Tahoe Rim Trail
The Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) is a long-distance, continuous loop around Lake Tahoe, routed across the Sierra Nevada and Carson range foothills/crests straddling California and Nevada. It runs as a high-alpine perimeter walk with a big elevation swing from the lake outlet area up to Relay Peak (10,338 ft), so expect both sustained climbs and hard descents over a full loop.
TRT is about 224 km (224.04 km in this track) and is typically done as a thru-hike rather than a single day. The trail is commonly split into eight segments for planning and shorter multi-day trips, which also makes it easier to start from a segment-specific trailhead and shuttle a car if you don’t want to complete the full loop.
A substantial portion of the route overlaps the Pacific Crest Trail: about 49 miles of TRT are on the PCT. This matters for navigation and planning because you’ll transition between trail systems while staying on the TRT loop corridor.
From a management and access standpoint, the route traverses multiple designated wilderness areas and passes through very popular sections near the southwest side of the lake; overnight use in Desolation Wilderness requires permits. The TRT itself is open year-round but is not marked for winter use, so off-season travel is mostly a snow-management and equipment decision.
High season for most hikers is summer into early fall, when trail conditions are typically best (roughly July through mid-October). Some years have lingering snow into August on high passes, and winter storms can keep higher ground covered for long stretches.
The trail passes through a mix of meadows, conifer forest, scree/slope terrain, and alpine ground where wildflowers are common along or near the route; elevations also create rapid weather shifts. For a loop with many high points and basins, use strong navigation habits: the route is designed with frequent signage at trailheads and intersections, but you should still carry a map/GPX rather than relying on local intuition.
Common trailhead access supports the eight segments—10 official trailheads provide vehicle access to the continuous loop above the lake. If you’re building a personal itinerary, choose a segment combination based on your comfort with high-elevation days and your preferred entry side (east vs. west) rather than trying to “always stay near the lake.”
More information: Official website, Visitor information, Wikipedia