Alpine County, California

Chewing Gum Lakes is located in Emigrant Wilderness, South of Lake Tahoe and North of Yosemite, with stunning valley views and gorgeous granite faces, peaking through the tree lines of the Stanislaus National Forest. Sitting just north of Yosemite allows you to take in a portion of the beauty of ...

Eagle Falls Trail is located off Highway 89 and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in California. Eagle Falls is one of the most popular short hikes in Lake Tahoe because of its beautiful cascading waterfalls, lush green scenery, and trees. Alongside one of the bluest pristine...

Hiking or backpacking to the Velma Lakes area is a must do if you want to explore and escape the summer crowds of South Tahoe. There are 3 lakes, Upper, Middle, and Lower Velma Lake. The trek out to Middle Velma is 9+ miles roundtrip, but you can add to it depending on how many other lakes you wa...

The trailhead starts (and ends) by the beautiful Emerald Bay of Lake Tahoe, and goes west. The trail is well-marked and composed of mostly granite steps. Once you get to the lake, you can swim: it's cold but beautiful. If you keep following the path to the wooded areas (to the left), there are s...

Eagle falls is a short walk from the main Emerald Bay vista point. The top of the falls are cool to look at themselves, with great views of the lake. 

Park at the Eagle Creek Canyon parking lot. If it's full, park alongside the Hwy 89, right at the entrance of the Eagle Creek Canyon parking pullout. Both parking areas fill up quickly, so if those two are full, park across the street at Emerald Bay Vikingsholm Trail parking lot. That area can fi...

To Access Eagle Lake Cliffs Crag, head to the West Shore of South Lake Tahoe. You’ll want to park at Emerald Bay Parking Lot and head to the trail register. It’s almost always packed, so come early, or plan to park on the road and walk. Sign yourself and your party number in for the day access pa...

The View at Emerald Bay is not to be missed. This is an amazing place to catch a sunrise over the lake or to see the east side of the lake lit at night. During the day, you should take the quick hike down the trail to enjoy the beach to rent a kayak and explore the dark blue water. The perspecti...

This hike is located near Stateline, Nevada. The trail joins the Tahoe Rim Trail for part of the hike. Be aware that there will be snow on the trail from November - late May, early June depending on snowfall. Bring snowshoes / appropriate boots if you wish to use the trail in the winter. Experien...

This 6+ mile hike is located at Pinecrest Lake in the Stanislaus National Forest located in Tuolumne County and features a lake, river, forest, waterfall, and swimming hole. It is accessible year-round,  in winter there will be snow, and the hike is dog friendly except between May 15th-September ...

Start by picking up your wilderness permit at the Summit Ranger Station near Pinecrest - (209) 965-3434. There's no quota for this area, so no need for reservations in advance. To reach the trailhead, make your way south from the Ranger Station and turn left onto Crabtree Rd. Drive along this ro...

Zephyr Cove on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe is a fantastic starting point for a host of water sports and outdoor activities, from wake surfing to backpacking to trail running on the Tahoe Rim Trail. The Zephyr Cove Resort campground has 47 walk-in campsites and 10 drive-in campsites in additio...

D.L. Bliss State Park to Emerald Bay State Park via Rubicon Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Tahoma, California.

The Lighthouse Trail is a 2.3 mile loop located in D.L. Bliss State Park on the lower west side of world famous Lake Tahoe. To get the trail, enter the park through the main entrance ($10 parking fee), the  follow the road until you see two parking areas of the left side with about 6 or 7 spots e...

The Rubicon Trail is a through hike connecting D.L. Bliss State Park and Emerald Bay State Park.  You can start at either point.  I opted to start at D.L. Bliss State Park to avoid the long walk uphill to catch the Nifty Fifty shuttle.  Also, there is more available parking at Bliss.  Park your c...

Desolation Wilderness is just west of Lake Tahoe, a part of Eldorado National Forest. It's a very popular backpacking destination as the PCT and Tahoe Rim Trail both run through the area. There are what seems to be endless amounts of mountain lakes, creeks, and rivers that run through this area w...