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Meeks Bay to Stony Ridge Lake

El Dorado · Managed by Eldorado National Forest (USFS) · Region: Desolation Wilderness
Difficulty /100 · out and back#alpine-lakes#lake-tahoe#desolation#fishing
Distance
12.6 mi
Elevation
6,270–7,822 ft
Days
2–3
Permit
Required
Campfires
Campfires allowed seasonally

Overview

Stony Ridge Lake is the Meeks Bay chain's deepest lake: 6.3 miles up the creek corridor past Genevieve and Crag Lakes to a granite-ringed basin that holds snow well into summer. A moderate two-day trip with fishing and quiet camps.

Highlights

  • A chain of lakes — Genevieve, Crag, Hidden, Stony Ridge — each a camp option
  • Stony Ridge's deep, cold water and granite shore
  • Wildflower meadows along Meeks Creek in early summer
  • The Rubicon country beyond for longer trips

Logistics

  • Trailhead: Meeks Bay Trailhead (6,270 ft) · parking: Meeks Bay Resort area on Highway 89
  • Water: Meeks Creek and the lake chain; treat all water.
  • Resupply: None; Tahoma and South Lake Tahoe nearby.
  • Shuttle: Not needed for an out-and-back.
  • Bear canister required.

Permits

  • Agency: Eldorado National Forest (USFS)
  • Reserve or apply on recreation.gov
  • Quota: Trailhead quotas apply for overnight entry during quota season.
  • Reservation window: Reserve via recreation.gov; some quota is released two weeks out.

Campfires & stove regulations

Campfires allowed seasonally. Fires are restricted forest-wide in the Eldorado during high fire danger — check current restrictions before your trip. Current fire restrictions. Rules change with conditions — always confirm with the managing agency before your trip.

Best time to go

Best months: July, August, September.

Snow: Usually snow-free by early July.

Heat: Mild at 7,600 feet.

Bugs: Mosquitoes through July.

Weather forecast

Know before you go

  • Camps fill on summer weekends — arrive early
  • Mosquitoes through July
  • Bear canisters are required

Sources & citations

Data compiled 2026 from public agency and reference sources. All descriptive text on this page is original; verify current conditions with the managing agency before your trip.

  1. SRTM90 elevation data (sampled). OpenTopoData (SRTM, NASA/USGS-derived open data) via Photon geocoding (OpenStreetMap). https://www.opentopodata.org/. Accessed 2026-09-10. Trailhead and destination elevations sampled at geocoded coordinates; location from OpenStreetMap data (ODbL).
  2. Desolation Wilderness Trails & Trailheads — Meeks Bay. Eldorado National Forest (U.S. Forest Service). https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/eldorado/wilderness/desolation-wilderness-trails-trailheads. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: Public domain (US government work). Meeks Bay trailhead destination distances: Stony Ridge Lake 6.3 mi, Rubicon Lake 8.1 mi, Crag Lake 4.9 mi.
  3. Desolation Wilderness Permit. Recreation.gov / U.S. Forest Service. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/233261. Accessed 2026-09-07. Overnight permit reservations for Desolation Wilderness entry zones.
  4. Desolation Wilderness Food and Refuse Storage Restriction. Eldorado National Forest (U.S. Forest Service). https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/eldorado/alerts/desolation-wilderness-food-and-refuse-storage-restriction. Accessed 2026-09-07. License: Public domain (US government work). Bear-resistant food storage requirement in Desolation Wilderness.