so to the trail, which doesn't seem to be marked at the moment. You'll see a dirt parking area on the right side with a stump in the middle and small boulders scattered around. There is parking on the left as well (you'll see a green forest service gate), but the trail takes off from the area on the right side.

Take the trail that wends SW, then turns W through aspens, a wild rose thicket, small pine trees, then open forest. In a bit, the trail turns SSW again. Just after being crossed by a trail that goes NW/SE, your trail turns SSE and starts to climb. You'll walk through more open forest and dryland native shrubs, passing an area of fallen trees, then reach stone steps that take you to the top of the moraine, your first view of the lake and a trail junction.

Take the trail to the south (left) for about 100 steps, disregarding side trails to the lake. At this point, look toward the lake for Jeffrey twins with a stony friend. Box is at the base of twins on the lake side, under stones. Please re-hide very well! Return to the trail junction where you had your first view of the lake.

Box #2: Update 10-16-13 Kokanee has disappeared. The area on the other side of the dam has been subjected to a radical forestry project and the whole area is knee-deep in slash and debris. So explore the area all you want and return the way you came.