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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6.5 miles /
10.5 km
Duration: Half day
Family Friendly
Overview:
It's been described as Lake Tahoe’s secret state park. Burton Creek is a spectacular watershed of over 2000 acres tucked away in the hills overlooking Tahoe's North Shore just outside Tahoe City.
Set aside so that the lands may heal from over a century of logging and dairy farming it is a place of recovering forest and meadowlands, its located down the highway from the lakeshore campgrounds at Tahoe State Recreation Area and potentially tricky to find.
Note: the Tahoe SRA campground entry kiosk is a good place to ask questions about Burton Creek.
Burton Creek is ideally situated to be an easily accessed playground for trail users in all seasons! It's minimally developed and the trails are ideal for hikers, cross country skiers, mountain bikers, jogging...
This hike covers the core of the park up Burton Creek and around the park's meadow areas; the Burton Creek Natural Preserve and Antone Meadows Natural Preserve, both protected for the local fauna and flora as well as to help preserve a clean watershed into Lake Tahoe.
Much of the 6 plus miles of trail looks to be town water tank service road and other old logging tracks, in fact, an isolated portion of the park has recently been culled as active forest thinning for fire protection and forest health by state parks and fire agencies. The majority however, aid in accessing the deeper portions of the park. In the winter, Tahoe Nordic Center grooms the trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Also keep in mind, there's a few roads not on the Park Map. There's not much trail signage in the park so if you get turned around, there are numbered posts along the main routes at road junctions to aid in navigation within the tangle of roads; a huge help if you've downloaded the park map (or picked on up at the Lake Tahoe SRA Campground).
Also, for further exploration, a section of the new Tahoe Rim Trail leads through the western part of Burton Creek as does another popular route, the Fiberboard Freeway.
Tips:
Location:
Burton Creek State Park
Hwy 28 North Shore Lake Tahoe
Tahoe City, CA 96145
(530) 525-7232
Latitude/Longitude: 39.1950 / -120.1417
Trailhead Location:
The trail entrance is easy to miss! It's up the westerly driveway road to Tamarack Lodge, past a private residence gate.
2311 North Lake Boulevard
Sunnyside-Tahoe City, CA 96145
Park Hours:
The park is open from sunrise to sunset.
Climate and Weather:
Dress for the season! Warm to hot summers 40's at night to the 70's in the day, Snow in winter (20's to 40's). Wear layered clothing. Bring repellant, there are marsh and meadow lands.
Motorized Vehicles:
No motorized vehicles are allowed in the park.
This includes autos, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs
and snowmobiles.
Parking:
Because there is no motorized vehicle access into the park, please park outside the gates. Please do not park on private property around the park.
Dogs:
Dogs are permitted on roads only, in Burton Creek State Park; dogs must be on a 6-foot leash at all times.
Hikers and Mountain Bikes:
Use only marked trails and roads to reduce erosion. Please do not use or create “wildcat” trails.
Fires and Firewood:
Fires are not allowed in Burton Creek State Park. The nutrients must be allowed to recycle back into the ecosystem.
Natural and Cultural Features:
Natural scenery and animal life are protected by law from human disturbance of any kind.
Do Not Feed the Wildlife:
For your safety and their health, do not feed the wildlife; they can be aggressive and dangerous, and may carry disease.
No Camping, Day Use Only:
Overnight camping is not permitted in Burton Creek State Park. Accommodations are available at nearby motels and hotels as well as at Tahoe State Recreation Area, which has camping available from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
ADA:
This Park has not been improved for ADA access.
