Hiking and Running at Lake
Tahoe
Tahoe's Top Four Trails for Mountain Running
and Hiking
1. Eagle Falls/Eagle Lake. This moderately
easy trail is well marked and begins at Eagle Picnic Area, across Highway
89 from Emerald Bay. It's only about a third of a mile to the steel footbridge
overlooking the falls and 2 miles round-trip (1 1/2-2 hr.) to Eagle Lake.
You can sign in at the self-registration station at the trail head.
Location: South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Basin
Access: car then hike (no dogs)
Distance: 2.2 miles (RT) (hike)
Elevation: 6600 ft. (-350 ft.)
Season: Apr-Jul -
Difficulty: easy hike
Lat/Long (NAD83): 38.95185, -120.11029
Directions: Along Hwy #89, 8.5 miles northwest of Hwy #50 junction, at South
Lake Tahoe. Park at the Emerald Bay / Vikingsholm State Park ($5 fee). More info...
Topo
Map: Eagle Lake and Falls
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This snapshot is updated continually,
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2. Emerald Bay/Vikingsholm. The
trail starts at the parking area on the north side of Emerald
Bay, on Highway 89. It's
a wide, well-maintained trail but fairly steep, about 2.5
miles round-trip. At the bottom of the trail is a picnic
area, as well as world-famous Vikingsholm, a replica of a
Scandinavian castle.
Directions:Along Hwy #89, 8.5 miles northwest
of Hwy #50 junction, at South Lake Tahoe. Park at the Emerald
Bay / Vikingsholm State Park ($5 fee).
3. Nevada Shoreline. Begin
at the paved parking lot on the west side of Highway 28,
3 miles
south of Sand Harbor. The
trail drops to the beach and follows the shoreline, passing
Chimney Beach, Secret Harbor, and Whale Beach. The trail
eventually connects to a service road that can be followed
back up to the parking area. It's an easy 4-mile hike, with
a vertical climb of only 300 feet.
4, Shirley Lake. Shirley Lake
is in Squaw Valley. This trail
leads to Shirley Lake, then down to Shirley Canyon. Take
the tram
at Squaw Valley up to High
Camp and hike down, or vice versa. The trail begins at the
end of Squaw Creek Road, next to the cable-car building.
It's a 4-mile hike, easy to moderate in difficulty, with
some steep sections.
The trail
starts at the end of Squaw Peak Road. (There are numerous
other trails
which
follow the creek up to Shirley Lake, as well..)
The trail follows Squaw Creek about 2½ miles each
way to Shirley Lake, passing gorgeous waterfalls and canyon
boulders.
(Top of tram to Shirley Lake adds considerable distance.)
Going uphill, stay to the left of the creek; going downhill,
stay to the right. The trail diverges and disappears at times
but just keep following the creek and you'll get there. Carry
water. The hike is considered difficult and takes 2½ -
3 hours.
Our Top Picks for More Information About Lake
Tahoe Hiking, Walking and Trail Running
- Tahoe
Mountain Milers
This site is fabulous, with tons of trail and map information, and if you're looking for the greatest folks to join you on the trails, you can join the Tahoe Mountain Milers on one of their hiking or trail running excursions. You will find a full schedule of activities, including mountain runs! The Tahoe Mountain Milers invite all Lake Tahoe visitors to join the fun.
- US
Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Hiking
Trails Guide
This is another of Best Resource for hiking trails at Lake Tahoe. The folks at the US Forest Service really love Lake Tahoe and it shows!
The Best Online Hiking Trails and Other Cool Maps
Some Hikes that are a little
more serious...
Desolation Wilderness
- One of the most accessible wildernesses in the country,
Desolation is a popular destination for day hikers and visitors
alike. Luckily, over 63,000 acres of forest and 130 lakes
offer enough space for everyone to get pleasantly lost in
nature. You’ll need a permit for hiking and camping
– obtain it by visiting a forest service office. Check
out www.fs.fed.us/ for more information.
Two popular access points for
Desolation Wilderness are at the Eagle Falls Trailhead in
South Lake Tahoe or the Granite Lake Trailhead near Inspiration
Point at Emerald Bay. Take either trail through Velma Lakes
and towards Dick’s Lake where you’ll intersect
with the Pacific Crest Trail. Undesignated campsites are
available – some right on the lakes’ shores.
Glen Alpine Trailhead is another
way to enter Desolation Wilderness and offers a number of
trail options. Some spiral up towards Susie, Heather and
Aloha Lakes, providing stunning views, granite walls and
features. The Glen Alpine Trailhead is located off of Hwy
89, just north of South Lake Tahoe on Fallen Leaf Road.
Granite Chief Wilderness
- On the west shore of Lake Tahoe butting up to Alpine Meadows
and Squaw Valley ski areas, Granite Chief Wilderness features
granite cliffs that swoop down to glacial valleys and is
the headwater for the American River. Aside from the busy
day hike to the 5 Lakes area, Granite Chief Wilderness is
less populated than many other wilderness areas and only
requires permits for camp stoves (campfires are prohibited).
Explore trails into the Hellhole Reservoir or Picayune Valley
to find a solitary escape. Camping is prohibited within
600’ of any of the 5 Lakes and dogs are not permitted
in certain deer fawning areas.
Mokelumne Wilderness
- If you’ve a hankering for heights, trek through
Mokelumne Wilderness for access to Jobs and Freels Peaks
– two of the highest in the Tahoe Basin. The Wilderness,
located south of South Lake Tahoe between Hwys 88 and 4,
is also home to many small lakes, granite features and the
rugged Mokelumne River Canyon. Wilderness permits are required
for overnight users from the Eldorado National Forest.
Meiss Country Roadless
Area - Located between Luther Pass (Hwy 89) and
Carson Pass (Hwy 88), this area features lovely hikes as
well as intersections with the Pacific Crest and Tahoe Rim
Trails. Campfires are permitted with permit. Find more information
from the forest service here.
Within Meiss Country, hike to
Meiss Lake where warm, shallow waters make for an ideal
swimming spot. The trailhead can be found just past the
intersection of Hwys 88 and 89, one mile past the Carson
Pass Sno-Park.
Also catch the Tahoe Rim
Trail’s Big Meadows Trailhead and explore three alpine
lakes: Round, Dardanelles and Scotts. Scenic volcanic cliffs
and granite shelves complement these lakes’ beauty.
Trails also wander through Meiss and Big Meadows, where
wildflowers bloom in profusion. The trailhead is located
off of Hwy 89, about 5 miles south of US 50 between Luther
and Carson passes.
Tahoe Rim Trail
- You can explore all 8 segments of its 165 mile path. Forming
a loop around Lake Tahoe that encompasses peak heights,
calm meadows, and dizzying vistas, the TRT is truly one
of the best ways to experience the beauty of the Lake. Camping
is permitted within 300 feet of the trail in every area
except Tunnel Creek to Spooner Summit in the Nevada State
Park section of the trail (two designated campgrounds are
available in that section). Campfires are prohibited, although
portable camp stoves are allowed with permit. Visit www.tahoerimrtail.org
for more information and access points. Explore the Tahoe
Meadows to Spooner Summit section of the TRT and detour
up to explore Marlette Peak or down to Marlette Lake. This
section of the trail is in the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park.
Camping is available at the Marlette Peak Campground or
the North Canyon Campground. Adventuring on spurs off of
the main trails can lead to spectacular views of Lake Tahoe.
Access this portion of the TRT at either the Tahoe Meadows
Trailhead off of SR 431, or the Spooner Summit Trailhead
on the south side of Hwy 50.
Pacific Crest Trail
- This expansive and well-known trail winds from Mexico
to Canada in its entirety – but happens also to pass
locally through some of the best wilderness in the Tahoe
Basin. The PCT bisects all 5 forest jurisdictions in the
region and is a great option for both day-hikes and extended
backcountry trips alike. Permits are not required on the
trail itself, but may be necessary to pass through certain
wilderness areas. Visit www.pcta.org for more information
about the trail.
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