After summiting Mt Reba the day before, we set out on another hike in the central Sierra Nevada on a beautiful fall day. On the docket was Noble Lake, a small alpine lake off the PCT. Set at just below 9,000 feet, Noble Lake is located in the arid eastern portion of the range, and the hike getting there promised some fun trails and big time views!
Miles/Elevation:
9 miles
1,594 feet vertical gain
About Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest:
The largest national forest outside of Alaska, Humboldt-Toiyabe contains over 6 million acres of protected land across the state of Nevada, and small parts of eastern California. The lands of Humboldt-Toiyabe have been reorganized many times, and as a result the forest contains independent parcels scattered across the northern half of Nevada.
While most of the forest is spread across Nevada, the lands around Lake Tahoe are some of the most visited of Humboldt-Toiyabe. Also notable are the many wilderness areas such as the Ruby Mountains Wilderness and the Hoover Wilderness, along with seemingly endless land spread throughout 19 counties across two states!
Getting To The Trailhead:
From the west, take Highway 4 past Bear Valley and Lake Alpine. Pass over the Pacific Grade Summit and continue through Hermit Valley. Climb up and over Ebbetts Pass, and then park in the lot on the right just over Ebbetts Pass.
From the east, take Highway 89 to where it intersects with 4. Head west on Highway 4. Just before reaching Ebbetts Pass, park in the lot on your left.
Tips:
- This hike has an annoying amount of climbing on the way out. Make sure you can get back to the trailhead.
- Noble Lake can also be reached via the Noble Canyon Trail.
- Noble Lake is a bit scummy. Don’t plan on swimming here.
The Noble Lake Trail:
Down To Noble Canyon:
From the parking lot, you’ll have a quick uphill walk to get onto the PCT proper. After less than a quarter of a mile, you’ll be on the PCT itself. Turn left to head south towards Noble Lake.
After joining the PCT, continue climbing for another 100 vertical feet until you crest the first climb of the day (there are a number of small to moderate climbs on this hike). At the crest, you’ll have your first big view of the day. In front of you is Noble Canyon, but most notable is the serrated ridgeline on your right!
The trail to Mt Reba is another nice hike on the Highway 4 corridor!
I think this ridgeline is a subset of Tryon Peak, but honestly I am not sure. There is not a named peak where the ridgeline is on the map, but the view is cool nonetheless!
From the top of the first climb, descend down into the valley. After a quick 200 foot descent, you will find yourself in a forested valley looking up at that ridgeline. Annoyingly, at the bottom of this descent the trail heads back uphill once again! Over the next half mile plus, you’ll gently gain about 150 feet.
At the top of this second climb, you’ll encounter the precipice of Noble Canyon itself. From the cliff edges, you’ll be able to peer down about 1,000 feet towards the bottom of the canyon. Also notable are the peaks across the canyon. The mountains here are picturesque, and are anchored by Silver Peak and Highland Peak! On clear days, you will also be able to see north towards the mountains near South Lake Tahoe!
Check out Calaveras Big Trees State Park in the foothills below!
Continue along the trail as it drops into Noble Canyon. This descent is the largest of the day at about 500 feet, which really isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things, but remember you’ll have to climb back up this on the way out! The trail quality degrades a bit on this descent, but it’s still pretty solid.
To Noble Lake:
Once you arrive at the bottom of the canyon, you’ll notice on the hillside in front of you that the trail actually doubles back. When you cross the small creek that marks the bottom of the descent, you will be changing directions before continuing the hike south.
Double back, and then stay right when you reach the intersection with the Noble Canyon Trail. You’ll have some climbing to do now (this being the largest climb of the day) so get ready! This approach climb to Noble Lake is about 700 vertical feet, which isn’t that crazy but will likely require 30-40 minutes of sustained effort.
The trail on the final climb up to the lake is the most interesting of the day. You’ll be walking along exposed ledges with steep drops of hundreds of feet to the canyon floor below, and combined with the excellent views of the local peaks and the more distant peaks near Tahoe, this is pretty great hiking!
Hike the Arnold Rim Trail in spring when the alpine is still snowed in!
After a set of particularly tight switchbacks, you will approach a large earthen berm which marks the northern edge of the lake. Continue past this and you’ll be there!
Help keep nature pristine. Follow Leave No Trace!
Given the quality of hiking to reach Noble Lake, I was hoping for a big time alpine lake. However, my hopes were somewhat dashed when we actually got there. The water is muddy and brown, far from the bright blues that you might expect at 9,000 feet. The peaks immediately above the lake, and visible to you while you are at the lake, are less impressive than pretty much all of the mountains you’ll have seen on the hike thus far. It’s not a bad spot, and you will have views almost all the way to Tahoe from the lakeside, but it wasn’t quite what I had hoped!
Hiking Back:
From the lake, the hike back to the trailhead is a return trip along the same trail. There aren’t really any good options for a loop here, so an out and back is the way to go. Unfortunately, there is a substantial amount of climbing on the way back so you will have to work on your way out!
This is bear country so make sure you’re bear safe!
First, you’ll have a 700 foot descent back down into Noble Canyon. This is pretty easy, and with all the great views it’s enjoyable hiking. Following the descent is the 500 foot climb back up and out of Noble Canyon. This kind of sucks and is definitely a bummer, but again it’s only 500 feet, and the trail is never that steep.
Once you’re out of the canyon, you’ll have a small descent over the next half mile followed by the final climb of the day. This final climb is short, and once at the top, it’s a quick descent back down to the parking lot near Ebbetts Pass! It’s a bit of a rollercoaster with some unfortunate climbing on the return trip, but before you know it you’ll be back at the trailhead!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 9/10
I went back and forth on this hike deciding between an 8 and a 9, but I’m going to go with a 9/10. I think this is on the lower end of 9/10 trails, but when you consider the views are good for almost the whole thing, the trail quality is good, and you hike to an alpine lake, it’s pretty solid top to bottom.
I wish Noble Lake itself was a bit nicer. It’s far from the clear blue water that you would hope for from an alpine lake which is disappointing. The mountains here also are not the highest or best of the Sierra, but the scenery is very nice throughout. This is definitely a good hike, and the area is worth exploring, but it lacks the grandeur to be a true 10/10.
Pros:
- Good views
- Relatively light traffic
- Alpine lake
Cons:
- No wow moments
- Lake itself isn’t great
Alternative Hikes:
Ebbetts Pass to the Hoodoos Above Eagle Creek
When To Hike To Noble Lake:
While the Sierra Nevada is a haven for athletes at all times of year, hiking is best done here in the warmer months. These mountains are famous for their massive snowfall, so trails can be snowed in into the summer.
This hike is pretty high in elevation, so snow will linger up here later than the nearby lower elevation areas. Most years, expect to still be encountering snow well into May, with conditions becoming reliably snow free in late June, though you may be able to hike it without snow earlier. Snow is possible anytime during the year at high elevation, but conditions should be snow free until late October or even early November.
This hike can be done anytime there isn’t a ton of snow on the ground, and even then could make for a nice snowshoe hike or cross country ski outing! I would personally recommend this hike between June and September, though you could have perfect conditions from May to early November depending on the year.
Links For Further Reading:
Noble Lake via PCT | Map, Guide – California | AllTrails
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest – Noble Lake Trailhead
NOBEL LAKE HIKE VIA NOBEL CANYON – Sierra REC Magazine
Central California: Ebbetts Pass to Nobel Lake – Wild – Pacific Crest Trail Association
