We hiked the Marlette Lake Trail from Spooner Lake to Marlette Lake as a backpacking trip for my…read morefriend's bachelorette party! We added some extra distance at the end by hiking to the Marlette Peak Campground to stay for the night. From the parking lot to the campground was about 7 miles each way. The trail itself was well-maintained, moderate difficulty, and had everything you'd want in a good hike! Solid trail conditions. Beautiful mountain and lake views. Some sections of wildflowers. A good amount of sun but also some shaded parts. Gradual incline that never felt super steep, so the elevation gain felt manageable. We saw people hiking as well as mountain biking on this trail. There are several sections of aspen trees along this hike, so it's a great one to come back and do in the fall once the leaves turn yellow. The trailhead area has great facilities, the bathrooms were clean and there is ample parking. The park rangers I spoke to were friendly and helpful. There is a $10/car entry into this area but it's totally worth it, especially when you see how well they take care of it. I loved this hike and will continue to come back to Spooner for hikes in the future!

There are a few ways to reach Marlette Lake, all of them totally worth it, especially this time of…read moreyear. This trail takes you around Spooner Lake and up to Marlette. It's a 9 mile out and back with fairly gradual elevation gain, up through the trees, until you reach the lake. A great little workout. Marlette sits along the Flume Trail, so you're likely to see a lot of mountain bikers. Fun fact: The Flume Trail got its name because Marlette and the tributaries that feed it were part of a log flume system to carry logs used to build our region all the way down from as far as Virginia City! Marlette has a short fishing season, but people say it's grand if you make the trip. Of course you need to hike in to have that experience. This is definitely a trail worth checking out in our area!

Great view! A little rugged trail and climb the rock to a super windy view! Pretty and a great way…read moreto stretch your legs for 5 minutes

I am so glad that I decided to spend the night in Virginia City…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/virginia-city-rest-stop-virginia-city?hrid=YTG0nKub99Uv2prnfuTPgA instead of trying to drive down Geiger Grade Road into Reno. In the daytime, this road is magnificent and the switchback turns are enjoyable even in a big Sprinter van. At night time, this would have been terrifying. From this lookout spot where there are a handful of parking spaces, you can look across the Reno valley and see the interstate across the way and the southern end of the city of Reno. This area is new to me so I don't know what's what or even how much of the city we can see. But the view was amazing. If you're able-bodied, there is a bit of a walkway down through clearings to some rock piles that seem to have been fashioned into lookouts. I would recommend caution as this is the Nevada desert and you might be disturbing some of the creepy crawlies that think your big toe is dinner. That would be unpleasant. But the views? Five stars on a clear day like it was today. [Review 17708 overall - 53 in Nevada - 1229 of 2022.]

The greenish blue lake looks just like a giant gem. It's also as clear as a mirror. The trails down…read morethere are really hard to walk. While walking in the woods you can just hear the wind sound and the birds singing.

Secret Cove is a really beautiful, crystal-clear beach on Lake Tahoe's East Shore, with stunning…read moregranite boulders. Parking: Along Highway 28. It fills up super early, so plan accordingly. Clothing: Optional. If you plan to wear swimwear, I'd recommend putting it on at the parking lot since there isn't much privacy or covered area at the cove for changing. How to get there: A scenic 0.75-mile hike. Water: Warm-ish (for Tahoe standards) and a bright turquoise color. There are porta-potty restrooms available at the parking lot at the start of the trail. When I went, I only saw a couple of older men fully nude; most people were wearing swimwear. The hike is a bit steep at the beginning, so sturdy shoes or water shoes are a good idea. A lot of people bring water sports gear, coolers, and picnic setups. There was even a small hippie-style drum circle near the cove, which added to the laid-back vibe. Please remember to pack out all your trash and help keep this beautiful spot clean.

Sitting right on Washoe Lake, you'll get the most out of a…read morevisit to Washoe Lake State Park by camping at $15.00 per night. It's offered on a first-come basis, There are 29 campsites, equipped with a table, grill with fire rings and room for trailers. Two comfort stations, one of which includes a shower, are available. Several sites can hold an RV up to 45 feet in length. Don't forget to get your Nevada fishing license before dropping a hook into the lake. The views of Washoe Valley & the Sierra Nevada Mountains make it all worthwhile !!

In the almost 20 years we have lived in Northern Nevada, and driven by here enroute back and forth…read morebetween Carson City and Reno, this is the first time I have stopped, gotten out and walked around. I spent some time in the picnic area and walking along the shoreline. The park was well maintained with lots of shady spots, cool grass and sandy beaches. The bathrooms were convenient and clean and there was a generous parking area. There are BBQ grills and lots of picnic tables throughout the area. There is also a large group pavilion. There are a number of trails around, but may be better suited for cooler weather as there is not a lot of shade away from the day-use area. There is a ranger station a few miles north that is worth a stop. Staff are friendly and helpful and there is a small exhibit of old mining and farming equipment and a very nice native plant garden. Definitely worth the stop.

This is such an awesome place to enjoy Carson City's outdoor space. They have done an amazing job…read moreworking on this area and building our well maintained paths for hiking, biking, and walking. There are several points to access the Prison Hill recreation area throughout Carson City. You'll never have to worry about parking or finding an open area to enjoy. There are many things to do and trails open for just about any activity you are interested in. My favorite is the trailhead at Koontz Rd with access to the Prison Hill Trail West. Huge props to Carson City Parks and Rec for maintaining our open space and making things as gorgeous as possible for our community to use. Such an amazing thing to live in a place like this!

Sunny weekday and 62 degrees, perfect for a short afternoon hike to burn off lunch. Close to town…read moremakes this recreation spot convenient. City did a great job on the trails and improvements for water management to keep the trail erosion to a minimum. Trails are perfect for easy horseback riding, beginner to intermediate mountain biking and easy hiking. Parking lot to top of hill is about 20 minute hike. Great view of the Carson City valley but not much else. Be aware...terrain varies from hard rock, packed dirt and soft soil in places.

Quality/Quantity - Not so hidden, lol. The first beach…read morewalking towards Sand Harbor from Incline. Very small, but we were here off season (just the way I like it) and other than one other family, it is just us "two" here. So a private beach, lol. We are hosting our friends today. Showed them our free local parking spot. Gave them a quick tour of this area and all of Incline. A short 1.5 walk on the beautiful and easy Tahoe East Shore Trail. Just be careful of all the ebikes that do NOT have full control of their bikes or themselves. It would be nice if there was a separate bike path, or only allow manual bikes on the walking paths...? Atmosphere - Again, a very small, NOT so hidden beach. A nice stop/break from the 3 mile walk. Approximately the half way mark from Incline to Sand Harbor. Restrooms nearby, but I can NOT recommend them. More like outhouses with NO sink to wash your hands. Easy walk or bike ride. Fairly easy, very short walk/hike to each path. Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - N/A.

If you park at tunnel creek cafe, you can access the beach. You walk on the sidewalk then loop…read moreunder a tunnel. The lake is always amazing. You can even do the walk with a stroller.

We ended up at Chimney Beach Trailhead while looking for a beach in the area…read more Unbeknownst to us, and something to definitely keep in mind is that this is definitely a moderately difficult hike/trail - with an absolutely stunning beach to enjoy at the bottom of it. The trail itself has no signage, and is very windy with many different options to get (lost) to different sections of the beach . As with many of the other beaches in the area... It was super clean and clear waters, and an amazing lake view at the beach.

We lucked out and did this hike down to the beach on a weekday when it wasn't too busy. Parking in…read morethe lot was not an option, too full, but we did park along the roadside. The hike down is very steep, but not long. There are tons of great bird and plants and lizards etc to enjoy on the way up and down. There are several small beach spots to enjoy at the bottom, with calm cool waters with so many colors of blue and soft pebble sand. This beach is definitely worth the 1.5ish mile roundtrip walk.

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.