15 Best Hikes in Lake Tahoe (easy, moderate, hard levels)

Lake Tahoe, located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range on the border of California and Nevada, is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, and hiking is one of the most popular things to do here.

I am a Northern California local and live just a 3-hour drive from Lake Tahoe. I am fortunate to be able to visit Lake Tahoe whenever I want to explore its amazing hikes and scenery.

Lake Tahoe’s hiking trails offer a diverse range of terrain, from gentle meadows to rocky ridges and steep inclines. Whether you’re looking for an easy stroll or a challenging hike, you’ll find plenty of options to suit your skill level.

I have visited Lake Tahoe in Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring, and hiking in Lake Tahoe offers a different experience each time, depending on the season.

In the spring and summer, you can enjoy wildflower blooms, lush greenery, and roaring waterfalls, while in the fall, the changing leaves offer a vibrant display of color. In the winter, you can snowshoe or cross-country ski on the many open trails.

15 Best Lake Tahoe Hikes

Lake Tahoe is largely divided into two main regions – North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe. Depending on traffic, it takes us around 1 hour to 1.5 hours to drive from North to South Lake Tahoe and vice versa.

There are many amazing hikes in both the South Lake Tahoe and North Lake Tahoe regions for people of all ages and fitness levels, although I love South Lake Tahoe more as its more lively and bustling.

My top favorite Lake Tahoe Trails are:

• Vikingsholm Trail to Emerald Bay – This easy hike will take you to Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm Castle, which cannot be reached by car. The only other way is to go by boat.
• Eagle Falls to Eagle Lake Trail – This is a moderate hike but worth the effort. It has a waterfall mid-way and an alpine lake at the end!

In this Lake Tahoe hiking guide, discover the best Lake Tahoe hiking trails in both South and North Lake Tahoe in the easy, moderate, and hard categories.

1. Eagle Falls to Eagle Lake Trail

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Moderate
• Hike Length – 1.9 mile
• Hike type – Out and Back
• Elevation – 459 feet
• Time Needed – around 2-3 hours
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead location – Starts at Eagle Falls Trailhead
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, steep trail with stone steps and incline.

The hike to Eagle Falls and Eagle Lake is one of my favorite hikes in South Lake Tahoe (the second is the Vikingsholm Trail down to Emerald Bay!).

This trail has it all – a waterfall, bridge, stream, boulders, incredibly scenic views, and a beautiful lake at the end!

There is a small parking lot at the Eagle Falls Trailhead and overflow parking along the main road. There is another parking lot across the street at Emerald Bay State Park, which is the trailhead for the Vikingsholm Trail.

The trail started with a steep climb on stone steps. At around the half-mile mark, we reached Eagle Falls. The falls are beautiful and a good place to catch your breath.

Continue another half mile on the trail to reach Eagle Lake. This part of the trail had a lot of uphill terrain and stone steps. There was a beautiful vista point on the way.

The Eagle Lake at the end of the hike is a stunning alpine lake and worth the effort! It was so breathtakingly beautiful! During summer, a swim in the lake is refreshing to cool down before starting back. We saw several people swimming there.

The Eagle Lake trail is very popular in the summer months, and you should plan to either come really early in the day or late in the afternoon to get parking at either of the parking lots.

We have seen cars parked at the side of the street, but make sure not to block the street. We saw a car being towed away because it was not parked correctly.

During winter, this trail is popular for snowshoeing.

2. Vikingsholm Trail to Emerald Bay

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Easy to Moderate
• Hike Length – 1.7 mile
• Hike type – Out and Back
• Elevation – 377 feet
• Time Needed – around 2 hours
• Dog-friendly? – No
• Trailhead – Starts at Emerald Bay State Park parking lot
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, steep trail on part paved and part dirt road. All-terrain and powered equipment might be ok, but the incline on the way up is very steep.

The Vikingsholm Trail to Emerald Bay and Lower Eagle Falls is my second favorite hike in South Lake Tahoe. I chose to do this hike for my birthday!

The trail starts at the Emerald Bay State Park parking lot. There is an observation area here for panoramic views of Emerald Bay and Fannette Island below.

The trail is downhill on a paved road all the way to Emerald Bay. Going down the trail was easy.

The Vikingsholm Castle here is a replica of the Viking Castle, and you can take a guided tour of the castle in the summer.

Once at Emerald Bay, you can relax at the Emerald Bay beach and admire the lake views or take a short hike to the lower Eagle Falls.

We visited in the Fall season, and there was not much water flowing down the lower Eagle Falls, but in late spring and early summer, the falls are spectacular.

The parking lot fills up early in the busy summer months, so plan to arrive really early in the day. There is overflow parking on the road, but that also fills up early. We came before 9 AM on a Friday in early August and were able to find parking.

3. Rubicon Trail to Lighthouse and Emerald Bay

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Moderate
• Hike Length – 16.4 mile
• Hike type – Out and Back
• Elevation – 2340 feet
• Time Needed – around 7 to 8 hours
• Dog-friendly? – No
• Trailhead – You can start at the D.L.Bliss State Park or Emerald Bay State Park
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, rocky terrain and incline in parts

You can enjoy a portion of the Rubicon Trail on this long but extraordinarily scenic hike from D.L. Bliss State Park to Emerald Bay.

Remember not to confuse this Rubicon trail along the Lake Tahoe shoreline with the other Rubicon trail nearby that is meant for off-road driving.

The best way to do the Rubicon Trail hike is to start at the D.L. Bliss State Park and hike all the way to Emerald Bay State Park. The entire trail one way is 8 miles, and the round trip is 16 miles.

You can park at the D. L. Bliss Campground parking lot at the Rubicon Lighthouse trailhead. From there, follow the Rubicon Lighthouse trail down to Calawee Cove beach.

Next, follow the Rubicon trail south all the way to Emerald Bay and Vikingsholm Castle. Climb the steep 1-mile fire road at Emerald Bay to the Emerald Bay parking lot if doing this hike one way. Otherwise, you can return back the same way you came.

The hike has varied terrain, with uphill and downhill inclines, stone steps, and bridges. On this hike, you will see mind-blowing views of Lake Tahoe and a variety of trees and forests.

You can make the hike shorter by taking a ride back from Emerald Bay State Park to your starting point. Some folks also take two cars and park one at DL Bliss State Park and the second car at Emerald Bay State Park to avoid doing the round-trip hike.

Emerald Bay via Lighthouse and Rubicon Trail is one of the best Lake Tahoe hikes and a must-do. It is long, but if you start early and take plenty of breaks, it should be doable.

Make sure to pack enough water and snacks, as there is no food available to purchase on the trail.

4. Cascade Falls Trail

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty Level – Easy
• Hike Length – 1.4 mile
• Hike Type – Out and Back
• Elevation – 255 feet
• Time Needed – around1 hour
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts across the Road from Inspiration Point, off Highway 89.
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, dirt trail with boulders and stone steps and some incline.

Cascade Falls Trail is a beautiful waterfall hike in South Lake Tahoe. The trail is mostly easy but could be considered moderate by some due to the boulders and rocky terrain.

The trailhead starts off of Highway 89, across from the Inspiration Point parking lot. There is a small parking lot at the trailhead, and parking can be challenging as this is one of the popular hikes in South Lake Tahoe.

The trail goes through a forest path at first, and then some incline over stone steps. The trail is not challenging, but there are small and large boulders that might be a little challenging to navigate. I think the boulders add an interesting element to the hike.

At the end of the hike, there are the gorgeous Cascade Falls. These are spectacular in the late spring and early summer months, when the water from the snow melts feeds the falls. There are several water pools here as well.

The trail rewards you with impressive views of Cascade Lake, Lake Tahoe, and Emerald Bay with very little effort. Cascade Falls Trail is a great family-friendly waterfall hike with rocky terrain and great views.

5. Echo Lakes Trail

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Moderate
• Hike Length – 5.3 mile
• Hike Type – Out and Back
• Elevation – around 500 feet
• Time Needed – around 2-3 hours
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts at Echo Lake Trailhead
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, dirt trail with stone steps and incline.

The Echo Lakes Trail is a little south of Lake Tahoe and is a very scenic lake along the perimeter of lower and upper Echo Lakes. We visited Echo Lake during one of our Lake Tahoe trips and loved how less crowded it is as compared to Lake Tahoe.

The trail starts at the Lower Echo Lake Trailhead near Echo Chalet and goes along one side of Echo Lake all the way to the other end of the lake.

The hike began with an initial climb, and then the remainder was on an elevated dirt trial with the lake on one side and rocky boulders on the other.

The boulders are great for scrambling. My kids loved climbing the boulders! The hike had gorgeous lake views throughout, and overall, it was a really nice hike.

As it is an out-and-back hike, you can return any time you want, as the views pretty much remain the same. We were running out of daylight, so we returned from the halfway point.

If you make it to the other end of Upper Echo Lake, during the summer months, you can take a boat taxi instead of hiking back and enjoy some time on the water.

6. Fallen Leaf Lake Trail

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Moderate
• Hike Length – 3.6 mile
• Hike Type – Out and Back
• Elevation – around 137 feet
• Time Needed – around 2 hours
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts at Fallen Leaf Campground parking lot off Fallen Leaf Road.
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, rocky and dirt paths

The Fallen Leaf trail is a nice walk along the lakefront of Fallen Leaf Lake, south of Lake Tahoe. The trailhead starts from the Fallen Leaf Campground and continues along the lakeshore.

This trail is not marked clearly, though. From the campground, there is an initial uphill climb, and then you follow the path close to the lake. There are many forks in the path here, so make sure to stay close to the lake.

This is a nice place to walk around and enjoy lake views, especially if you are camping in the area or if you want to escape from the crowds at South Lake Tahoe and are looking for a more secluded experience.

The Fallen Leaf Lake is beautiful, and the water is crystal clear. Swimming and boating are popular here, in addition to hiking.

7. Mount Tallac Trail

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Hard
• Hike Length – 10.5 mile
• Hike Type – Out and Back
• Elevation – Around 3,275 feet
• Time Needed – around 7-8 hours
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts at Mount Tallac Trailhead
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, steep trail with stone steps and incline.

Mount Tallac is known for its panoramic views of the entire Lake Tahoe from its summit. The Mount Tallac trail to the summit is one of the most popular South Lake Tahoe hikes in the difficult category.

Mount Tallac trailhead is around a mile off Highway 89 across from Baldwin Beach in South Lake Tahoe. The initial hike is a climb with views of Fallen Leaf Lake on one side.

You will come across Floating Islands Lake and Cathedral Lake on the way. These first 2 miles are the easy part of the hike.

Once past the lakes, the latter part of the trail toward the summit is very rocky, and some scrambling might be required. Really good hiking shoes are required in the rocky part of the trail to protect your feet.

The latter part of the trail is exposed to the sun, so a sunshirt and hat would be helpful, along with plenty of water.

Once at the summit, you will see unparalleled views of South Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay. These are some of the best views of Lake Tahoe!

As this trail is part of Desolation Wilderness, a wilderness permit is required to hike the Mount Tallac trail, which can be picked up from the trailhead.

8. Tahoe East Shore trail

• Region – North Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Easy
• Hike Length – 2.6 mile
• Hike type – Out and Back
• Elevation – around 145 feet
• Time Needed – around 1-2 hours
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts at Tunnel Creek Cafe in Incline Village
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – Yes, paved trail with 5% or less incline

The Tahoe East Shore Trail is in North Lake Tahoe near Incline Village. This 2.6-mile, nearly flat trail is great for anyone looking for an easy lakeside trail with great views of Lake Tahoe.

This trail is paved and goes from the Tunnel Creek Cafe in Incline Village all the way to Sand Harbor Beach. The trail is popular for biking and leisurely walking.

The Sand Harbor Beach is my favorite beach in Lake Tahoe. It is also probably the most photographed one, with the iconic clear blue waters and the boulders in the lake.

The trail pretty much runs next to the main Tahoe Blvd Road and the lake. There are several overlooks on the way to admire the lake views and paths to go down to beaches and shore. There are benches along the way to take breaks.

Tahoe East Shore Trail is a scenic trail with amazing lake views and beach access without much effort and one of the best easy hiking trails in North Lake Tahoe region.

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The trail starts from Bayview Trailhead and is a steep initial climb of 1 mile till you reach Granite Lake. From there, the trail continues up a saddle between the two Maggie’s Peaks.

You can choose to summit either peak. There is no clear trail to the summit, but it is easy to follow and reach the peak. The path to the summit is rocky, and some scrambling might be required.

During the winter months, the Bayview campground might be closed, and you will have to park along the main Highway 89 road, adding an extra mile to the hike.

13. Van Sickle Waterfall hike

• Region – South Lake Tahoe
• Difficulty level – Moderate
• Hike Length – 3 miles
• Hike Type – Out and Back
• Elevation – around 500 feet
• Time Needed – around 2-3 hours
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts at Van Sickle State Park Trailhead
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, steep trail with incline.

The Van Sickle Trail is in the Van Sickle Bi-State Park, just behind the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe. The Van Sickle waterfall hike is part of the larger Van Sickle Rim Trail Connector trail.

The Van Sickle State Park trailhead has parking, picnic tables, and restrooms. The Van Sickle Trail is clearly marked at the trailhead. Just follow the trail to the waterfall.

Along the way, there is a scenic vista point with excellent views of Lake Tahoe. The waterfall bridge will be around 1.5 miles from the trailhead.

You can turn back at this point or extend the hike to the point where it connects to the Tahoe Rim Trail, but there is nothing much to see at the connection point.

The hike down from the waterfall bridge to the trailhead faces the lake and is incredibly scenic, with epic views of Lake Tahoe!

14. Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Nature Trail

• Difficulty level – Easy
• Region – North Lake Tahoe
• Hike Length – 1.3 mile
• Hike type – Loop
• Elevation – 62 feet
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead Location – Starts at Tahoe Meadows Tahoe Rim Trail Trailhead
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – Only initially on the boardwalk. The latter hike is a dirt road, not paved.

Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Nature Trail is a very easy, almost flat hike in North Lake Tahoe.

The hike was just a gentle walk through the meadows and forest. It was more like a forest bathing experience and being one with nature.

This is a family-friendly hike and has a lot of interesting elements like bridges, a boardwalk, a forest, and a meadow.

Whenever we visit Lake Tahoe with our parents, we take them on this trail as it is mostly flat and easy on their knees.

The trail is a great place to see wildflowers in Spring and changing leaf colors in the Fall season. During winter, the trail is great for snowshoeing.

15. Skyline Trail / Tamarack Trail hike

• Region – South Lake Tahoe (hikes at the top of Heavenly Gondola)
• Difficulty level – Moderate
• Hike Length – around 1.3 miles one-way
• Hike Type – Out and Back (up by chairlift, down by hiking)
• Elevation – none, all downhill
• Time Needed – around 1 hour
• Dog-friendly? – Yes, but on a leash
• Trailhead – Starts at the top of Tamarack Express chairlift
• Stroller/wheelchair friendly? – No, rocky trail with and downhill incline.

How about some low-effort hiking with out-of-the-world views of the entire perimeter of Lake Tahoe from above? During the summer months, we love to take the Heavenly Gondola to the top of the mountain and explore the Skyline Trail or Tamarack Trail at the top.

To access the hikes at the top of the Heavenly Gondola, you will first need to take the Heavenly Gondola from Heavenly Village. The Gondola has scenic views of Lake Tahoe going up. In the Gondola, I recommend sitting facing Lake Tahoe for epic views.

Halfway, there is an observation deck. Step out here for some stunning views while going up. You will not be able to stop here on the way down. These are some of the best panoramic views of Lake Tahoe from above.

Then, board the gondola again and reach the Top of the Gondola station. From here, take the Tamarack Express chairlift to access the Tamarack trailhead.

The trail is clearly marked and is all downhill, with excellent views of Lake Tahoe. This 1.3-mile trail will take you back to the Tamarack Express Chairlift starting point. From here, you can take the Gondola back down to Heavenly Village or explore the activities at the Top of the Gondola area.

Note: There is a fee to use the Heavenly Gondola in summer, and there are several kid-friendly activities at the top, like rope courses. You can buy activity passes at the Heavenly Gondola ticket booth. My kids love doing the rope courses here!

Tips for hiking in Lake Tahoe

Final Takeaways: Best Lake Tahoe hiking trails

Lake Tahoe is a hiking destination that offers something for everyone. From the granite peaks of the Desolation Wilderness to the lush meadows of the Tahoe Rim Trail, you will be treated to breathtaking scenery at every turn.

I love exploring all the amazing hikes in Lake Tahoe, and the breathtaking lake view never gets old! No matter which Lake Tahoe hike you choose, you are sure to be spellbound by the picturesque beauty of Lake Tahoe.