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Tahoe City, California

Looking for the best hiking in Tahoe City? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Tahoe City. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Tahoe City

  • Carson City, Nevada

    Skunk Harbor

    4.0
    2.83 mi / 564 ft gain
    Skunk Harbor is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Glenbrook, Nevada.
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  • Carson City, Nevada

    Hike to Secret Cove

    5.0
    0.9 mi / 209 ft gain
    Take a short little hike down from HWY 28 to Secret Cove to relax on the beach on sunbathe on rocks. The water is incredibly clear and has different shades of turquoise. There are many rocks to climb on and the water is great for swimming. It gets crowded early, and is a nude beach, so plan accor...
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  • Carson City, Nevada

    Secret Harbor / Whale Beach

    4.0
    1.67 mi / 384 ft gain
    Secret Harbor / Whale Beach is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Carson City, Nevada.
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  • Carson City, Nevada

    Relax at Tahoe's Chimney Beach

    5.0
    2.2 mi
    Located on the East Bank of Lake Tahoe along Highway 28, Chimney Beach is a great alternative to the more popular and heavily used beaches which can be quite a challenge to gain access due to the parking limitations during the busy summer months and on weekends.From the parking area on the east s...
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  • Carson City, Nevada

    Marlette Lake via Chimney Beach Trailhead

    4.0
    5.96 mi / 1713 ft gain
    This trail starts right off NV28 between Chimney Beach and Great Tahoe Beach. Around 30 minute drive from South Lake Tahoe and the CA/NV border, we arrived close to 10am with plenty of parking available. While it seemed the trail was heavily used by mountain bikes, we encountered zero during our ...
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  • New Washoe City, Nevada

    Photograph Bonsai Rock

    5.0
    Bonsai Rock is a popular attraction for photographers as it is a unique boulder with tiny trees growing out of it, enclosed next to the shoreline. This makes it a beautiful place to enjoy a scenic sunset, as well as play with some long exposure photography.It's located on the east side of Lake Ta...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Emerald Bay

    4.3
    1.84 mi / 358 ft gain
    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...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Rock Climb at Eagle Lake Cliffs

    4 mi
    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...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Rock Climb the 90ft. Wall

    5.0
    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...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Eagle Falls & Eagle Lake Loop

    4.4
    2.39 mi / 617 ft gain
    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...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Middle Velma Lake via Eagle Falls Trailhead

    4.5
    9.18 mi / 2251 ft gain
    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...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Eagle Lake Trail

    4.0
    2.35 mi / 571 ft gain
    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...
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  • South Lake Tahoe, California

    Eagle Falls Vista Loop

    0.56 mi / 138 ft gain
    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. 
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  • Glenbrook, Nevada

    Catch a Sunset at Cave Rock

    4.7
    0.8 mi / 127 ft gain
    This short hike is just off of highway 50 and provides one of the best views of Lake Tahoe. From South Lake Tahoe, head north on Highway 50 past Zephyr cove until you see Cave Rock Drive. Take this road until it dead ends and park in the small gravel lot. After following the trail out of the park...
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  • Truckee, California

    Hike the Truckee Tunnels

    5.0
    To get here, drive along Donner Pass Rd. There is a turnoff about 100 yards away from the Donner Summit Bridge where you can park. The hike begins at a plaque for the China Wall- a large retaining wall built by Chinese railroad workers. Hike up the trail towards the tunnels. Some spots may requi...
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  • Carson City, Nevada

    Hike the Spooner Lake Loop

    2.2 mi / 150 ft gain
    The Spooner Lake Loop is perfect for any ages since there is basically no elevation gain and many benches along the trail to rest. The trail offers many educational signs describing the history, and flora and fauna of the area. This man made lake is perfect for the kids and pup. They will love th...
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