Josh B.

My cousin and I hiked Upper and Lower Echo Lakes back in August. The trail and road leading up to the trail were moderately smoky due to wildfire season. We almost turned around and headed back when we were half way to the trail. We pressed on and made it to the parking lot which is above the trail. You have to hike down the road to the marina, which is where the trail starts. I was instantly in awe of the gorgeous reflection of the lower lake and the sun bouncing off the waves. It was really pretty even with the smoke. We headed out on the trail and it was pretty hot but the winds blowing into the lake kept us pretty cool. The winds were actually pretty strong. We used the Alltrails app to navigate the trail and there are plenty of stopping points to just marvel at the scenery around you. We didn't run into any wildlife other than birds and there were only maybe 3-5 people we passed on the trail. I think everyone was trying to get out before the fires came. I do believe that there are some people that have houses around the lake though or maybe they are just camps or yurts for passersby. There were several small boats at the marina though so I think there are some permanent residents. The trail is about 5-6 miles roundtrip. You can go further to reach Keiths Dome and Lake of the Woods but due to the fires, many trails were closed. I would say the trail was relatively easy. There wasn't a lot of incline or elevation gain and it's relatively flat without a lot of hazards. Once you get to the end of the trail, there is a pier where you can go out and look straight down in the water because it's so clear. You could even swim or just chill out and enjoy the absolute silence. It's very peaceful and there is literally no sounds other than the rustling trees and wind blowing. I don't even think there were waves. Everything was just so still. If you don't want to hike roundtrip, there is a boat/ferry that you can call once you get to the end of the trail and it will transport you back to the main marina. At the time of writing, the price was $18 per person with a backpack and a minimum of 3 people have to be present. You also would need to have cell signal in order to call the boat. We were lucky enough to visit Upper and Lower Echo Lakes during the wildfires and actually finished the trail just as the alerts were popping up on our phones that the Desolation Wilderness was being closed due to the Caldor Fire. We actually had to rush down to the exit because they were closing Highway 50 as the fire was coming in fast. I hope the area didn't get too damaged and hope to go back if I'm ever in the Tahoe area.

Teena N.

It is clean and the view is nice. We came here to sit down and eat our sandwiches. We saw people walking their dogs, hiking, kayaking as well as fishing. The bathroom is closed off. The drive here was scary, we stopped by here after leaving South Lake Tahoe. The drive was wavy and one lane. Also, you have to be super careful as one sudden wrong turn can have you off the cliff. Safe driving & have fun!

Courtney P.

Looking to do some hiking and beat the heat in Sacramento, my fiancé and I made our way to Echo Lake Trail on a Friday morning. We hit the road relatively early to avoid Fourth of July weekend traffic and any sort of crowd. Unfortunately, pretty much everyone else had the same idea as us and we had to park about a mile from the trail head. Once we parked and got to the trail head, it was pretty straightforward -literally and figuratively. The trail was initially fairly crowded but once we hit a switch back, things started to spread out a little bit more. The trail is clearly marked and offers a mix of sun and shade. The trail can get very narrow at points, which made it challenging when you are trying to pass someone and socially distance at the same time. Everyone was very respectful and most people would cover themselves with their face masks as we were passing each other. We didn't realize that this trail is part of the larger Pacific Rim Trail, so we got to chat with several people along the way who were hiking from Canada to Mexico. Very cool! We turned off where the water taxi usually drops off at the smaller of the two Echo Lakes. We ate our packed picnic lunch at the end of the pier. Since we had the whole spot to ourselves, we ended up jumping in the lake for a wonderfully refreshing swim. Gorgeous hike, fairly easy! We would highly recommend.

Craig B.

The Lower Echo Lake trail runs right along a ridge on the north side of the lake. Because it's so elevated, we never got close to the water except at the beginning of the trail when we crossed over the dam. Based on how much water was flowing over the dam and the raging current below, the water level in May was quite high. We arrived in late May, thinking that all the snow would be melted by the trailhead and the road to the trailhead. We were wrong. There was a big pile of snow about a mile from the trailhead in the road. It had a backcountry no maintenance sign right next to the pile. We decided to park there and walk. After the fact, we noticed that the only tricky part of the road was right next to the sign. Then, as long as no one was driving the other way, the road easily led to the lake. This little walk from our parking spot to the lake gave us the opportunity to see the vacation rental homes that were still boarded up for the winter and the fire destruction that had snaked its way through the homes. The homes did not appear to be damaged, but it was hard to tell if they were saved or rebuilt after the fire. Some unfortunate sections of the mountainside were completely denuded of vegetation and life. The trees were completely black and soil barren from any nutrients. The trail along the lake was extremely beautiful. When looking closely, it's possible to see the houses on the opposite end of the lake, but they are almost camouflaged into the granite and trees. The trail leads right by many of the homes, which are a woody-Japanese style structure. None of the home were old lake cabins; instead, they all appeared to be expensively built.

Micki M.

We came here after I found out about it from my Yelp friend, Peter. When we came here, we were fortunate enough to find a parking spot down below close to the lake. We hiked only about three miles but it was breathtaking, regardless. There was a trail that ran along the lake and there's endless views everywhere. The water taxi wasn't available when we had gone probably because it was in October. We saw a lot of hikers with their gear and even families with young children. The hike overall was really easy and worth it. Take your usual necessities: water, sunscreen, first aid kit, bug repellent, hiking poles, etc

Janet M.

What a gorgeous lake Echo Lake is.... Bring a light jacket even in the summer. The lake has great fishing and great hiking trails. Parking can be tricky, but the lower level by the lake they have 2 hour parking. If you were thinking of doing a day hike you need to park in the upper portion. Bring a hat, sunscreen, bug spray and lots of water this lake is at a nice altitude. The trail is dog friendly, but dogs must be on a leash. There are several trails for day hikes or longer trails for a few days adventures into the wilderness. If you decide to camp or go on a several day hike you must check in first.

Be H.

Went on a 6 mile hike here, and it was BEAUTIFUL. It was snowing a bit, so it was just so magical! The view is amazing. Get here early, as it starts to get busy as it gets later in the day. The trails are a bit narrow and rocky, but definitely doable. I've seen people with their kids and dogs, so it's a good hike for everyone! The lake is huge, perfect for fishing too! It was a pretty easy-moderate hike, so if you're not in shape, this is perfect. I would say bring water!

Tammy E.

Great little hike with lake views the entire way. This is the perfect hike for those who want a view without having a set amount of miles required to access it. You can literally turn around at any point during the hike and feel like you saw something great and it was worthwhile. We hiked up to see the second lake but turned around before the third. With next to no elevation gain this was a very relaxing and fun hike. I wore my keens without socks and only had to get some minor irritants out of them a couple of times - all in all a pleasant day!

Lianna N.

Echo lake is a short 15-20 drive from S. Lake Tahoe, and promised some killer views with a 5 miles round trip in and out path. Unfortunately, we went the first week of June and there was still quite a bit of snow from the winter. We only made it in about 1/2 mile before turning around and heading back out. Despite that, there were some good spots to look over the lake itself and see Tahoe in the distance. Not a total loss, but I highly recommend coming here when everything is 100% thawed out to maximize the experience. Parking is limited (~15-20 cars?) so plan your travels accordingly!

Perfecto M.

Echo Lake is awesome! I would have to say Echo Lake is probably one of my favorite places to hike and camp. I love hiking from Echo Lake to Aloha Lake. This is a good day hike or camp the night there at Aloha Lake. Just a beautiful place. I highly recommend going here. Even if you just go to the parking lot and do a super short hike it's well worth it. Also if you take the boat taxi to the other side of Echo Lake that is pretty cool on its own. I think it's $10 for the boat taxi. It might have changed. But if you can't hike very long this would be a cool way to explore Echo Lake. By the dock they have a store. They have food, snacks, water, souvenirs, t-shirts, sweaters, etc. It's a cool store. Echo Lake is cool but if you could ever make it to Aloha Lake, I highly recommend that hike. It is an amazing hike. During spring it is beautiful when all the flowers come out and everything is green. It is also beautiful during fall and winter. Really it's beautiful all year long. Just go there and check it out for yourself. Thanks for reading my review.

Rusty O.

Thanks Chip for the very warm hospitality and filling us in with all your info regarding the area.

Gaby A.

I recommend this hike! It's fairly easy. No too inclined. It is long (3 hour round trip) from beginning to between the two lakes. The view along the way is spectacular! We will come back to echo lake next time we return tonLake Tahoe'

Julie P.

Echo lake is another one of those trailheads that are a door to the amazing desolation wilderness. The trail around the lake and into the back country is a section of the pacific crest trail. Today we met a someone who started hiking in Mexico and will end in Canada. Pretty cool! The trail around the lake contains a mix of terrain from gravel to dirt , to granite to larger granite chunks. In the summer the trail around the lake gets hot -- and mid day only provides intermittent shade. Today we climbed echo peak. We started about 7:15 am and ended about 2:00. The end of our hike got pretty hot .. our poor dogs ! Also . The trail to echo peak can be ambiguous, especially right now. There was still some snow up there. I'm surprised we didn't get lost. Theres an option to use the water taxi on you way back in -- but I think it's $14 per person and $10 per dog. Anyways back to echo lake. There's a bunch of hellllla cute cabins around the lake itself and I'm jealous of the owners. We do see boats and kayaks on the lake as well. Echo lake is beautiful!