Hiking Trails Lake Tahoe

The hiking trails around Lake Tahoe are amazing. While some require experience, stamina and serious preparation, others are easy and accessible. Some of the most popular trails include the Tahoe Rim Trail, offering stunning panoramic views; Eagle Lake Trail, featuring a beautiful alpine lake; as well as Mount Tallac Trail, known for its challenging ascent and breathtaking vistas. These trails provide diverse scenery, from lush forests to striking mountain peaks. The higher you hike, the more stunning the views. That said, a simple stop at Emerald Bay State Park is all you need to experience one of the most spectacular views in the area.

Hiking Trails Lake Tahoe

Do yourself a favor, and get there at sunrise to avoid the crowds, get a parking spot, watch the sunrise and take photos. If you are up for a nice hike to a beautiful lake, you can then walk across the road and head up the Eagle Falls Trail to Eagle Lake. The photo ops are endless, particularly from sunrise to about 11am. If you make a day of it, you may just catch an incredible Lake Tahoe sunset.

Another worthy hike is the Shirley Canyon Trail near Olympic Valley. It can be accessed from a trailhead right behind the Olympic Village Inn. While the hike is certainly not short or easy, it is spectacular. Dramatic rock formations and a wide variety of interesting trees are a highlight of this hike, which for all practical purposes, is essentially part of the Palisades Tahoe Ski resort. If you make it to the top, you can ride the Palisades Tahoe Aerial Tram back down for free. If you want to see this area without the hike, you can pay a fee to ride the tram up and back. You can unload at the top, walk around, have some food and enjoy the views. Then head back down on the Aerial tram.

Easy nature walks Tahoe

For people who require (or simply prefer) easy walks on flat ground, there are numerous walking and biking paths. They run along the lake, through the forest and next to the local rivers. My personal favorite is the walking and biking path between Incline Village and Sand Harbor. The Tahoe East Shore Trail gives you easy access to one of Lake Tahoe’s most gorgeous coastline, famous for its crystal clear water, sand beaches and dramatic rock formations. While it does have hills, and is therefore not the easiest path, it is paved. You can park at the Bullwheel parking lot. It accommodates about 90 vehicles. It is next to the Tunnel Creek Cafe and Flume Trail Bikes.

Bike Rentals Lake Tahoe

As a professional photographer, I made it a priority to spend some time in this area. I decided to start my day by parking at the Sand Harbor parking lot for $15. The sun was just starting to illuminate the shallow water, and I got some of my best photographs shortly after arriving. The crowds soon followed, so I ended my photo session there. Fortunately, Flume Trail Bike opened at 10am. So, I headed straight there, jumped on an e-bike and made my way back towards Sand Harbor. This gave me a fun and efficient way to enjoy new vistas while studying the various nooks and crannies of the lakeshore along the route. I highly recommend Flume Trail Bike for bike rentals (both e-bikes and traditional bicycles). Flume Trail Bike,1115 Tunnel Creek Road, Incline Village, NV 89451; 775-298-2501; info@flumetrailtahoe.com; https://flumetrailtahoe.com/

E-Bike Trails in Lake Tahoe

The e-bike was incredibly easy to ride. It required almost no effort to handle the short sections of hills. I was able to stop at some great spots, where I enjoyed a little solitude down by the water. The light was still quite nice, and I got some interesting photos before packing my gear and returning the bike. The Tahoe East Shore Trail is relatively new. It is currently about 3 miles long, and I was told by a local that it will eventually go around the entire lake. The coastline south of Sand Harbor is also glorious with some of the best sunset viewing spots around Lake Tahoe. Accessing those spots however can be a challenge, because the primary parking area is at Sand Harbor. Boats, Kayaks, and standup paddle boards are common ways to reach those locations which include Bonsai Rock.

All in all, if you are visiting Lake Tahoe, you won’t want to miss taking in its glorious natural wonders. No matter the hike you choose, it is worthwhile to enjoy the majesty of Tahoe California.

CLICK HERE to find out more about the Lake Tahoe area. ETG recommends visiting the official Lake Tahoe website at https://visitlaketahoe.com