Baby You Can Light My Fire

Snowshoe to Angora Ridge Fire Lookout

02.11.2016

Want to go on a date that will really get your heart pumping? Strap on your snowshoes and hoof it to Angora Ridge Fire Lookout. You’ll climb for nearly 2 miles in this workout that’s a guaranteed calorie-burner. In summer, you can drive to the lookout’s high perch, but in winter, Angora Ridge Road is snow-blanketed and gated—the exclusive domain of snowshoers and skiers. Savor a mellow warm-up as the road cruises past an aspen-lined meadow. Soon enough, the grade changes from level to steep as you ascend through a pine and fir forest dotted with granite boulders. Enjoy the quadriceps pump and glimpses of mighty Mount Tallac, the South Shore’s highest peak. Keep climbing until the road tops out at Angora Ridge, elevation 7,260 feet, home of the 1920s fire lookout. Snowshoe around the buildings to enjoy a stunning bird’s-eye vista of Fallen Leaf Lake, 1,000 feet below.

From Hwy. 50 and Emerald Bay Road (the “Y”) in South Lake Tahoe, head west on Lake Tahoe Blvd. for 2.4 miles to Tahoe Mountain Rd., then turn right. Drive 1 mile, turn right on Glenmore Way, then left on Dundee Cir. (follow signs for Fallen Leaf Lake and Angora Ridge). Park near the gated road/trail. Dog-friendly! 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

    View
  2. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

    View
  3. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

    View

  4. Hike to New Lights

    For an enlightening late-day hike, catch the San Francisco skyline at sunset from high atop Ring Mountain in Tiburon. This 2-mile (round-trip) hike to Turtle Rock is a perfect late afternoon wander.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Redding Ironman Whiskeytown lake
    Sponsored

    New Year, New Goal: IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California

    2026 is off and running! And swimming. And biking. Don't get left behind! Commit to one of the upcoming year’s most exciting endurance events—IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California in Redding.

    View
  2. Woman swimming in Carson Hotsprings natural thermal pool

    Hot Springs, Naturally

    Thermal spring waters are famous for their curative, relaxing elements, and Reno Tahoe is filled with them! Sink into these amazing thermal respites for a wellness super soak.

    View

  3. O Enchanted Night!

    Prepare to be mesmerized! Holiday-season nights in Descanso Gardens are a magical interplay of lights and natural beauty that dazzle as you stroll through the Enchanted Forest of L

    View
  4. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View