This is easily one of the most popular waterfalls in South Tahoe on the California side, and it…read morecompletely lives up to the hype! Just a heads-up on the trail getting there: it is definitely a tough, rugged hike. The path is full of rocks and kept completely natural, so you really have to watch your footing. Honestly, coming back down was just as much of a workout and challenge as hiking up. But once you reach the destination, the sheer beauty of the falls makes every single step worth it. It's actually made up of several different falls cascading down the mountainside right into Cascade Lake below. Getting close to that cold, refreshing mountain water felt incredible after the trek. The drive from our hotel in South Lake Tahoe was only about half an hour, making it the perfect, easy half-day adventure. If you're up for a bit of a rocky scramble, don't miss this one!

This ended up being one of my favorite hikes in Lake Tahoe. It's definitely more enjoyable in the…read morespring or fall, when there's less fog and you can fully take in the surrounding scenery, but even so, I was happy with the experience. Reaching the waterfalls was especially rewarding and made the hike well worth it.

Helluva hike, we're talking a 3500 foot or so vertical rise over a 10 mile or so hike, with most of…read moreit near the end. The vertical rise isn't the only obstacle, also much of the trail is very rocky or even nothing but rocks. That the rockiness isn't as much of a tax as the vertical rise, is proven by how easy it is to return compared to going up! Appreciate that we saw no trash along the trail, so people are respectful. One person had left a doggy bag of doo doo right by the trail, which is a no no - supposed to bury it at least 200 feet from the trail! And per the Desolation Wilderness rules, dogs should be controlled, meaning on a leash, not running around. We did the hike in late July which was about perfect. Not overly warm that day, and even rained a tad for about an hour. For long periods we could not see another human being anywhere even in the distance. Be sure to bring plenty of water and some food. We brought water but no food and this made the hike even more taxing, but we muddled on somehow. Parking is free. You'll also need to pick up a free self-serve wilderness permit for day hikes at the trailhead. Just fill it out with the pen that is attached to the box, drop half into the box and retain the other half with you during the hike.

Not a destination hike in my opinion but great views and a mixed, scenic hike…read more First, know that the trail itself is a majority of crushed rock. Pebbles. Fist sized rocks. Rock shards. Sandy rock and so forth. It gets exhausting when there's a little slip with almost every step down and every step off. On a hot day the hike to the summit is killer. There is almost no shade. Effective oxygen content in the air is about 15-16% compared to sea level of 21%. Its still doable, but less enjoyable when you're more winded, especially in the dry climate. A couple sources of fresh water not too far from the trailhead but I'd highly suggest packing in a couple/few liters for the last 4 hours or so to the summit and back. Trail is busy and mid-day will feature large groups. Arrive early and catch the sunrise over Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake Views at the summit are awesome and the rock formations are super cool. I'd suggest going to the summit, down to Gilmore lake, then cutting across to make a loop before re-connecting for the trail back. The walk down to Gilmore Lake was gorgeous, as was cutting across at the same elevation through the meadows and forest. Hike back down the rocky section (2 hours) sucked because of the loose rock but dreams of home and flush toilets will keep you moving. Overall, really glad I did this hike but would try to find something with better terrain next time.

This is a great little spot for snow play during the winter season. Parking is a little tough. The…read moreonly facilities are Porta potties. There is a very small parking lot, and along the sides of the road, but it's a tight squeeze going down the lane. The area is beautiful and there's plenty of space and small hills for sledding. And best of all - it's free! We had *snow* much fun! Yelp 2026 Challenge: 03/30

From my Genoa perspective, I usually take the Kingsbury grade to go to South Lake Tahoe and Back…read more I'll drive up from the Valley to the Spooner Summit if I'm going to the State Park of that name, Sand Harbor, Incline, and destinations North. I might drive back to the Valley via Spooner if I'm coming from South Lake and need to run errands in Carson City. Observations 1. As "The Lake" doesn't have a Costco or a Trader Joes, there can be decent visitor traffic coming down to the Valley from Spooner Summit. That includes considerable cheaper gas prices available at Costco gas. 2. The scenery coming down Spooner into the Valley is stunning. So can car speed of which a Carson Sherriff's car may happily pull you over. And that stop light can come into view fairly quickly. 3. One thing you might notice coming down are the distinct large piles of logs associated with the new Carson City Sawmill (in partnership with the Washoe Tribe). Tahoe Forest Products processes timber salvaged from wildfires, forest thinning projects. 4. I make it a point to drive this route (in either direction) for the fall colors. 5. What I always marvel at is the transition between Alpine and High Desert, in either direction. 6. In wintertime at the Alpine Summit, you'll find scores of cars and families taking advantage of sledding opportunities. Parking can be challenging. Some of those cars don't know how to drive in the winter (or understand chains) of which I saw first hand last Saturday as Gayle and I were dropping off Darling Granddaughter. Lots of slipping and sliding and 2 overturned vehicles were noted. 7. There are also hiking opportunities at the Spooner Summit of which I've only done the easy trek around nearby Spooner Lake.

Beautiful Lower and Upper Glen Alpine Falls. 6/11/26. A…read morehidden gem down below Fallen Leaf Lake.

Long drive on one lane road but once there it's just a short walk to different points of the falls…read more The main attraction may get a little crowded. Definitely worth the effort.

I was in town in December right before Christmas, where the Tahoe area had gotten enough of a surge…read moreof snow to be able to give skiers and snowboarders a good time. My wife and I went up with 3 dogs, two small dogs which we own and a much bigger pitbull mix. I took one of our small dogs and the pitbull mix on a couple mile hike on the trailhead off leash and they had a great time. Even with the snow you could tell whomever oversees the trailhead does a good job maintaining the area. The dogs got super tired running around and of course I probably got tired before then, but the hike was not too challenging especially with my gore-tex boots. This is definitely a good dog friendly and fun and free option to get out there that is not affiliated with the main resorts.

Beautiful trail and easy for those not looking to climb…read more Not a ton of markings or signage but we found the water, followed it to the bridge, and enjoyed watching the water flow. No wildlife views but plenty of beautiful scenery.

This is the best trail and beach in South Lake Tahoe! Short easy hike of mostly flat land will get…read moreyou to the most peaceful place on earth. Best time to go is spring so you can still see snow capped mountains and enjoy the beach at the same time.

I just found out about Lam Watah Trail (in South Lake Tahoe/Stateline in the Nevada side) and…read morewalked it recently. The name in Washoe means permanent mortar by the stream. The trailhead is right within walking distance from the casinos and Stateline/Highway 50. If walking the strip/Stateline is not your thing, don't forget about the free Lake Link shuttle service. The trail leads to Nevada Beach. It's 2.8 miles roundtrip. Flat, no inclines. My kind of walk. Portions of the trail are packed dirt or paved with the majority of it paved. The trailhead has a small paved parking lot, it's free with no time limits but no overnight parking allowed. There are public restrooms. If they're open, I suggest using those because in the winter all the other restrooms on the trail and the beach are closed. We discovered that the hard way. There are two options of trails at the trailhead parking lot. You can use the paved path or the dirt path. The dirt path provides a view of Jennings pond and field as it is right next to it. Even though the pond itself is about 4 feet, you or your fur babies don't want to fall into that ice cold water so stay on the path. The field and pond tend to blend together in the winter scenery. The paved path doesn't provide views of the meadow or pond. Both trails link together. At this intersection, there is a foot bridge that crosses the Burke Creek. Even in the middle of winter, the creek had a trickling flow of water. The sound was relaxing and serene. The path from this point on is paved. Right now, sections of the path have ice and snow even on a warm sunny winter day. So be prepared with the right footgear. Along the way, there are info boards describing the history. I found out that the indigenous Washoe lived in the area before European settlers, and Rabe meadow served as the Sky Harbor casino and air landing strip in the 1940s. Crazy to think there was a casino and air strip here. On the opposite side of the meadow are large, beautiful granite boulder clusters viewable from the path. And Aspen grooves which I imagine are flaming gorgeous in the Fall. The trail leads to the beach. The beach has a walking path made of a composite grooved decking about 3-4 feet wide. The beach can also be reached by driving to it; it has a paved parking lot and street parking. On the weekday I walked the trail, it had a good number of folks and dogs. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail but not allowed on the beach.

Short walk from Stateline also accessible via free Lake Link shuttle service is this flat level…read morepath that goes to the beach also connects to other trails. Bikes and pedestrians. Lot of dogs some not leashed. Lots of fowl wildlife and waters along the way.

This is a review for the Granite Lake and Maggie's Peak Hike in this area…read more It is not the easiest hike but boy is the view (and the bonus mirror-like lake halfway through) worth it. You'll be rewarded with a gorgeous, panoramic view of Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake. Parking is $12.

This review is for Granite Lake and Maggie's Peaks which was a ~4.1 miles round trip (from the…read moretrailhead) that took ~3 hours to complete. Bayview Campground was currently closed so parking was on the side of the highway. From the highway to the start of the trailhead would be another ~0.35 miles. Steep inclines to the top! No formal trail at the peak; just look for a spot with the best views of Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay, Granite Lake and Cascade Lake. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/IHKx9NmL7K8