Foresthill, California

Starting at the Glen Alpine trailhead (best access to Susie Lake): To get to the trailhead, head toward Fallen Leaf Lake in South Lake Tahoe. From HWY 89, turn onto Fallen Leaf Rd and drive past the summer homes and marina until you reach a small firehouse on the left side of the road. You'll fol...

This hike starts at the Glen Alpine Trailhead near Fallen Leaf Lake. Because Desolation is a wilderness area, you are required to fill out a day-use permit which can be found at the trailhead. If you are backpacking make sure to obtain an overnight permit either online or at the Taylor Creek Visi...

The easiest way to get to Gilmore Lake is to start at the Glen Alpine trailhead. The trail head is southwest of Fallen Leaf Lake. There is a decently sized parking lot at the trailhead, but parking is also available on the road up. Because desolation is a wilderness area, you must fill out a perm...

The classic 9½ mile out-and-back day hike to Mount Tallac begins at the trailhead on the southwestern side of Lake Tahoe, between Emerald Bay and Camp Richardson. When driving to the trailhead, make a turn inland at Mt. Tallac Road and follow the well-signed route to the reasonably sized parking ...

Lake Tahoe is a tourist attraction filled with spectacular views and a plethora of wildlife. However, one species in particular has made a lasting impression on both locals and tourists - black bears. The area around Lake Tahoe is prime bear habitat and cities in the vicinity are seeing a rising ...

Kiva is a secluded sandy crescent beach flanked by a beautiful meadow and mountain backdrop. This beach is rarely crowded and has free parking unlike other beaches in Tahoe. Kiva is a great place to bring dogs and is actually well known as a dog beach. Kiva is also accessible from the bike trail...

Grab your paddleboard or rent one from Baldwin Beach, and head out along the southwest shores of Lake Tahoe towards Emerald Bay. Enjoy the pristine blue water and keep your head up for the occasional osprey or bald eagle.Once you make it to the bay, there are plenty of places to go. You can relax...

This amazing waterfall is right off the road near the Fallen Leaf Campground. Once you enter the campground keep driving straight just a bit further and you will see a pull off on the right hand side. Pull off here and you should see the cascading waterfalls between the trees. Park here, get you...

Fallen Leaf has been my favorite spot in all of Tahoe since I can remember. The beautiful shoreline sits right up against the base of Mt. Tallac with almost zero light pollution. It is one of my favorite spots to go and shoot the stars. There are tons of spots to pick from depending on what you a...

The Fallen Leaf Lake Trail is located in South Lake Tahoe, California. It is important to note that there is no trail on the east side of the lake. The trail turns into a paved road when you reach the marina after passing the campground. Additionally, lots of small trails jut out from the main tr...

The Angora Ridge Fire lookout sits above the serene Fallen Leaf Lake with incredible views of Mt. Tallac and Desolation Wilderness. You can hike, bike or drive to the lookout. This is a great spot to photograph the sunset, as the sky will reflect off both Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe. Bring a ...

Sand Pond is a great place to relax after a day of hiking or paddling. It's located between Sardine Lake Campground and Lower Sardine Lake and is an easy 10 min walk from the campground. Sand Pond has beautiful views of the mountains and is a great place to watch the sunset. There are small fish ...

The Sierra Buttes are one of the most scenic mountain features in all of the Sierra Nevadas. Nestled below the buttes are Upper and Lower Sardine lakes which both offer amazing fishing. Sardine Lake Resort lies at the base of the mountains and offers boat rentals, dining and cabin rentals. Just m...

Salmon Creek Campground is a quiet campground in the Northern Sierra Buttes. Since it is right up the road from Sardine Lakes it seems to get overlooked a bit. We were able to reserve three campsites the same week of our trip. There were 11 to choose from! The campground is just passed the turn f...

For this hike there are two places you can start from. One is at the Echo Lakes parking lot and the other is at the bottom of Echo Summit (where we started at). Parking at the gun tower at the bottom of Echo Summit you'll be looking right at the face of Flagpole. After parking just off the side o...

Although this hike can be done as a day hike, it is an awesome place to camp. There is a lot to explore and you will want to spend as much there time as you can. The easiest way to start this hike is to start at the Echo Lakes. There is ample parking above the marina and you even have the option ...