Explore Tahoe National Forest - BDR Route

Backcountry Discovery run through Tahoe National Forest to Sawmill & Milton Lakes

🌲 Trip Completed — Trip Report & Photos Below

September 25–27, 2026 — see the trip report and photo gallery below.

Join Mike Norton and the Overland EastBay crew for a backcountry adventure through Tahoe National Forest exploring scenic alpine lakes, mountain ridges, and California Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) connectors in the Bowman Lake and Sierra Buttes region.

This 3-day expedition combines scenic high-country forest service roads, moderate rocky trails, waterfall side trips, and dispersed lakeside camping at Sawmill Lake and Milton Lake.

📍 Information

Dates

September 25 – September 27, 2026

Meet-up Location

Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
Time: 7:00 AM
Location: McDonald's at Santa Rita and Highway 580 E. (Standard Deployment Point)

37°42'02.9"N 121°52'10.7"W
37.700795, -121.869642

Get Directions

🗺️ Itinerary & Route Details

Day 1 — Friday, September 25: Staging • Bowman Lake • Sawmill Lake

Meet Time: 7:00 AM at McDonald's (6800 Santa Rita Rd & I-580 E, Pleasanton, CA).

Travel Route: I-580 → I-205 E → I-5 N → Hwy 4 E → Hwy 99 N → I-80 E toward Reno. Take the Hwy 20 exit just past Yuba Gap, travel west on Hwy 20 to Bowman Road, then take Bowman Road north toward Bowman Lake.

Trail Highlights: At Bowman Lake, turn left onto Weaver Lake Road for a scenic side excursion to Weaver Lake and falls. Backtrack Weaver Lake Road to Bowman Road, proceed east to Jackson Creek, and turn south onto Faucherie Lake Road to Sawmill Lake.

Camp Night 1: Sawmill Lake — dispersed NFS lakeside camp (39.4417665, -120.5970931).

Scenic alpine vista of Bowman Lake with calm water reflecting pine-covered ridges and the Bowman Lake dam structure in Tahoe National Forest
Bowman Lake vista along the high country route in Tahoe National Forest.

Day 2 — Saturday, September 26: Meadow Lake • Austin Meadows • Milton Lake

Morning Departure: Depart Sawmill Lake heading north on Faucherie Lake Road to Meadow Lake Road, then head east exploring the high-elevation basin.

Trail Highlights: Turn left onto Austin Meadows to potentially explore Forest Service Road 41 (Pinoli Road), slated to open September 21, 2026. If FSR 41 (Pinoli Ridge) remains closed, continue along Austin Meadows Road over Henness Pass to Milton Lake.

Camp Night 2: Milton Lake — dispersed NFS campground (39.52315, -120.57601).

Alpine lake vista near Faucherie Lake basin with dramatic granite talus slopes, cascades, and rocky shoreline
Granite basin and alpine shoreline along the Faucherie Lake high country route.

Day 3 — Sunday, September 27: Camp Break • Return Transit

Primary Return: Break camp in the morning. Primary return backtracks to Bowman Lake, then Hwy 20 → I-80 westbound toward the Bay Area.

Alternate Return: If time and trail conditions permit, an alternate series of backcountry trails/roads continuing east connects to Hwy 89 and exits into Truckee, CA.

Camp Locations

Night 1 Camp (Fri 9/25): Sawmill Lake (Dispersed NFS camp)
Coordinates: 39.4417665, -120.5970931
Sawmill Lake Map →

Night 2 Camp (Sat 9/26): Milton Lake (Dispersed NFS campground)
Coordinates: 39.52315, -120.57601
Milton Lake Map →

Notes: Both camps are primitive dispersed campsites in Tahoe National Forest. No piped water, trash collection, or developed facilities—pack it in, pack it out.

Trip Report & Photos

The trip recap will be added when the leader's debrief is available.

From the Trip

Five East Bay Overland members and their dogs, including Eddy and Seven, gathered in a circle at a dispersed forest campsite in Tahoe National Forest
Morning camp circle — five members, trail dogs Eddy and Seven
East Bay Overland members seated around a propane fire pit at dusk as the trip leader addresses the camp circle in Tahoe National Forest
Evening fire circle — Mike in action
Two overland rigs at a dispersed pine-forest camp in Tahoe National Forest — a Lexus GX470 with a rooftop tent and a Toyota Tacoma, with a tarp shelter, camp table, and a portable solar panel
Camp setup — rooftop tent, shade tarp, and solar
Two tan trail dogs, Eddy and Seven, resting side by side on an elevated canvas cot at a Tahoe National Forest campsite, wearing camo and blue puffer vests
Eddy and Seven taking it easy
Three overland rigs parked at a dispersed pine-forest campsite in Tahoe National Forest — a white Ford Bronco, a Jeep with a deployed rooftop tent, and a Land Cruiser with a loaded roof rack
The line-up at camp
A white Toyota Tacoma with a bed rack and rooftop tent parked beside a dark SUV at a wooded dispersed campsite in Tahoe National Forest
Tacoma at base camp
Chevy, a wet black dog, sitting on a large weathered tree stump at the rocky shore of an alpine lake in Tahoe National Forest.
Chevy taking in the lake view
A grey Ram heavy-duty truck with a rooftop tent and deployed side awning at a dispersed pine-forest campsite in Tahoe National Forest, with two dogs nearby.
Grey Ram rig with rooftop tent and awning at camp
A paella pan of rice with grilled meat, sausage, peppers and green beans cooking over a portable stove at a Tahoe National Forest campsite.
Campfire cooking — paella over a portable stove

Highlights from the weekend — thanks, Praveen!

Photos and video from the weekend, shared by the crew.

📸 Full Album & Video

🔥 Fire Restrictions & Permits

Current as of September 5, 2026

Fire Restrictions: This trip travels through Tahoe National Forest. Under seasonal fire restrictions, wood and charcoal campfires are prohibited outside of designated developed recreation sites (which means open campfires and charcoal fires are NOT allowed at our dispersed camp spots).

Permit Required: A free California Campfire Permit is mandatory for operating portable gas, propane, or pressurized liquid-fuel stoves and lanterns with an on/off shutoff valve. Every participant planning to cook must carry a valid permit.

Note: Both campsites (Sawmill Lake and Milton Lake) are located in Tahoe National Forest. Dispersed wood and charcoal campfires are prohibited under seasonal USFS fire restrictions. Portable gas or propane stoves with a shutoff valve are permitted with a California Campfire Permit.

✍️ Obtain Campfire Permit 🌲 Official Agency Fire Orders

Weather

Preparing for the trip, check the weather for the Highway 89 high country corridor (Sierraville / Truckee area):

Current Weather

Weather at
Sierraville / Hwy 89, CA
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Expected Trip Weather

Get Ready Before We Go

🛑 SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Rear Amber Chase Light and HAM Radio communications are REQUIRED to travel with the group.

Why Amber Chase Lights?

Dusty mountain trails are common – amber lights penetrate dust far better than white or red, helping prevent rear-end collisions in low visibility. Learn more about Why Chase Lights?

HAM Radio

Program to 146.460 MHz (simplex). Handhelds work great even without a license for listening.

If you don't have a ham radio yet, check out our guide to get started.

Other Essentials

Group Trip Agreement & Waiver

Before signing up, please review the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Risk and Group Trip Agreement. By RSVP'ing and participating in this trip, you certify that you have read, understood, and voluntarily agreed to these terms.