Oh Man. This was…read moresuch a super challenging 10 miles long out and back snow hike in mid February after a snow storm to the Stampede Reservoir near Truckee. It took me about 5 hours to complete. Elevation gains of 1600 feet. Wild! It's a bit tough to find the trail head as the trail is full of snow. However, the All Trail gps will guide the hike. There were many climbs and down hills and the snow made the hike challenging and hard. There has no one else hiking here recently but there were plenty of paws 'markings on the snow. Incredible and beautiful views of natural landscape. There were a few creek crossings, super fun! I did not anticipate such a long hike. Although I prepared plenty of water but I did not have lots of food. It's super tiring do make sure you carry snacks, foods, especially candies! I wish I had chocolate candy with me. Totally worth it! I enjoy the hike. I recommend it! Enjoy!

This trail is a nice hiking/mtn bike trail located close to highway 89…read more Some of the trail runs close to a river and the other part in a beautiful forest landscape. Moderate sun exposure on this trail near the river. Landscape is dirt and rocky. There is no paved area.

A must hike at least once a year ! Sure you will be climbing up/over some steep rocks but it's a…read moreworth it for the gorgerous view and you can take the tram down or hike back down if you at up to it We decide to take the tram that operated until September (you will have to check the time frame ) and did the 5 miles!

We did this hike starting at Olympic Village and it is challenging at times. Also due to the…read morelateness in the summer some of the waterfalls we passed were but a trickle. On a Saturday the trail wasn't crowded but wasn't empty either. Free parking at base camp.

This has to be one of my favorite hikes of all time. The skill level is moderate, scenery is…read morebeautiful and best of all - this place is dog friendly! The first part of the hike is a steady climb but with well worn and designated paths. We took a couple quick water and photo breaks but it was early enough in the morning that it was a bit cooler. Coming here around 8 AM also meant that there was only a few others on the trail and barely anyone coming down. The paths are narrow in some places so you have to wait for incoming traffic to pass. Our dog loved this climb and got pretty tired from the upward trek. You make your way up through a forested/shaded area until you reach some rock formations and a small canyon. By the time you finish this bit, you're at the flat forested level to the lakes! The first lake is easy to find but the rest are a bit difficult to navigate. There are no clear marked signs so we relied on maps and made sure directionally we headed towards the lakes. Our pooch took a quick dip in the first lake but there wasn't really a good clearing to enter and stay for humans. We then went to the second and then made a stop at the third lake which is definitely the biggest and best! It had a good spot for dogs to enter the water and play fetch. The scenery was beautiful and the water was so clear, clean and refreshing. I think a few of the lakes were connected so we technically saw them but it was hard to distinguish between the different ones. We started the trail back down and saw lots of people start to come up. It took us about 2 hours because we walked fairly fast. There were lots of dogs on the trail and a great hike overall with lots to see!

Thought it was going to be way easier than it actually was, so definitely not for a novice hiker…read more It's all incline up until you're halfway done with the trail. It was all worth it though because the views are AMAZING and chillin by the lakes is so relaxing. Definitely take some water and maybe a small snack for energy.

4.5 stars. Parking was kinda sketchy along the busy highway. Crossing the highway was also…read moresketchy. No restrooms. No fee. Saw several friendly dogs on the trail. Uphill 90-95% of the hike. Beautiful views of Lake Tahoe at the top. Interesting rock formations at the top as well.

Wow! Tahoe Trim Trail to Spur Trail aka Picnic Rock Viewpoint is about a three miles round trip,…read moremoderate and friendly hike. You will get the best 360 view of Lake Tahoe with the least amount of work gaining the elevation for the spectacular view. The trailhead is up the hill from NorthStar, away from Truckee and near Kings Beach. You will enjoy the amazing vistas, high alpine lakes, meadows, and peaks. Pack your yummy lunch and water. You will have the best view to enjoy your lunch. This is a must do short hike in the Lake Tahoe area. Enjoy!

Good luck! The hike out is never ending! The hike back after 1pm is treacherous! Keep water…read moreabundant and use a walking stick. A lot of crushed rock.

Awesome trail as always. It's easy to get a bit lost on the beginning as there are lots of little…read moreside trails off here and there. GPS is helpful for this. It's a steady climb up to the first lake. Cool crossing over the train tracks. You do hear I-80 for a lot of the hike even when it's mikes away so it's not a remote hike at all.

Anytime I'm outside I'm happy, and hiking this trail was no exception…read more The trail to Mount Lincoln starts behind the Summit Haus. Park along Donner Pass Rd, it's a short walk down a paved road to the trailhead and there's a restroom. This trail is thankfully well-maintained and is partially shaded, but don't forget your sunscreen. There are a few spots where it's rocky and the final climb to the peak is really steep, so if you've got treking poles I'd bring them. Overall it's a moderate trail. You're predominantly on the PCT on this one, and the turn to the right for the final incline could be missed by some, so hopefully the cairn I left will help someone else. Only time will tell. Make sure you check out the Roller Pass overlook that's part of the historic Hwy 40 Scenic Bypass. It is absolutely nuts to think that some pioneers pulled their covered wagons up the side of this ridge. Check it out.

Fortunately, I missed most of the OHV traffic…read more the view from the top is very nice. Like so many of the trails around Lake Tahoe, there are no directional signs along the trail. But with GPS and a trail map, that's not a problem. Without a GPS and able to trail map, there are plenty of places along this Trail for you to make a wrong turn. That said, the trail itself is a one-lane road all the way to the top. By one lane road I mean it's generally wide enough for a narrow vehicle. But at least 75% of it would be like driving on the surface of Mars. I saw OHV tracks all the way to the base of the summit. I hiked this Trail alone, starting at around 1330 in October 2020. I made it back by around 1630. This trail is rated as hard, I suppose because of the Rocky and Boulder terrain.

4 stars for the scenery and the workout; minus one if there are dirt bikers!…read more If you're looking for a 3-4 hour scenic high Sierra hike with steep (not mountain goat!) climbs, and don't mind sharing the trail with an occasional mountain bike or dirt bike, you might want to check out the Ellis Peak Trail, accessed via Barker Pass Road. It's a good summer or fall hike and it's dog-friendly. Be sure to add in drive time to the trailhead - about 30 minutes from Tahoe City and about 20 minutes from Homewood. You'll find the trail listed online or you can pick up a free map at Sugar Pine Point SP entrance. At the trailhead, the sign reads 5 miles to Ellis Peak. Using MapMyRun, we measured it at 3.5 (7 miles round trip). Starting out, you'll be eating dust for the first mile as you grind out the first of three steep climbs to the peak. Don't get discouraged! At the top of this hill, you'll be rewarded with sweeping vistas as you hike gradually uphill across decomposing granite. Next, you'll drop steeply for a mile through forest, eventually crossing a trail to go straight up the hill. This second steep climb gets you to a ridge where you'll see a trail heading to the peak. It's a brief glute-burner for your final climb to the top, where ya can plant your flag, eat lunch and enjoy the 360º views. Save some energy for the way back, where you still have one short climb and a mile-long dusty climb to go. Expect a mountain bike or two; hopefully you won't encounter any dirt bikers as they'll raise plumes of dust. Directions: From Highway 89 in Homewood, drive 2 miles north on 89 to Tahoe Pines. Turn left on Barker Pass Road (road sign is poorly placed, 100 ft. west of 89) and bear left at the fork (3.7 miles). Continue uphill for approx. 4.7 miles, winding up the side of the mountain where you'll encounter sharp switchbacks shortly before the paved road ends. Park anywhere; the trailhead is just up the hill on your left. For you navsat hikers, the Ellis Peak lat/long is - http://bit.ly/Z5KXsr The roundup: Distance: 7 miles Time: 3-4 hours plus time at the top Difficulty: Strenuous, with steep hills in loose footing. Highlights: Awesome views of Lake Tahoe, rim views, downhill return. Sucks: Dirt bikers use the trail. And, it's a 30 minute drive from Tahoe City! Water: Two liters. Dogs: Allowed!

*BE AWARE OF BEARS* This is an easy hike. You can complete it within 2 hours. Excellent views of…read morethe Lake. However, please be cautious of the bears. This is my second time hiking in this trail and this time we brought family members visiting CA from Florida and unfortunately we got lost coming down. We went down to "Griff creek trail" instead of back to "Broadway" During the encounter, the black bear just stood up, stared at us and it was super close from us. Honestly, we just froze and thankfully, my fiance was able to remain calm and got rid of the bear by yelling firm and making noises. Just sharing our successful bear encounter lol I love this hiking trail but this is a reminder for other hikers to be prepared

My wife's best friend was getting married in Tahoe, and, as the maid of honor, she was tasked with…read morefinding a short, but beautiful hike for the bride the day before the wedding. Not surprisingly, this task was assigned to me. After a limited search, I discovered the Brockway Summit Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) Trailhead and its connection to the Spur Trail View. This is an approximately 3 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 730 feet to an max elevation of 7800 feet. Locating this amazing panoramic view of the Lake Tahoe area is very easy from highway 267. Simply park at the Brockway Summit TRT Trailhead (south side of 267, on the left if you're heading from Lake Tahoe toward Truckee). Consider arriving early since the lot fills up quickly. Head up the forest service road directly across 267 for about 100 yards and the TRT will be on your left. Ascend for 1.1 miles to the Spur Summit View sign, and take the trail on the left a short distance to to the stunning overlook. It's a brief hike with a moderate ascent that holds a stunning view at the end (and is a perfect place for a bride to be to relax before the wedding). It's most certainly worth a visit! Furthermore, if you so choose, the TRT continues past the Spur Trail for as long as your heart desires.