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© 2026 Roaming.Camp · Data from NPS, Recreation.gov, BLM, USFS, NWS, and the FCC.Operating on ceded ancestral land.Photography via Unsplash.

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Hike

Lake Margaret

Near Caples Lake
Inside Eldorado National Forest
Camp under a mile away

5.0 mi out & back · 695 ft gain · 7,734 ft high point · Moderate

In Eldorado National Forest · California · U.S. Forest Service

About Elevation Highlights Map Camp near here More hikes

About this hike

Lake Margaret is a 5-mile out-and-back trail climbing 695 feet near Caples Lake and Kirkwood Lake in Eldorado National Forest.

Elevation

695 ft of gain round trip.

Camp near here

The closest places to sleep, measured from the trailhead.

See all on the map

0.9 mi from the trailhead
Caples Lake Campground
Campground

More hikes nearby

Ranked the same way, within twenty-five miles.

9 mi from you
Ralston Peak
- Summits Ralston Peak
- Inside Eldorado National Forest
- 3,211 ft of climbing
7.2 mi out & back · 3,211 ft gain · Very hard
Eldorado National Forest · Camp 1 mi away

Out: 180 ft up, returns the same way. Source: USGS 3DEP.

Highlights

What the trail reaches, measured from the start.

Kirkwood LakeNearby · 0.2 mi in
Caples LakeNearby · 0.3 mi in

Nearby reading

Kirkwood, California
Kirkwood Inn & Saloon

Map

The route at the trailhead. Drag with two fingers, or hold a key to zoom.

Trail data: USFS, NPS, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation: USGS 3DEP via Mapzen terrain tiles. Nearby reading: Wikipedia. Download the trail and feature data.

At a glance

Length: 5.0 mi
Shape: Out & back
Gain: 695 ft round trip
High point: 7,734 ft
Low point: 7,490 ft
Difficulty: ModerateFrom 5.0 mi and 695 ft of climbing
Managed by: U.S. Forest Service
State: California
Camps within 15 mi: 18
Trailhead: 38.7036° N · 120.0694° W

Get directions Open the map

1.0 mi from the trailhead

Caples Lake Resort

Cabin & lookout

1.0 mi from the trailhead

Kirkwood Campground

Campground

14 mi from you

Mt. Tallac Trail

Summits Mount Tallac
Inside Eldorado National Forest
3,355 ft of climbing

8.9 mi out & back · 3,355 ft gain · Very hard

Eldorado National Forest · Camp 1 mi away

Floating Island Trail

Ends at Gilmore Lake
Inside Eldorado National Forest
4,347 ft of climbing

11.7 mi out & back · 4,347 ft gain · Very hard

Eldorado National Forest · Camp 1 mi away

Thunder Mountain

Summits Thunder Mountain
Inside Eldorado National Forest
2,414 ft of climbing

9.5 mi out & back · 2,414 ft gain · Hard

Eldorado National Forest · Camp 2 mi away

Glen Alpine

Ends at Modjeska Falls
Inside Eldorado National Forest
5,990 ft of climbing

18.2 mi out & back · 5,990 ft gain · Very hard

Eldorado National Forest · Camp 1 mi away

Pacific Crest Trail

Ends at Carson Pass
Inside Desolation Wilderness
6,912 ft of climbing

31.1 mi one way · 6,912 ft gain · Very hard

Desolation Wilderness · Camp 6 mi away

More like this

Hikes that read like this one, wherever they are.

Margery Trail
- Ends at Lake Margery
- Inside Eldorado National Forest
- 1,752 ft of climbing
10.7 mi loop · 1,749 ft gain · Hard
Eldorado National Forest · Camp 6 mi away
Caples Creek
- Inside Eldorado National Forest
- 1,573 ft of climbing
- Camp under a mile away
8.7 mi out & back · 1,573 ft gain · Hard
Eldorado National Forest · Camp under a mile away
Lake Margaret Trail
- Ends at Margaret Lake
- Inside Wenatchee National Forest
- 2,337 ft of climbing
6.1 mi out & back · 2,337 ft gain · Very hard
Wenatchee National Forest · Camp 5 mi away
Grass Lake Trail
- Ends at Grass Lake
- Inside Eldorado National Forest
- 6,134 ft of climbing
18.1 mi out & back · 6,134 ft gain · Very hard
Eldorado National Forest · Camp 1 mi away

Weather

7-day forecast

Today61°38°Sunny
Wed60°38°Sunny
Thu55°35°Sunny
Fri43°29°Light Rain Likely
Sat39°27°Chance Light Snow
Sun39°26°Light Snow Likely
Mon35°21°Light Snow Likely

Today: Sunny · wind 1 mph N

National Weather Service · refreshed hourly

Signal

Cell coverage here

VerizonLTE · Poor

FCC coverage data · signal varies in remote terrain