Trip Date: 12/5/2014 

Location: Eldorado National Forest

Permit/Pass: Day use fee: $5

Trails: NA

Directions: From Interstate 5 in Sacramento follow the signs for US Hwy 50 East. After driving a little over 84 miles east on Hwy 50 watch for the signed left turn into the Pyramid Creek parking area. The trailhead is at the northeast corner of the parking lot next to the restrooms.

Synopsis: This is a spectacular, if short, hike when the Sierra watersheds are in full flow. With tremendous views of Horsetail Falls, the lower cascades and small falls, along with crosses of wide granite slabs, this trip packs a lot of punch for not much effort.

Trail sequence: Pyramid Creek Loop trail

Type: Balloon loop

Distance: 1.6 miles

Elevation: Min. - 6074', Max. - 6432'

Profile:

Rating: Easy (factors: slick rock, wet & muddy trails, trail-finding)

Trail Notes: Keep alert for tree diamonds and rock cairns. It's easy to lose the trail but unless you get fogged in there shouldn't be a problem finding the way back.

Pyramid Creek Loop - Eldorado NF

Turn by Turn:

  -- The trail works around and over some rocky steps to reach the side of Pyramid Creek, then turns to follow it north.

  -- As the trail leaves tree cover and head up onto granite watch for diamond markers on tree trunks to denote the loop trail. At first you turn right (east) and head over to the cascades. Then the trail turns and heads north up the canyon toward Horsetail Falls.

  -- After turning west a bit and climbing a low mound for a view of the falls, the trail circles back to the south and heads out over huge granite slabs. Here is becomes difficult to find the trial markers, but the presence of the creek is an obvious landmark that leads you back to the waterside trail.

  -- As you return to the creek, find the trail and head west back to the trailhead.

Video: Youtube