Hello fellow wanderers!
We hope you are all doing well and enjoying our vlogs.
If you are new to our page, we are Chris and Brandi. We left the Florida Keys after living there for 7 years and headed to the Lake Tahoe area for 2 years. Well, actually, our base camp (home) was in the tiny town of Gardnerville on the Nevada side of the Sierra Nevada foothills. South Lake Tahoe was 12 miles from our home.
This was an amazing back yard to have and explore, especially during the pandemic. We were the only ones around the lake most of 2020. That alone, made it pretty spectacular.
Here is a list of our favorite hikes around Lake Tahoe and why we recommend the trail. All of these hikes can be found on the AllTrails App.
Sand Harbor State Park - Tahoe East Shore Trail - Nevada Side
2.6 miles one way (from Sand Harbor to Incline Village)
5.2 miles round trip (if you go to Incline Village and back or vice versa)
145' in elevation gain.
Path is mostly paved and accessible if there is no snow. We have hiked/walked this path many times in the snow and during the warmer months. This trail has the best views of Lake Tahoe hands down!
This path literally takes you along the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. There are several side trails that take you down to the hidden beaches and additional viewpoints.
Parking and accessibility: You can park at Sand Harbor State Park which requires an entrance fee, or you can park at Memorial Point Scenic Overlook, but this parking is limited to spaces and has time constraints, but there are restrooms here. You can also park in Incline Village and walk South along the East Shore Trail.
Sand Harbor State Park has a nice visitor center with tons of Tahoe history in the museum and a gift shop. They have a seasonal restaurant open in the warmer months and in the colder months they offer a horse sleigh ride and a food truck with hot cocoa and tea. The beaches at Sand Harbor are our favorite too! Absolutely stunning and a must if you are in the area, even if you don't explore the trails... check out the beaches!
Nevada State Parks including Sand Harbor are changing to a reservation system starting some time in 2023. Sand Harbor is day use only (no camping) but they experience such a high volume of visitors that you will be required to get a reservation a head of time to enter the park. This park also has a boat ramp and places to paddle board and kayak.
The Tahoe East Shore Trail also offers plenty of benches and resting areas to stop and take in that amazing and stunning view! You will not be disappointed with this trail or Sand Harbor State Park. Well worth a visit. Please note, this place is beyond packed with people in the summer months so plan accordingly. The park will close its gates when they reach capacity early in the day. For additional views and information, please watch our video on YouTube, search for Wandered Off or click the link on our website.
Skunk Harbor Trail - Nevada Side
2.8 miles out and back
570' elevation gain - you hike down to the lake and all of this elevation gain is the hike back up.
This hike is mostly down an old road that leads to an abandoned 1920s summer home that a wealthy Bay Area family built and kept until the state took it over. This trail is located on the Nevada side just South of Sand Harbor State Park and can be easily found on AllTrails under Skunk Harbor. There is limited parking at this trailhead along the side of the highway (no parking lot) so go early or go later in the afternoon for sunset (which is our favorite time to hike).
The old house is made completely of stone and the state has put wire mesh over the windows so that you can still see in the house. The stories this building can tell, if only these walls could talk! Please do not vandalize the building and pack out what you pack in. There are no restrooms or trash cans here.
The views that you get along the trail on the way down are stunning. We have hiked this trail in the snowy winter and the spring and fall months. We avoided Tahoe in the summer due to the high volume of crowds during that time.
Tips: Wear good shoes and have plenty of water. The switchbacks going back up get pretty steep in some areas. Pack a picnic for the beach.
The beach is calm and relaxing and a nice spot to dip in on a hot summer day. You can even see the remnants of the old dock that belongs to the house.
We love this hike and did it often because it is still somewhat of a secret and not a lot of people make the trek down to the lake. It is beautiful the entire way down and we love historic buildings and of course, the beach! Check out our video on YouTube for more info.
Emerald Bay State Park - Rubicon Trail - Upper and Lower Eagle Falls - California Side
Emerald Bay State Park is a favorite area to explore on the California side because it contains a few of our favorite hikes. This state park is also home to the Vikingsholm Castle and Fannette Island. There is a beach here, picnic areas, restrooms, kayaking and paddle boarding as well. Boaters will also come into Emerald Bay for the day and hang out.
The Rubicon Trail:
16.4 miles out and back (if you start at D.L. Bliss State Park which is North of Emerald Bay, and you hike it out through Emerald Bay and back to D.L. Bliss).
2,306' of elevation gain
The Rubicon is an absolute favorite and not an easy trail. It technically starts at D.L. Bliss State Park and makes it way around the Lake Tahoe shoreline to Emerald Bay State Park and pass-through Emerald Bay and ends at Upper Eagle Point Campground which is just South of the Emerald Bay State Park. There is so much to explore along the Rubicon and the views of the lake are stunning. This is a very popular trail so be prepared for a lot of people during the warmer months.
D.L. Bliss State Park closes during snow so if you want to access this hike during the winter months, be prepared to hike another few miles just to get the trailhead and back as the gate will be closed.
Upper Eagle Falls:
AllTrails App = Eagle Falls Vista Point Loop
0.6 mile loop trail
144' elevation gain
This trail is located just above Emerald Bay State Park with a separate parking lot area and restroom. We hiked this during the snow and the place was still packed with people and the parking lot was closed because it was snowed in. So, we found a spot on the road to park. We wore spikes which helped but the snow was melting in the early spring, and we ended up falling through the snow a few times which was about 3' deep in most spots.
Make sure you hike up to the viewpoint because the views of Emerald Bay are fantastic from that elevation! You also look down on the Upper Eagle Falls from this viewpoint. The falls were frozen and mostly covered in snow but they were still roaring! This trail also continues over the falls up to Eagle Lake which requires a permit.
Lower Eagle Falls:
Not on AllTrails but accessed via Emerald Bay State Park. This trail crosses over the Rubicon Trail and continues up some steps to the lower falls. The lower falls are beautiful, and it is a short hike to get to them. Spring is the best time to visit to get a full running waterfall.
We have included this short hike in our Emerald Bay State Park video on YouTube.
Emerald Bay State Park:
This is a unique state park in the fact that you park in a parking lot, pay your fee and then hike down to the park. You hike down a one-mile steep dirt road to the main park area. Remember, you must hike back up this steep one mile to get out of the park. This park has picnic areas, restrooms, visitor center and the Vikingsholm Castle. You can also park and access the Rubicon trail from here as well if you wanted to do the Rubicon in sections.
Fallen Leaf Lake - Glen Alpine and Grass Lake:
5.3 Miles out and back
680' elevation gain
This trail is on the back side of Fallen Leaf Lake near Lake Tahoe and is only accessible in the warmer months. Make sure you explore Fallen Leaf Lake and their marina. They rent kayaks and have a small beach area with a restaurant. All seasonal. Keep going up the road and make sure you stop at Glen Alpine Falls. They are beautiful and deserve a stop! We then took the Grass Lake Trail on AllTrails that also took us through the Glen Alpine historic camp which still has structures standing and in use. This trail is beautiful, but we did encounter mosquitoes through this area which is rare around Tahoe. Check out our video on YouTube.
We also have several hikes that we loved just South of South Lake Tahoe along Highway 89. Woods Lake, Winnemucca Lake and the millions of other alpine lakes along this area. There is so much to explore here and the hiking is epic.
We hope you enjoy this area as much as we did for the last two years that we called it home. Check out our videos of these hikes and parks on our YouTube. Search for Wandered Off or click the link on our website. You can us on Instagram as well.
@wanderingbrandi
@wanderedoffchris
Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok find us under Wandered Off.
We also have cool Wandered Off merch on our website www.wandered-off.com
Thanks so much for checking in with us! We truly appreciate your support.
Wandered Off
Chris & Brandi
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