Echo Chalet
The numbers that decide it
Recreation.gov publishes no site-level detail for this campground, so we cannot say what length of rig it takes. Call the managing office before committing to it in a large vehicle.
Site-level detail from Recreation.gov, checked 2026-08-05. Where a field says “not published”, the agency has not published it — it does not mean zero.
Echo Chalet
This area can be extremely crowded on weekends. Please consider visiting in the early morning or late afternoon for a more relaxing experience. Echo Chalet is a high-Sierra, summer-only, resort located approximately 10 miles from South Lake Tahoe and 49 miles east of Placerville. The resort was established in 1939, is owned and managed by Tom and Kathleen Fashinell and operates under a special use permit from the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Nearby Echo Lakes Trailhead Echo Lakes serves as a trailhead for Desolation Wilderness . Access to the trailhead is via Johnson Pass Road off of U.S. Highway 50. Opening and closing dates are dependent on weather, but the trailhead is typically open from mid-May through mid-October. Restrooms and trash service are available only when the trailhead is open. Campfires (wood, charcoal or any other solid fuels) are not permitted.
Before you go
Restrictions
Campfires (wood, charcoal or any other solid fuels) are not permitted. • A wilderness permit is required to enter Desolation Wilderness. • Day hikers may pick up day-use permits at the self-serve kiosk. • Overnight hikers must obtain an overnight permit before arriving. • Bear canisters (hard-sided) are required for all overnight visits. • No camping or overnighting at the trailhead. • Lake Tahoe is Bear Country. Before heading out on the trail, remove all scented items from vehicles and be sure to lock vehicle doors and windows. Learn more about coexisting with bears at TahoeBears.Org .
Scenic drives that pass close
Make it a night on a better road
Byway plans the drive in — real stops, real weather, nothing invented.