We backpacked out to Buck Island Lake over the summer which is in the El Dorado National Forest near Loon Lake but just short of going into Desolation Wilderness. The lake itself was beautiful where we and other backpackers were. But behold, the other side of the lake where the Jeepers are left the experience something to be desired.
There’s nothing difficult about hiking this scenic and picturesque trail along Loon Lake on the Rubicon Trail (not to be confused the Rubicon Trail for Jeeper use), which offers picturesque images of the lake as you hike though forests and past granite covered rock walls.
The hike stays pretty easy until just after you reach the Pleasant Boat-In Campground. That is where the climbing starts, but that too isn’t bad. You will climb for 1.4 miles on an overall 4.1 percent grade. If you’re day hiking, this should not be a problem. If you’re backpacking, the weight from your backpack might slow you down a bit – especially if it’s hot out. While the overall grade on the climb is 4.1 percent, the steepest part of the climb goes for .36 miles on an 10.4 percent grade. That part slowed me down, and I had to stop and rest for a little bit.
Once we made it to the top of the grade, the remaining 1.38 miles was a descent to our camp site. Granted, there are no designated campsites, and I followed a track from All Trails to get to where we got. There are areas along Buck Island where a tent can be pitched.
The hike down on the trail, once you get to the granite, can be difficult to follow at points, and we did have to rely on cairns others set along the trail to help guide us to stay on trail. It’s a good idea to take a GPS device with the track on it, which I had to check from time to time.
We made it to our campsite, set up our tent, and relaxed by the lake before we replenished and purified our water, and then cooked dinner.
We ate before the sun set, but had to do so exposed under the sun and not in the cool shadows, as that mitigated the mosquito exposure. Those itchy bloodsuckers were ferocious, and we heard that from other backpackers on our way out who were in the area as well. We did use our mosquito nets while we were out of our tent as the evening set in.
On the other side of the lake is the Rubicon Trail for the Jeepers. I have no problem with the Jeepers overall, and they have every right to be there too. However, some of these people were up until about two in the morning at their campsite, quite a distance from where the backpackers were camped out, revving their engines loudly, playing really loud music, and someone was drunkenly yelling for a guy named Greg in the wee hours of the morning that woke us up. I do not recommend doing this backpacking trip on a weekend.
The next morning, we got up, had breakfast, mosquitos still present, broke camp and headed back.
Climbing out on that 1.38 mile climb is not easy with an overall grade of 5.6 percent, but at its steepest, we climbed on a 7.2 percent average over .8 miles, but it is steeper in some places over short periods. Stop and take breaks where you need to.
Once you make to the top, it’s a descent back down to the where the Pleasant Boat-In Campground is, and then it’s an up and down climb to the end where the parking lot is.
Directions: From Sacramento, take Highway 50 East to Ice House Road. Take Ice House Road for 29 miles to the Red Fir Access Road, turn right and follow it to the Loon Lake Campground.
The Skinny
Trail: Rubicon Trail To Buck Island Lake
Trailhead Coordinates: 38.982290, -120.314550
Trailhead Elevation: 6497 Feet
Distance: 12.8 Miles – Out And Back
Level Of Difficulty: 🟡
Average Grade Overall: 1.3%
Steepest Grade: 7.2% Over .8 Miles
Ascension: 1970 Feet
Trail Condition: 🟢🟢🟢
Scenery: 🟢🟢🟢🟢
Nearest Town: Pollock Pines
Traffic: 🥾
Highlights: Views Of Loon Lake, Buck Island Lake
Best Time: Summer, Fall
Wildlife Concerns: Bears, Mosquitos, Mountain Lions, Rattle Snakes
Trail Hazards: Hiking Off Trail To Get To A Campsite
Cell Service: 📵 (AT&T)
Would I Do This Hike Again?: More Than Likely
Parking: $10 At The Time Of This Writing
Restrooms: At The Trailhead