TAKE A SWIM IN THE EMERALD POOLS
A small trek to big beauty. At an elevation of 4,200ft / 1,067m the fresh high altitude air will let you know you are somewhere special. While there is no camping at this location, swimming, sunbathing, fishing and hiking are allowed.
It’s a great opportunity to get out and stretch your legs or make a day of it. The trail is categorized as an easy hike which is 1/2 mile each direction with a 29 foot elevation gain. Once you get to the pools there is some rock hopping required to get closer. The water is snow melt so it is very cold, but I could definitely see myself jumping in on a hot day. The emerald green water is beautiful. We sat on a rock and took in the beauty of this are for close to an hour.
There is more to be explored so take a look around.
Amenities
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- Vault toilet.
Parking
- There is a very small dirt parking lot at the trail head. Consider getting there early for the best parking.
Fees
- There are no fees for this area.
Nearby Camping
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- Lake Spaulding Campground.
- White Cloud Campground. See my review.
Nearby Things To See And Do
After we left, we took a right on Bowman Lake Road to see where it went. A couple of miles up the road was Fuller Lake. There is a very small parking area with a vault toilet. This area has a day use fee so I just parked long enough to look around. If we had a paddle board this would have been a great spot to get out on the water. It was getting late so we went back down the road. If we had more time, we would have loved to keep exploring to the end of Bowman Lake Road. Next time!
If you find yourself heading into the South Lake Tahoe area, check out Emerald Bay. Get there early to avoid the crowds and find parking though.
Cell Signal
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- T-Mobile – no bars.
Location
After departing the White Cloud Campground (see my review) in the Tahoe National Forest along highway20 near Nevada City, we headed towards the town of Truckee. As you drive along highway 20 keep your eye out for Bowman Lake Road. I suggest using the All Trails app to help navigate your way there. Head down Bowman Lake Road to the South Yuba River Bridge. Once over the short bridge you will find limited parking on the right. The trail head is to the right of the vaulted toilet.
Have Fun, be Safe and let me know what you thought of the Emerald Pools.
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