Little Truckee Summit
Rolling hills of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada crest dotted with meadows and harvest openings all at elevations over 6000’ make this expansive area a snowmobiler’s favorite destination.
...over 100 miles of groomed snowmobile trails radiating out from the location.
Forests are more open than the west slope of the Sierra Nevada and snow- packed ridges frequently provide openings into even higher country.
DESCRIPTION:
Forests are more open than the west slope of the Sierra Nevada and snow-packed ridges frequently provide openings into even higher country. Small canyons slice through the hills leaving a complex pattern of varied terrain that ranges from the easiest of trails to challenging play areas served by an extensive network of groomed trails.
Little Truckee Summit is a developed parking area with over 100 miles of groomed snowmobile trails radiating out from the location. Due to the heavy snowmobile use, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are not recommended.
Overnight parking and camping are allowed for seven days or less between November 16 and April 14. Restrooms and fire rings are available, but there are no garbage services or water.
Use of wheeled vehicles on snowmobile routes is prohibited.
Cross Country Skiing & snowshoeing: Due to the heavy use by snowmobiles, neither cross-country skiing nor snowshoeing are recommended.
| Parking Elevation: | 6300 feet | Base Elevation: | 6300 feet | Summit Elevation: | 7600 feet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Some groomed trails climb over the crest of the Sierra Nevada. |
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| Snowfall | 0 inches | Season | Mid-November through mid-April | ||
| Parking: | Plowed with no fees | Skiable Area | 0 acres | Groomed | Yes | Terain Park | No |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snowmaking | |||||||
| Runs | Beginner | 0% | Intermediate | 0% | Expert | 0% | |
| Lifts | 0 | Types | |||||
| Contact(s) | Tahoe National Forest: 530-265-4531 |
|---|---|
| Website(s) |
DIRECTIONS:
To Little Truckee Summit
Drive north from Truckee on Highway 89 for 17 miles. The parking area is on the left side of the highway at the intersection of the Jackson Meadows Road #07.
Topographic maps: East Slope -Winter Recreation and U.S.G.S. Sierraville, Satley, Independence Lake, & English Mountain.
ACTIVITIES:
Snowmobiling (Rating: Exceptional)
There are 110 miles of groomed trails in all. They fan out north and west as far as Bassetts and Yuba Pass, or west to Jackson Meadow Reservoir and Meadow Lake. To the south there is a connection trail to the Prosser Hill Staging Area just above Truckee. Groomed trails connect four individual winter parking or staging areas: Little Truckee Summit, Yuba Pass, Bassetts, and Prosser Hill.
The groomed trail along the Jackson Meadows Road forms the main link that connects to side trips on the Treasure Mountain Loop, the Ridge Loop, the Webber-Yuba Trail, the Fifty four Road Trail, and the Webber Rim Loop. Further west the Bald Ridge Loop and the Pass Creek Loops circle off and back to the Jackson Meadows Road/Trail. The Meadow Lake Loop is the longest and most arduous of the groomed options. See map.
The historic Henness Pass Road is a marked trail that follows the Jackson Meadows Road on the other side (south) of the Little Truckee River.
Connecting the Little Truckee Summit to Prosser Hills is the Prosser Creek Connection. The Independence Loop adds a pleasant six-mile loop variation to the connecting route that parallels Highway 89.
Difficulty: Easiest to Most Difficult depending on length. Groomed trails along roads are fairly easy with little sidehill slopes to deal with.
