If you're looking for an alpine hike with meadows, lakes, wildflowers, snow capped peaks and…read morerushing streams, then a hike to Winnemuca Lake offers all of this within a 5-7 mile hiking excursion. Parking is located off Highway 88 at the Carson Information station (ranger staffed during certain hours) and costs $5. It's a small lot but there's overflow parking a few hundred yards up the road. Hiking to Winnemuca Lake and back is about 5 miles RT and it's a gentle elevation change uphill to most of the lake. Lots of rocks and roots so I bring my hiking poles for stability. During the summer (timing dependent on the snow pack of the previous winter) you're treated with a spectacular wildflower show en route to the lake. Once there, there are plenty of spots to relax and enjoy the view. I like to stop there for lunch and then push on up to Round Top Lake which is more strenuous (but short) 1 mile further up the trail. From there you will get to enjoy more sweeping views, rushing streams and a path that skirts part of the lake. Doing these two lakes as an out and back is about 7 miles but since I explored the meadows and lake shore at Round Top my tracker told me I did over 8 miles. It's a gorgeous hike that, while does get crowded, isn't overly packed-you can find some trail solitude. The PCT intersects the trail and there are hike in camp sites for those who want to extend their adventure. No water so be sure to bring enough. This is about 2 1/2 hours from the Bay Area depending on where you located but absolutely worth a day trip out!

Not a difficult hike, but these trails take you some of the most beautiful alpine mountain areas…read morethat you will ever encounter, especially when all of the wildflowers are in bloom. Breathtaking is the best way to describe the scenery that you will encounter hiking along these trails. We started our hike at the Woods Lake trailhead passing Round Top Lake, Winnemucca Lake and ending up along the Carson Pass trail. It was mid-August, but the snow-capped mountains were just melting, so there were mountain streams everywhere and the wildflowers were in full bloom. The temperature was perfect in the mid-seventies. The skies were blue with puffs of wispy white clouds. This was a hiking experience that I will remember for a lifetime.

This is a very beautiful hike. I would definitely go in the springtime because the water is flowing…read morepretty heavily. A lot of picture spots in here as you hike up the river. When you get to the top, you see Bassey Falls, where people were laying out somewhere swimming others just enjoy enjoying lunch but overall it was a really nice day.

Bathroom locked. Road closed to parking lot. Parked along Ice House Road which added about a mile…read moreto our hike. Some minor stream crossings. Some snow patches. Waterfall raging. Beautiful views.

Chasing (roadside) waterfalls…read more.. This is a pretty decent roadside waterfall off Highway 50 (between Sac and Lake Tahoe) near Pollock Pines. It is pretty during spring as snow melting gives the waterfall a good amount of flow with a drop of 80-ft. Nice stop to stretch out the legs at the same time. The waterfall grabs your attention whether you're driving to or from Lake Tahoe. The falls is to your right as you head to the Lake. I suppose you can pull over on the opposite side of the highway to get a full view of the falls but I wouldn't cross the road as it is dangerous because there are blind turns, sometimes cars and trucks whiz by fast and furious down this road. Easy access where you literally just pull over into a very large pullout right in front of the falls. This waterfalls is about 60 miles from our place. It is worth stopping to look at, at least once, on your way to Lake Tahoe. Review #2106 updated

Worth the quick stop to get out, stretch and check it out on the drive to Tahoe or back! Very cool…read morelittle falls on an easy pull out.

Wow wow wow!! This is a must stop point if you like waterfalls, creeks, rock formations, mountains…read moreand scrambling. Brought my kids 5 & 8 and they can do most of it. Views are incredible. We went to the waterfall (10 mins on the trail) and bridge and then to the vista point. Wanted to do more but the 5 y/o got tired. You can scramble this whole mountain!

The hike was just the right amount of challenging to really appreciate the top and sit and look…read moreover the lake. It took us about 4 hours round trip. Nice clean trail, no bikers. It was great. Would do it again.

Nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Wrights Lake is a sparkling sapphire gem that…read moreoffers breathtaking natural beauty and a wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities. Located off U.S. Highway 50, 22 miles east of Pollock Pines at an elevation of 7,000 feet, the lake boasts majestic mountain vistas and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including bears, mountain lions, deer, and bald eagles. Visitors can experience the fresh, pine-scented air, fish the lake's fertile waters, and let their troubles drift away as they gently rock in rhythm with the swaying pines. It is a perfect place to paddle and camp! Check it out here: https://www.paddlingcalifornia.com/Wrights_Lake.html

Nice little lake. OFF the beaten path. Perfect for kayaking, no bites on trout, but still worth it.read more

The Rubicon Trail was certainly a hike that we stumbled upon by chance. After visiting Baldwin…read moreBeach, we were looking for somewhere to see the infamous Emerald Bay and see the lake from a different viewpoint. After paying the $10 entrance fee to park, we saw that there was an option for a hike to get to a waterfall. One thing to keep in mind is the steep incline throughout most of the trail - this would definitely be a hike that I would consider as moderate difficulty. Overall, I believe that my Apple Watch clocked 3.75 miles for the hike round trip! Getting to the waterfall and spending time in the visitors center and around the base of the lake was a treat!

I picked the perfect day to hike; temp was 70 around 2 pm. I had read that the D.L Bliss Camp…read moreaccess to the Rubicon trail was closed but Emerald Bay was open. We headed to EB camp grounds. Being this the first time we attempted to hike at The Rubicon, we had questions. The park rangers gave us a free 20 min pass to drive inside and see where the trail was. We explored the area; some construction was happening but trail was accessible. We were happy with what we saw, it was a beautiful day and I had a backpack full of water and snacks. We went back to pay the 10 dollar fee for the day pass and we headed out towards our journey. The path was pretty easy heading to Vikingsholm Castle hardly broke a sweat. We enjoyed clear beautiful panoramic views of the lake. It was quite breathtaking. Not too many people on the trail and that was quite peaceful and enjoyable. A lot of people when we arrived at the Vikingholm Castle. We took a few photos there and enjoyed the cool breeze then headed back. Boy oh boy did I underestimate that climb back to camp. My mind was saying "yes you can" but my old bones and lungs were not very convinced. I hadn't been hiking like this in about 5 years but I survived without reaching for my Life Alert pendant; kidding, not kidding. It was just a reminder that I have to do this more often to get conditioned again. It was a nice accomplishment even though I just did 1.5 miles of the 12 mile hike. I'll push to do 3 next time. It was really great to get out and enjoy nature like that. We are so lucky to live so close to all this beautiful scenery. It was quite refreshing, I felt great. We stopped at Camp Richardson on our way back and enjoyed some ice cream; a perfect ending to our beautiful day.

Frog Lake is a short, easy hike for all ages, leashed furry companions and skill levels - located…read moreat the top of Carson Pass on Highway 88 about 5 miles east of Kirkwood, California in a paved parking lot at the Carson Pass Information Center. Here is to locate them: https://enfia.org/discover/carson-pass/ Starting out alongside the information center a trailhead map shows you that Frog Lake is under 2.5 miles out & back. We found this trailhead to be well trafficked with many other outdoor enthusiasts enjoying the Mokelumne Wilderness Area also - either going to Frog Lake or one of the many other Points of Interest: Winnemucca Lake, Woods Lake, Elephants Back...even came across overnight campers - you will enjoy this wooded, granite/boulder lined trail that leads to mountain views with a lake to sit by for a picnic. Wildflowers, wildlife, tons of birds with stunning views plus being in the wilderness/forest among the beautiful trees this hike you will truly enjoy!! So what are you waiting for...grab your hiking buddy, get out and #moveyourbody and enjoy the great outdoors!!

Saw this hike on a list of easy hikes around Tahoe. Promised wildlife, wildflowers, and a nice…read moreendpoint. Obviously, wildflowers are seasonal. But the wildlife were lacking, and the lake was pretty lame. At least there were some tadpoles. It is easy, but there's only shade for half of the 2 mile roundtrip hike. And there's not much beauty along the way. You're better off with the hikes closer to Tahoe.

Super pretty hike with a couple different trails some very easy and others with pretty decent…read moreelevation changes

Spring is here! Discovered this close-in trail for quick midday hike. A few trails at this…read morelocation to choose from. Small paved parking lot allows for off street parking. Trail head has bathroom facilities, clear trail signage. Be aware that some trails do not allow dogs while some allow them on leash. Did a quick family friendly hike to the Kings Canyon Waterfall (.3 miles) and then the North King's Loop (1.8 miles). Waterfall hike is short and a well-groomed trail makes for a great family friendly stroll for all ages. Falls are really flowing right now with a lot of shade trees. North King's Loop. 1.8 miles loop with about a 450' elevation gain for about .9 miles. Trails are well-groomed (kudos to City of Carson and volunteers). For most of the loop, the trail is narrow to a shoulder width with a hill on one side and a slope off on the other. My hike is late March, early spring, so still signs of snow and ice hazards on parts of the shade sections of the trail. Overall, a great hike in the City of Carson.