Last updated on December 8th, 2025
Straddling the California and Nevada border lies one of the most stunning lakes in the country: Lake Tahoe. Here you can find 72 miles of shoreline, crystal clear waters, and endless epic mountain views. And the ultimate way to experience the area is along the hundreds of miles of Lake Tahoe hikes!
We’ve been to Lake Tahoe twice and during both visits we’ve spent our days hitting the trails to discover the best hikes in Tahoe. From quick hikes to waterfalls to strenuous climbs up mountain peaks, there are trails for every kind of hiker in Lake Tahoe.
And in this guide we’re sharing our favorite Lake Tahoe hikes, plus important things to know before you go!
11 Best Lake Tahoe Hikes
We’ve organized these Lake Tahoe hikes first by general area and then by mileage to help you easily find the right hikes for your visit! We’ve also noted which ones are or are not dog friendly, as Lake Tahoe surprisingly has quite a few trails where dogs are not allowed.
South Lake Tahoe
1. Eagle Lake
Miles (round trip): 1.8
Elevation Gain: 429 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: $5 or free with the America the Beautiful pass
Trail Map and Current Conditions
Starting off the list of the best hikes in Tahoe is the trail to Eagle Lake. Along the trail you’ll pass upper Eagle Falls before ending at Eagle Lake, a clear lake surrounded by mountains. If you want to experience another lake in the area, besides the famous Lake Tahoe, this is a great spot to do so!
This hike is located super close to Emerald Bay State Park, but since it’s not in the park, dogs are allowed on this hike. Kona loved joining us for this one!
Note: You are required to fill out a free permit at the trailhead and keep it attached to your backpack.
2. Lower Eagle Falls
Miles (round trip): 2.5
Elevation Gain: 501 feet
Dog Friendly?: No
Parking fee: $10 parking fee, plus vehicle limit of 18 feet. There is free parking on the street as well. Make sure to arrive early to snag a spot!
Trail Map and Current Conditions
Another one of the best Lake Tahoe hikes is the moderately challenging Lower Eagle Falls Trail. This 2.5 mile hike is located in Emerald Bay State Park, which is a must on any Lake Tahoe itinerary!
It’s a steep hike down to the falls and along the way you’ll pass Vikingsholm, a beautiful mansion right on the lake. This is a great spot to stop for a picnic on the beach or to go for a swim. Continue along the trail and it’ll take you to the lower part of Eagle Falls, which flows from Eagle Lake. While heading down to the falls isn’t too difficult, remember that what goes down must go back up. The hike back up to the parking lot is definitely a leg burner!
3. Granite Lake and Maggie’s Peak
Miles (round trip): 4.1
Elevation Gain: 1,778 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: $10 or you can park along the highway for free
Trail Map and Current Conditions
If Mount Tallac (more on that next!) is too steep for you, head to Granite Lake and Maggie’s Peak instead!
This short, but steep, hike has sweeping views of Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, and other smaller lakes in the area. Along the way you’ll pass Granite Lake, a small lake that could be nice for a quick dip on a hot day. But keep going up to Maggie’s Peak for the ultimate reward!
Beyond the views, an added bonus of this trail is that it is one of the best hikes in Tahoe that is dog friendly. So feel free to bring your pup along with you!
4. Mount Tallac
Miles (round trip): 9.6
Elevation Gain: 3,284 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: None
Trail Map and Current Conditions
Mount Tallac is said to be one of the best hikes in Tahoe, but it’s not without a LOT of effort to get to the top! This is a hard, long and steep hike, but for those who can make it, you’ll be treated to some of the best views of all of Lake Tahoe from 9,735 feet above sea level.
While this trail is technically dog friendly, we have heard the rocks at the top have damaged dogs paws in the past. So please consider this before bringing your pup on this trail. Or make sure that they have booties on to protect their feet!
Note: This trail is located in Desolation Wilderness and a free wilderness permit is required to hike. You can pick up the permit at the self-service area at the trailhead.
5. Lake Aloha Trail
Miles (round trip): 12.3
Elevation Gain: 1,860 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: Free but limited spaces
Trail Map and Current Conditions
If you’re looking for a long hike, but with less elevation gain, consider the Lake Aloha Trail. This can be completed as a long day hike, but is also commonly done as a backpacking trip with campsites along Lake Aloha. It’s a gorgeous trail with a very moderate incline the whole way.
And for a unique spin, this trail has the option to take a boat to reduce the mileage. The boat taxi runs during the summer, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. And while it might be a fun trip, and helpful to make the hike easier, it isn’t cheap. For a one way ride it will cost $22 per person, and they require a minimum of 4 people, or $88, for the service.
6. Rubicon Trail
Miles (round trip): 16.4
Elevation Gain: 2,339 feet
Dog Friendly?: No
Parking fee: $10 to park at Emerald Bay State Park or you can park along the highway for free
Trail Map and Current Conditions
This long, undulating trail is a really great way to spend an entire day seeing a variety of terrain and great views of Lake Tahoe. This is known as the best Lake Tahoe hike by many, as there is stunning scenery all along the way, plus other sights like a waterfall, lighthouse, and possible wildlife.
As you get further from Emerald Bay State Park you will find more solitude and have more trail to yourself. There are also tons of spots to stop and hop in Lake Tahoe along the way, so make sure to take a break to cool off!
Note: Disregard what AllTrails says, this trail is open, but is currently only accessible starting from Emerald Bay State Park. The trail begins at the Upper Eagle Point Campground so you can start there. For an easier and more populated place to park, you can plan to park at the Vikingsholm parking lot and start the trail from there, only missing a short portion of the trail.
East Shore of Lake Tahoe
7. Cave Rock
Miles (round trip): 0.8
Elevation Gain: 118 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: None
Trail Map and Current Conditions
Prefer a short and sweet hike in Lake Tahoe? Head to the Cave Rock Trail, which overlooks the east side of Lake Tahoe. This is a great hike for all hikers, especially if you’re bringing kids along. However, there is a short section of scrambling at the top, which smaller kids may need help with.
8. Monkey Rock
Miles (round trip): 2.6
Elevation Gain: 479 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: There’s a $2 per person fee with a collection box close to the start of the trail, so we recommend bringing some cash.
Trail Map and Current Conditions
One of the most unique Lake Tahoe hikes is Monkey Rock. This short, steep hike takes you to an overlook with a rock that looks like a monkey!
While the rock may have originally looked somewhat like a monkey, it’s believed that its features were carved to make it look even more obvious. So although this rock isn’t totally natural, it’s definitely unique and worth a visit, plus the views from here are incredible!
And while you’re here, don’t miss seeing the nearby Butt Crack Rock, which looks exactly like the name implies. 😂
9. East Shore Trail
Miles (round trip): 5.2
Elevation Gain: 344 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: You’ll have to park at this lot, which does charge varying rates per hour from 7 AM to 7 PM.
Trail Map and Current Conditions
The East Shore Trail is more of a walk than a hike, but in our opinion, it’s one of the best things to do in Lake Tahoe! This 5.2 mile (round trip) bike path is said to be one the best in the US, perfect for biking, dog walking, running, and more! The trail runs between Incline Village and Sand Harbor, and along the way you’ll pass different coves and beaches, with insanely clear and bright blue water. We loved stopping along the way and going for a swim!
While you can walk it, if you’d prefer to bike instead (our top pick!), you can grab a rental from Flume Trail Bikes (right at the start of the trail) or Big Blue Bike Rentals in Incline Village.
West Shore of Lake Tahoe
10. Eagle Rock
Miles (round trip): 0.7
Elevation Gain: 236 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: None
Trail Map and Current Conditions
For another short Lake Tahoe hike, head up the Eagle Rock Trail. Despite its short mileage, it is relatively steep, as you’ll spend the first half hiking up and around the mountain.
Since this trail faces the east, it’s a gorgeous spot to watch the sunrise! Plus with limited parking, you will want to arrive early anyway to snag a spot.
Truckee
11. Donner Tunnels
Miles (round trip): 2.9
Elevation Gain: 393 feet
Dog Friendly?: Yes
Parking fee: To access the trail, you will want to park in this lot, which is free and located just steps from the first tunnel.
Trail Map and Current Conditions
While not located on Lake Tahoe itself, the historic town of Truckee is well worth a visit when exploring Lake Tahoe. And while here, you must check out the Donner Tunnels!
Back in the 1860s, Chinese immigrants built a series of 15 tunnels and snow sheds to connect the transcontinental railroad through the Sierra Nevada. This was incredibly important in connecting California with the rest of the country. They were used until 1933 and you can still walk through some of them today!
However, since they are abandoned and dark, it can be a tad creepy and eerie to walk through them. Bringing a headlamp or flashlight is a must! Also, bats live here and you’ll likely hear, see, or smell some bats in the tunnels. Don’t let this scare you though, it’s a unique historic hike that is unlike any others we have experienced!
Tips for hiking the best Lake Tahoe hikes
Start early
Lake Tahoe is a very popular tourist destination and the summers specifically are the busiest! Our best tip for avoiding the crowds on the best hikes in Tahoe is to get going as early as possible each day. Many parking lots and trails fill by 9 AM, so if you’re there before then, you shouldn’t have many issues finding a spot.
We always started our day in Lake Tahoe at or right before sunrise and this allows us ample parking and some time to ourselves on these beautiful Lake Tahoe hikes.
Dogs are not allowed in all areas
There are many places around Lake Tahoe that are dog friendly, but plenty that are not. We’ve listed which of these Lake Tahoe hikes are and are not dog friendly to help you plan. Make sure to check before you go if dogs are allowed in case anything has changed. And be sure to pay attention to the leash laws, pick up your dog’s poop, and pack the bag out with you.
Paid parking
Many of the trails that we have included on this list of the best hikes in Lake Tahoe will have fees to park. While some take credit cards or online payments, others are cash only. So make sure to carry a small amount of cash on you when you head out to the trails!
Be bear aware
Lake Tahoe is home to many black bears. You might spot bears in town, at campgrounds, on the beach, and definitely along trails. We saw three bears in three days!
While black bears are typically not aggressive, make sure to be bear aware when out and about. It’s important to give them plenty of space, and practice proper food storage. The Lake Tahoe bears are used to being around people and so they are very brave when it comes to trying to get food. Please always utilize bear lockers at campgrounds to store anything with a scent. A fed bear is a dead bear!
Lake Tahoe is Large
It’s important to note that Lake Tahoe is a huge lake!! This means all of these hikes in Lake Tahoe are very spread out and can be as far away as an hour drive or more away from each other. Keep that in mind when planning your itinerary, and try to hit multiple trails in each region to save on time and travel.
What to bring to hike the best Lake Tahoe hikes
You can see all of the products we use and love on our gear page, but some items we would especially recommend when hiking in Lake Tahoe are hiking shoes (Lowa Renegade GTX boots or ALTRA Lone Peak 8 trail runners), layers, rain jacket, offline AllTrails map, sun protection, bug spray, water storage and filter. And if you want top hop into the lake to swim, make sure to bring a swimsuit (plus a floatie for the ultimate relaxation)!
And make sure to bring cash to pay for the parking fees!
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About the Author
This article was written by Tori, one of our Adventures of A+K team members. Learn a bit about her below!
Hi, I’m Tori! I live in Nashville, TN with my husband and two daughters. We travel as much as possible throughout the year, around a 9-5 schedule and with babies in tow! My travel blog, Tori Pines Travels, aims to help people plan action-packed and culture-rich vacations around their busy jobs, fitting in as much exploring as possible. When I’m not working for Adam and Kathryn or entertaining my little ones, I’m writing, cooking, crafting or exploring Music City!