What are some great things to do in Lake Tahoe this time of the year?
(We’ll be there for a weekend)
Cool! We’ll be there next weekend ourselves. I’d like to piggy-back and ask for hiking suggestions.
Other than skiing, I think you could do just about anything up there right now. The drive out to Emerald Bay has some great views and there good hiking in the area as well. If you want a gambling strip experience, South Shore is the place to go. I think the only downside this year is that water levels are up and the beaches are smaller.
Hiking. Bicycling. Boating. Laying on the beach.
Tour Vikingsholm
Any great hiking trails you have in mind?
Same question for boating.
Based on your username, I’m going to recommend the Mount Rose summit trail. It starts from a parking lot at the top of Mt. Rose pass (Nevada Highway 431), and it’s about 5 miles to the summit. It’s a strenuous hike - the trailhead’s around 9,000 feet and the peak is almost 11,000, but there are great views of the lake and Reno from the top.
How much hiking do you want to do? Flat trails, or lots of up and down?
An important aspect is that the view be scenic.
All other things being equal, I’d prefer a hike with ups and downs, since an all-flat trail wont be as interesting
Everything’s scenic, so no worries there. Here are a couple of other recommendations.
Super-easy:
Taylor Creek trail from the Tallac Visitor Center. This is a well maintained trail from a Forest Service visitor center on the southwest shore of the lake. It’s partially paved/boardwalk, and there are interpretive signs highlighting the wet meadows and the bald eagle nesting areas along the way. What I think is really cool is the stream profile chamber. The trail runs alongside Taylor Creek for a little while, then goes into a building with viewing windows built into it - you can look into the creek and usually see some minnows, crayfish, and trout doing their thing. It’s about a mile long loop, flat, and well maintained. Great for young kids, if you have them along. Also the last place I saw a bear in the basin.
Pretty easy:
White Cloud Falls (~1 mile each way from the trailhead to the falls, ~100 feet of elevation drop). Start from Bayview campground near Emerald Bay and go ~1 mile to the falls on Cascade Creek. There’s an overlook near the beginning with views of the falls, Tahoe, and Cascade Lake. It’s a pretty easy, relatively flat trail, but there are some rocky sections and some narrow ledges. Those are pretty standard for hiking in the Sierras, but they sometimes surprise people who are used to more developed trails.
Tougher
Tahoe Rim Trail either direction (N/S) from Spooner Summit. Spooner Summit is on Highway 50 between Carson City and South Lake Tahoe - there’s a parking lot/trailhead on the roadside, and there are some fantastic views from the Tahoe Rim Trail within a ile or two in both directions. You can also head for Spooner Lake, just west of the summit - I think there are some trails around there, but I don’t remember if they go completely around the lake or not.
Mt. Tallac/Cathedral Lake (trailhead on the west side of CA89, about 4 miles north of the 89/50 intersection). Heads into the Desolation Wilderness Area, which is breathtaking despite it’s name. About 2 miles and 1200 feet up to Cathedral Lake, another ~2.5 miles if you want to actually go to the Mt. Tallac summit (~9700 feet - going up Tallac moves this one into the strenuous category)
Strenuous:
The previously mentioned Mt. Rose Summit Trail.
Church Pond (Galena Creek State Park, on the north side of the Mt. Rose Highway east of the Tahoe basin). This is a shorter, but steeper hike than the Mt. Rose summit. It has the same elevation gain, but it’s 2000 feet lower, which makes a big difference. It’s a nice hike with some great views of Washoe Valley and Reno, but it’s on the outside of the Tahoe Basin. I think I’m heading there tomorrow - wave if you see me!
General hiking recommendations for the Sierras:
Wear sunscreen. You’re a lot closer to the sun here than you are at home, and the cooler air and breezes mean you can get very burned without realizing it. Bring a hat and sunglasses too.
Be aware of the time. When the sun goes down, it gets very dark very fast - don’t get caught out there.
Drink plenty of water.
You’re in bear country - be aware of that when you’re hiking. They won’t bother you if they know you’re there, but think a little bit about what you want to do if you do run into one on the trail.
Sounds great! Yes, we live at 10,000 feet and I hike a lot, so strenuous is good. We’re there Thurs-Mon with family, so I’ll probably get to do one day of hiking and this sounds like a good choice. We’re staying up north, so the Mount Rose summit might be less driving than some of the Desolation Wilderness hikes, yes?
Definitely. Interesting place.
Not that far away is the Donner Pass State Park, with an extensive exhibit about the Donner party.
You can come help me split wood.
If you aren’t into that, then I suggest a nice motorcycle ride.
Ride the Flume trial.
The Mt. Rose trail will be a quicker drive, but the Desolation hikes aren’t much farther - I’d say about a half hour difference between them. As for whether Rose is a better choice, it depends on what you’re looking for. It’s a nice trail with spectacular views from the summit, but it’s a pretty popular one as well, especially on weekends. It’s not like you’ll be stuck in a giant throng of people, but you won’t be the only ones on the trail.
If you’re looking for solitude and quiet contemplation, the Desolation Wilderness is a better bet.