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    Five Lakes Trail

    4.2 (10 reviews)

    Five Lakes Trail Photos

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    Stephanie T.

    Very well kept trail. We arrived around 11am on a Saturday and there were lots of cars parked on the side of the road. It's up the mountain for about 45 minutes to an hour depending on your experience but beautiful all the way. It's called 5 lakes but we only found 2 not sure where we missed the other 3 but they were gorgeous lakes. Lots of ducks and great places to sit and take a break. Loved all the moss growing on the trees. Took us 3.5 hours round trip.

    In case you were wondering where you were...
    Karen M.

    I am in Reno for an opera program and today was our first day off, so two other pianist friends and I decided to go for a little hike. Five Lakes Trail is in Tahoe National Forest and the trailhead was about an hour's drive from our hotel (south of the airport). For GPS directions to the trailhead, we used "Alpine Meadows Rentals." The actual trailhead/parking area is the one AFTER the "Not Five Lakes" sign. The total mileage is 4 miles and the elevation gain is just under 1000 feet, making this a "moderate" hike in my opinion. However, one of my friends declared it "difficult," as she is out of hiking shape. Despite the physical challenge she endured, she (and we) agreed that the scenery was beautiful and the entire hike was rejuvenating. We saw many shades of green, majestic granite cliffs, calm lakes, and happy dogs. :) This trail is touted as a family-friendly one and indeed, there were a number of under-18s out enjoying nature today. The trail itself can get crowded, but there are many places around the five lakes to enjoy solitude.

    Absolutely beautiful hike. The first 2 miles are primarily uphill through the granite rocks. Then as you get higher the trail levels off and there are more trees. The best part of the hike was all the amazing wild flowers that were in bloom. They also changed with the elevation. The one tricky part was when you come to the "y" in the trail, the sign looks like you should go left to stay on the 5 lakes trail but you should actually go to the Right. We ended up on the Pacific Crest Trail since we went left, still pretty but missed the other lakes. Would definitely do this hike again!

    First lake!
    Lauren K.

    A little too many people on this trail for me to truly enjoy. But what comes with people? Cute dogs! Clearly a popular trail. Most views at the beginning are mainly of the ski resort, but some really neat rock formations worth your while. Steep at beginning, flattens out up top at the lakes. Signage could use some work, but still a fun hike if you live in the area and are looking for something new.

    Gorgeous day for a hike!

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    Review Highlights - Five Lakes Trail

    The first part of the hike is a steady climb but with well worn and designated paths.

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    Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide - Breathtaking views of Patagonia's beauty

    Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide

    4.1(7 reviews)
    11.3 mi

    I have been on rafting adventures all over the world and Bio Bio is the best of the best adventure…read moregroups. I had the pleasure of rafting the Futaleufu River with them in January 2024 and they far exceeded my expectations. The Fu River was as challenging as I imagined but the flotilla of guides who accompanied us each day made the river experience far safer and more memorable. The rafting guides and safety crew outnumbered the guests, partly because the hosts/founders, Lorenzo & Terry, welcome experienced guides to participate. Everyone of them have 10+ years of Class V river experience and loads of fun stories from their adventures. But what really sets Bio Bio apart is the camp experience. I am use to camping on the side of the river on these types of trips and wasn't sure what a base camp experience would be, with the extra shuttling involved, but I was blown away by it. They have an equally large staff in camp, including chefs working in a gourmet kitchen, a brewmaster making their Fu Brew, 2 yoga & massage therapists, a coffee barista, and on and on. As an added touch, each tent has an assigned "tent captain" who will bring coffee or tea to your tent each morning and look after all your needs throughout the experience. Then there are the fun days rafting in Duckies and a day of horseback riding to ensure we got to enjoy all that Patagonia offers. Add to all this, a master photographer who captures all the experiences on the rafts with Go Pros, a high caliber drone, and action shots from his kayak, plus lots of filming of the in-camp fun ... then masterfully produced into a video. I can't wait to experience another adventure with Bio Bio!

    Wrote 2 stars so my review didn't get filtered. Should be a 1...if not a zero…read more Recieved this email after I called to schedule trip. "We hope you are looking forward to your upcoming adventure! NOTE: WE ARE RUNNING THIS TRIP. PLEASE APPLY A $600.00 DEPOSIT TO CONFIRM YOUR TRIP. THE BALANCE WILL BE DUE BY 8/15/12. THANK YOU! " After placing deposit and arranging for someone to cover my practice for two weeks at a very expensive contracted price. I receive this email. "We are writing with unfortunate news about the upcoming Africa trip scheduled with Wilderness Medicine, starting October 15th. Due to low participation, we are not able to run this trip ...Because you've experienced this inconvenience and disappointment, we can also move your reservation to our January Wilderness Medicine Africa Trip with a $200.00 discount per person (Jan. 21st-Feb. 4th). We can extend the same discount to our Fall 2013 trip." Unbelievably unprofessional.

    Photos
    Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide - Amazing grilled meats and vegetables

    Amazing grilled meats and vegetables

    Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide - The guides even let us try the big oars

    The guides even let us try the big oars

    Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide - River dining at lunchtime was equally amazing

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    River dining at lunchtime was equally amazing

    Tahoe Whitewater Tours - Great whitewater fun!

    Tahoe Whitewater Tours

    4.8(187 reviews)
    16.0 mi

    I took my 2 grandsons, ages 12 and 16 on the tour. What a blast and very well organized. We started…read morewith a safety talk which included how to raft, what to expect and then introduced to our guide. Our guide, Simon, was the AWESOME! She was our captain and kept us on the best course for an awesome experience. OMG, we all had so much fun, got wet laughed, dipped in the calm water, then wooshed around the rapids, repeatedly. The trip was from Boca to Floriston with class I-III rapids. They also have a photographer who captured just about everything. I highly recommend this company. We will definitely do this again. Thanks Tahoe Whitewater.

    My neighbor told me about this place and I had no idea. She had taken her grandsons on it the week…read moreprior and when she told me about it I said let's go! We made reservations for 1:15 and got there at 12:30. We checked in and pretty soon we had more people show up. A young man, his name is Adam, started us off by handing out life jackets and helmets. Adam then told us how to put them on and telling us a little about the rafting. We then headed down to the River and he then started telling us about safety issues. At the end he started separating everyone into groups of 4 and 6. Since it was just my neighbor and I we were very lucky to get not just Adam, as our guide, but his girlfriend Reese(who is also a guide) and Reese's sister. It was a prefect day, no wind, it was hot and all I wanted to do was jump in. We started out, got a little ways down and we were able to jump in. Water was cold but felt really good. I went to get back in and the 2 girls knew exactly what they were doing just hoisted me in. Very impressive. We went down some really good rapids and Adam was very good on directing us on when to paddle and when to stop paddling. At one of the rapids we stopped at the bottom to wait for the rest of the boats in our group to make sure everyone got thru safely. One boat turn on its side and everyone fell out except the guide. Adam had already told us what to do if something like this should happen. So my neighbor and I put out our oars and pulled one person close to the boat and hoisted her in. We felt like pros! We had a really good time. Everyone was so friendly. My neighbor and I are already planning another trip! Sorry I don't have any pictures. I couldn't take my phone with me. There was a photographer there and he was on the shore at different places. At the end you could pictures if you would like

    Photos
    Tahoe Whitewater Tours - Me & my girls with our guide Joey "Seaweed" @mags.scenes

    Me & my girls with our guide Joey "Seaweed" @mags.scenes

    Tahoe Whitewater Tours - Truckee, River

    Truckee, River

    Tahoe Whitewater Tours - Here we go!!

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    Here we go!!

    Tahoe Multisport

    Tahoe Multisport

    4.8(50 reviews)
    15.8 mi

    We were visiting from out of town and the hotel pool was too chilly for our toddler. We called…read morearound to a bunch of places to find a wetsuit with no luck. Finally called Tahoe Multisport and the owner made it his mission to find one for us. He really went the extra mile by dropping it off at our hotel! Next time we're in town we will definitely stop by to rent gear

    I just wanted to take a moment to share my deepest gratitude for the incredible experience you gave…read moreme on my 49th birthday (booked 7/13/2025). From start to finish, it was exceptional -- and it's all thanks to your amazing team and the extra touches that made the day so special. Emma and Jane deserve a huge shout-out for their outstanding customer service. Their kindness, enthusiasm, and genuine excitement added so much joy to my first-ever clear kayaking adventure. They made me feel comfortable and cared for every step of the way, turning what could have been just another outing into an unforgettable 49th memory. Emma not only climbed rocks to ensure my photo was one of a kind she treated us (my friend Candace & I) like she'd known us for years! You can't fake you love what you do for work- Emma lovesssss rock climbing and nature - and you WILL feel that from her And now to Jane, who highly encouraged my cowboy boot photo shoot!! What a perfect, unexpected bonus! It brought so many laughs and made my birthday feel uniquely me. The combination of gliding through the water in a clear kayak and capturing that moment with a fun, creative twist is something I'll cherish forever. Thank you for doing what you do -- for creating not just a service, but an experience that celebrates people and makes them feel special. You truly made my birthday one I'll never forget, and I'm already looking forward to my next adventure with you. P.S- I still feel Kayak/Paddle-board speed dating, is something you need to look into adding! With heartfelt appreciation, Amber (#sacramento) Also, say hello to Enrique (the famous soccer player)!

    Photos
    Tahoe Multisport
    Tahoe Multisport
    Tahoe Multisport

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    Raft California - Sans, Briana, Tessa, Casey, Corey, aubriana

    Raft California

    4.8(683 reviews)
    45.5 mi

    Sometimes you have an experience that you know will stick with you for the rest of your life. This…read morewas one of those times. We did a two day south fork trip, with a stop for the night on the river bank. Our guide Cryin' Bryan(just kidding Brian!!) and bonus gear guy Gator, were absolutely amazing. The were kind, helpful, had the best stories and cooked the best food. We did 21 miles of river over two days and it was unbelievable. Things we learned on this trip... -Gator taught me how to make a camping mocha(more like chocolate coffee when I made it!) with instant cocoa mix, coffee, creamer and water. -A tortilla wrap with PB&J and trail mix is the thing of dreams. -The front right seat of the raft is the 'hot' seat(or wet seat) and you will get hammered repeatedly. Haha. -Camping on the side of the river is magic. Pure. Magic. -Hospital bar has its name for a reason. -Composting toilets in the woods smell like a gerbil cage. -Brian's love of Star Wars and pineapple fried rice lead me to believe we could be real life friends. -You can make lifelong friends out of strangers you meet on a rafting trip. The meals they provided were amazing. Well beyond normal camping fare. For sure a perk with the trip. With things like chicken salad pitas, pancakes, sandwich wraps and fajitas, we were never hungry. We upgraded to the canvas tent they have at the campground for the first night and it was wonderful. The little front porch and getting to hear the river while we slept was magic. The newly upgraded bathrooms were probably the nicest I've seen at a rustic camp ground. The shower stalls are outside, but each one has a locking door with the shower stall and a little changing area with hooks and a bench(and the rain shower heads were great, but know the water pressure isn't the hardest, but not the worst either). When the 'Boss Man' picked us up from the river on the last day, it was really neat to get to chat with him. He asked for anything we think would add to the trip, and the only thing we can think of would be to bring along a yard game for the overnight trips, like ladder-ball or something for on the river. But there is absolutely nothing we would change. Enjoy my million pictures. I really couldn't pick and choose what to show, so I showed it all! We can't wait to go back!!

    We enjoyed the half day class II-III+ trip. Everything went smoothly from start to end. There were…read morechill about people being late: I think they might leave a buffer because people are always a bit late. I really appreciated they had a page linked after you book of all the things to know before the trip. Getting ready was smooth, and the guide was helpful on the way with paddling instructions and questions. We dropped into the water at two points and also got to switch seats so everyone tried being at the front. The water is extremely cold. There are two photo spots where they took pictures you can purchase. Lastly the bus to get back went great, but they kind of left us alone right after we got back to camp, even though we had some questions and were going to leave a tip (we left our wallets in the cars).

    Photos
    Raft California - Staff setting up the rafts.

    Staff setting up the rafts.

    Raft California - Transportation from base camp

    Transportation from base camp

    Raft California - Safety instructions

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    Safety instructions

    Five Lakes Trail - hiking - Updated July 2026

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