This 165-mile loop was made to be hiked section by section, so don’t complain that the whole shebang will take too long. Pick a section for a dayhike or backpacking trip.

Each piece of the trail has its own character. The Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit section, for instance, seems to highlight the dual nature of the area, with views in one direction of the desert and views in the other of Lake Tahoe. The Barker Pass to Echo Lake trip passes through classic Sierra landscapes of granite.

Level of difficulty: Moderate to difficult

How to do it: Restrictions on mountain biking and horse riding exist on some parts of the trail, so consult the Tahoe Rim Trail Association Web site at www.tahoerimtrail.org before embarking.