Rising 6,000 feet above nearby Reno and 4,500 above the waters of Lake Tahoe, Mt Rose is the second highest summit in the Lake Tahoe area, and one of the most visible peaks in the northern Sierra Nevada. In fact, this is the highest mountain in the Sierra north of Lake Tahoe!
You might think that such a peak would be a serious mountaineering endeavor, but in this case, it’s actually relatively easy! The Mt Rose Highway ascends to nearly 9,000 feet as it connects Reno and the north shore of Lake Tahoe, and from there, it’s a pretty straightforward day hike. If you’re looking for a big time alpine summit around Lake Tahoe that won’t wreck you, this might be the one!
Miles/Elevation:
10.7 miles
2,395 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:
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
The trailhead to access Mt Rose is the Mt Rose Trailhead at the Mt Rose Summit Parking Area. Located at the summit of the Mt Rose Highway, Nevada state highway 431, the parking area is a large paved lot just off the road.
From Reno, take I-580 heading south until you reach the exit for highway 431. Follow 431 up to the pass, and at the top, the parking area will be on your right. From anywhere near the south shore of Tahoe, follow highway 50 to the intersection with highway 28, then follow 28 north to Incline Village. There, get onto 431 and follow it to the summit. From anywhere on the north or east shore, follow highway 28 until reaching 431!
Tips:
- This trail gets very busy. Arrive early to beat the crowds.
- Descend immediately if you see storm clouds approaching. A big summit is very dangerous in storms.
- Bring layers and wind gear for the summit.
The Mt Rose Trail:
To Galena Falls:
Find the trail at the south end of the parking lot, and then begin the hike to Galena Falls! You will gain about 200 vertical feet in the first half mile, and while that may not sound like a lot, it will be harder than you expect if you’re not acclimated. Remember, the trail begins at nearly 9,000 vertical feet!
The views overlooking Lake Tahoe are awesome at the beginning of the hike. Because of the high starting altitude, the views are expansive, especially to the south towards the lake from the beginning. Enjoy them at the start because before long, the trail turns north away from the lake and enters more forested terrain.
Tahoe is bear country so make sure you’re bear safe!
After the opening climb, the trail levels off for a nice walk through the woods. Very few stretches of the trail to the falls are totally flat, there is plenty of undulation, but there will be no more major climbs over the next couple of miles. The trail is also very nice so you should make quick progress!
While the northward turn does mean you won’t be able to see Lake Tahoe, it does mean you will have some nice views of Mt Rose. The forest is thin enough that you will often be able to look clearly through the trees towards the towering Rose.
Always follow basic trail etiquette when you’re hiking!
At the 1.7 mile mark, you will begin descending towards Galena Falls. The falls are about 150 vertical feet below the high point of the early trail, so while it’s not a long or steep descent, there is some descending to do.
After another ¾ of a mile of downward trending hiking, you’ll arrive at Galena Falls. Galena Falls is a 70 foot or so high cascade tumbling down a rough rocky face. Galena Falls isn’t super vertical, so it doesn’t have the same impressiveness as a truly vertical waterfall. However, for the adventurous, you could pretty easily climb up the rocky face to the top due to its non-vertical nature!
To The Summit:
Just below Galena Falls, take a right to head towards Mt Rose. The trail begins by passing near the edge of a large alpine meadow. Here the incline is still basically non-existent, so enjoy it, that will change soon!
Check out the Stevens Trail in the foothills below Tahoe for great spring hiking!
After an easy half a mile passing the meadows, the trail kicks up and begins the steep ascent towards the summit. The first part of the climb is up a very steep gully between Mt Rose and Mt Houghton, and while the trail is still pretty nice, it gets steep!
The High Meadows to Cold Creek hike is a great moderate option in Tahoe!
In just under a mile you’ll gain about 700 vertical feet as you hike up the valley, and while it isn’t anything crazy, this is by far the steepest climb so far. It actually isn’t that bad in the grand scheme of things, but it is a noticeable incline.
After just under a mile heading up the gulley, you’ll reach the pass between Mt Rose and Mt Houghton at 9,700 feet. You can’t quite relax yet, you still have to actually reach the summit, but the first half of the climb is done! From this pass, you still have about 1,000 vertical feet to go!
For the most iconic Tahoe hike, you have to check out the Rubicon Trail!
From the pass, the trail begins by climbing up the ridge leading towards Rose. As you’re hiking this ridge is super obvious and easy to see, and I actually thought the trail would follow the ridge all the way to the summit. However, it actually pretty quickly leaves the ridge and climbs up the backside of the peak.
Once you’re on the backside of the peak, the trail switchbacks its way up towards the summit. Around this point, you will leave the trees behind and truly enter the alpine. The Treeline around Tahoe is in the neighborhood of 10,400 feet, so once you’re completely above the trees, you’re probably nearing this elevation!
Check out the Martis Peak Trail for a moderate Tahoe summit hike!
The final few hundred feet to the summit follow a well defined and surprisingly nice trail. I say surprisingly nice because often as you approach a big summit like this you’ll have to scramble or at the least the trail will suck, but the hiking to Rose is almost always on a nice, though rocky, trail!
For a brutally long day, complete a triple summit day of Freel Peak, Jobs Sister, and Jobs Peak!
Before long, though it might feel like a long time, you’ll reach the summit of Mt Rose! The views from up here are seriously epic! To the north, the entire northern Sierra Nevada is visible, and on a clear day you’ll even be able to see the southern edge of the Cascades at Lassen Peak!
The hike to Lake Genevieve and Crag Lake is a long but gentle Tahoe area hike!
In all other directions the views are amazing too! To the south, Lake Tahoe and the peaks beyond are the highlights, and to the west the Sierra Crest around Donner Pass can be seen. Basically, this is the highest mountain north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada, so you can see everything around!
Hiking Back:
When you’re ready to head down, the hike back is a simple return along the same trail you took to reach the summit. The steepest section of hiking is from the summit down through the gulley to Galena Falls, and while this is a fairly steep section of hiking, it’s nothing too crazy. Watch your footing, but you should make it easily and in good time.
Once you’re back at Galena Falls, you have a couple of options for return trips. The easiest way to return to the trailhead is to retrace your steps along the exact same trail. However, if you want some slightly different terrain, you could climb above Galena Falls and return via the forest road that heads to Relay Peak.
Summit Mt Tallac, one of South Lake Tahoe’s most iconic peaks!
Whatever way you want to return is up to you. I’d probably just hike back along the trail you took out to Rose, but if you really don’t enjoy out and back hikes the fire road mixes it up a bit. You will get more Tahoe views from the fire road, but it requires a bit more climbing on the return journey which is never fun!
After a roundtrip hike of about 10 or 11 miles depending on your choice of trails, you’ll be back at the trailhead! This is a pretty easy and accessible way to reach a major peak, and a super fun and enjoyable hike! If you’re in Reno, definitely check this one out!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 9/10
While I don’t think there is anything spectacular enough to justify a 10/10 rating, this is a really good hike. The views are really good all day, the trail is good throughout, and Mt Rose is a legitimately big mountain to summit. I wish the approach to the summit was a bit more exciting and exposed, and if it was this would probably be a 10/10, but really everything about this trail top to bottom is really good.
There is nothing that truly stands out and will have you reminiscing about this trail years down the line, which is why it’s not a 10/10, but this is an excellent hike!
Pros:
- Huge views
- Big time summit
- Very good trail quality
- Waterfall
Cons:
- Nothing truly exciting or spectacular
- Busy
Alternative Hikes:
When to Hike Mt Rose:
While the Lake Tahoe area is a haven for athletes at all times of year, hiking is best done here in the warmer months. Tahoe is famous for its 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 into June, with conditions becoming reliably snow free in late June or early July, 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 September or October.
This hike can be done anytime there isn’t a ton of snow on the ground. However, I would personally recommend this hike between late June and September, and the broader Tahoe area anytime between June and October.
Links For Further Reading:
Mount Rose Trail | Map, Guide – Nevada | AllTrails
Mount Rose (Nevada) : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost
Hiking the Mt. Rose Trail near Reno and Lake Tahoe, Nevada, NV
Hiking Mount Rose (via Mount Rose HWY/SR 431 near Incline Village, NV)
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