The greenish blue lake looks just like a giant gem. It's also as clear as a mirror. The trails down…read morethere are really hard to walk. While walking in the woods you can just hear the wind sound and the birds singing.

I would not call this place a secret, by any means, but it IS a cove and it's a beautiful place to…read morevisit if you can find a place to park. The trails are magical, the water is spectacular and the views will knock your socks off (if you happen to be wearing any )!

This is a pretty good hike for everyone. I think it was rated moderate. It's just a short drive…read morefrom State Line and there's signs as you get closer. Parking is ample and was $14 for 3-4 hours. The views are great once you get to the top.

Wow! That is all I can say. It was a fabulous bike ride and the views are incredible. A few words…read moreof caution. First, don't be fooled by the claim this is an easy trail. It's easy if you bike every week and spend some of that time climbing. The climb is difficult but totally worth the effort. We rented bikes at the flume store and made the mistake of not getting electric assist. Regardless, they were super helpful and totally worth the price of entry. Would I do it again? Yes, I'm fact I am thinking of getting an e-assist bike. Take a camera, water, and plan on a great time! Also, they provide a ride to the trail head which is convenient. The trail ends behind the shop and you are at your car. This makes finding parking an easy option!

I got here at 2 pm on a Thursday, and there was plenty of parking available. Usually it would be…read more$10 for parking, but I told the guy I will be there not for too long and will just to take a few photos. So he charged me $2 for fifteen minutes, which was more than enough time. There are very beautiful views here!

We thought there would be hiking but the view is going through the cave and sight seeing from the…read moreparking lot. I wasn't very impressed but my goal is to hike.

We hiked the Marlette Lake Trail from Spooner Lake to Marlette Lake as a backpacking trip for my…read morefriend's bachelorette party! We added some extra distance at the end by hiking to the Marlette Peak Campground to stay for the night. From the parking lot to the campground was about 7 miles each way. The trail itself was well-maintained, moderate difficulty, and had everything you'd want in a good hike! Solid trail conditions. Beautiful mountain and lake views. Some sections of wildflowers. A good amount of sun but also some shaded parts. Gradual incline that never felt super steep, so the elevation gain felt manageable. We saw people hiking as well as mountain biking on this trail. There are several sections of aspen trees along this hike, so it's a great one to come back and do in the fall once the leaves turn yellow. The trailhead area has great facilities, the bathrooms were clean and there is ample parking. The park rangers I spoke to were friendly and helpful. There is a $10/car entry into this area but it's totally worth it, especially when you see how well they take care of it. I loved this hike and will continue to come back to Spooner for hikes in the future!

There are a few ways to reach Marlette Lake, all of them totally worth it, especially this time of…read moreyear. This trail takes you around Spooner Lake and up to Marlette. It's a 9 mile out and back with fairly gradual elevation gain, up through the trees, until you reach the lake. A great little workout. Marlette sits along the Flume Trail, so you're likely to see a lot of mountain bikers. Fun fact: The Flume Trail got its name because Marlette and the tributaries that feed it were part of a log flume system to carry logs used to build our region all the way down from as far as Virginia City! Marlette has a short fishing season, but people say it's grand if you make the trip. Of course you need to hike in to have that experience. This is definitely a trail worth checking out in our area!

This spot on Tahoe has ahhhmazing breathtaking views, dog friendly beach access for everyone and is…read moretruly a hike to a hidden gem that you won't soon forget!! Skunk Harbor not only combines all of these wonderful attributes but also throws in a bit of history for you to check out too! Parking is FREE but limited, located at a turnoff along HWY 28 about a few miles north of the Spooner/HWY 50 junction - look for an old green pipe gate which is also the entrance to the trailhead (do NOT park in front of gate, you WILL be fined). After you park, grab your gear (keep in mind there are NO facilities - take out what you take in). Travel along the old dirt road on the other side of the green gate through the Tahoe forest. When you reach the fork in the road you have 2 choices: left fork leads to Prey Meadows which is blanketed with many varieties of wildflowers in the spring anddd right fork leads you to Skunk Harbor. Throughout your hike down to Skunk Harbor take in the breathtaking picture worthy views all around. Upon your arrival to the beach be sure to find the historical remants of an old railroad ramp used to supply timber to Virginia City after the Comstock Lode plus an abandoned stone house along the waters edge with historical markers from the 1920s that belonged to the wealthy family of George Newhall built as a summer house here for vacations and parties. Everything was brought in by boat, during the Roaring Twenties ~ WOW!! This is a MUST DO!! Hike is roughly 3 miles round trip, I always enjoy an adventure / hike with a reward at the end, Skunk Harbor not only has this throughout but pays off at the end. Be prepared for a bit of workout on the way back out as it is uphill and can be exposed depending on time and season/weather. So bring plenty of H20 and take your time but this hidden gem is worth it!!

My favorite spot to hang out and enjoy Lake Tahoe's pristine waters. If you get there early enough…read moreand don't do in the dead of summer, you'll have a good shot of having it all to yourself. My last 3 trips have resulted in me being the only one down there for a solid couple hours. The trail and beach are dog friendly, so bring your companion along with you. It's a short hike in and out but beware, your going up and up on the way out. Nothing impossibly difficult, but it can wind you. Other than that, go out and enjoy it. Leave no trace, respect the historic building down there, and don't feed the wildlife. Oh, by the way, parking can be a pain. There's only room for maybe 6-7 cars if they cozy up with one another. So like I said above, getting here early is key.

Limited parking available but such beautiful views of Lake Tahoe! It was a short walk to get to the…read morerocks.

If you're circling Lake Tahoe and craving a moment of serenity with jaw-dropping views, Logan…read moreShoals Vista Point is a must-stop. Tucked just off Highway 50 near Zephyr Cove, this scenic overlook offers a short paved path to panoramic vistas that feel like a postcard come to life. Also BONUS there is a bathroom! We visited mid-morning and found the lighting perfect for photos crisp reflections on the lake, snow-dusted peaks in the distance, and a peaceful hush that made it feel like our own private lookout. The boulder outcroppings are fun to explore, and there are a few informal trails that lead down toward the water if you're feeling adventurous (though they're a bit steep, so best for sure-footed hikers). Parking is limited to a small turnout on the southbound side, so plan accordingly. Restrooms are available in summer, which is a thoughtful touch for families. We packed a light picnic and found a quiet spot to sit and soak it all in--no crowds, no noise, just nature at its finest. Whether you're chasing the perfect photo, a quiet moment, or a scenic pause in your Tahoe loop, Logan Shoals delivers. It's one of those places that feels like a secret until you see the view and realize it's too good not to share.

We ended up at Chimney Beach Trailhead while looking for a beach in the area…read more Unbeknownst to us, and something to definitely keep in mind is that this is definitely a moderately difficult hike/trail - with an absolutely stunning beach to enjoy at the bottom of it. The trail itself has no signage, and is very windy with many different options to get (lost) to different sections of the beach . As with many of the other beaches in the area... It was super clean and clear waters, and an amazing lake view at the beach.

We lucked out and did this hike down to the beach on a weekday when it wasn't too busy. Parking in…read morethe lot was not an option, too full, but we did park along the roadside. The hike down is very steep, but not long. There are tons of great bird and plants and lizards etc to enjoy on the way up and down. There are several small beach spots to enjoy at the bottom, with calm cool waters with so many colors of blue and soft pebble sand. This beach is definitely worth the 1.5ish mile roundtrip walk.

Gorgeous trail + vistas Large rock formations which are…read moresuper fun to climb/scramble Trail is easy and short - maybe 15 mins to the top of the large cave rock tunnel My 8 y/o loved it Sufficient parking around the public roads

The views are awesome, the greenish blue lake is so clear that you can see through to the very deep…read morebottom. The trails are very dusty. The rocks are very hard to climb up and extremely hard to get down.

It's a long hike, but not too strenuous... the views are stunning, and the paths are wide and…read moreclean.. we saw some interesting areas that were just old metal cans and broken bottles... there is a lot of history in this area, at the beach area there is an abandoned house,also can see there used to be a pier.. it's a nice swim area and not a lot of people on the trail.... Would recommend this hike..

beware the loud bogans in summer ................. …read more. ......... ....... ....... ...... (see above). ....... .................. ....

There's something so special about hiking in the beautiful Lake Tahoe area. Maybe it's the tall…read moreTahoe Pines or the secluded beaches. Or maybe it's the views of the rocky coastline or rampant wildlife. Maybe it's the breathtaking trailheads and the smell of fresh pine that hits your nose. Whatever it is; I just love it. The Whale Beach Trail offers all of those lovable Tahoe accents that I love. I found this trail through the AllTrails app (Secret Cove Beach to Whale Cove Beach) and it was the perfect way to check out several secluded beaches along the way. The Secret Cove Beach to Whale Cove Beach Trail loop is a short 3 miles long, but it's a great way to hike down the beaches and relax along the way. You can take the shorter version of this trail which is just the Whale Beach Trail and it's about 1.5 miles long. I started at the parking lot above Chimney Beach. If you plan on starting here for the loop trail, get here before 8 am. Otherwise, parking will be full and you'll have to find a spot down the road. The trail starts off pretty easy along a single track sanded path through the beautiful pine woods. The trail begins to widen and open up to some wonderful views of the lake and gorgeous secluded beaches down below. The trail passes by several beach coves (Secret Cove, Secret Harbor {aka Boater's Beach}, Creek Beach, and Whale Beach) and ends at Whale Beach. Not a ton of elevation gain, but the ups and down of the path will give you a nice workout. Pair that with climbing to and from the beaches and you've got yourself a nice little moderate hike with plenty of exploration opportunities. Most people seem to use parts of these trails solely to get down to the beach. Because of this, the trail is relativity calm which leaves you with many opportunities to have the trail to yourself. It's mostly shaded with a few open spots to allow the sun to peek through. There are several restrooms along the trail and also near the beaches. Saw several birds and lizards all throughout the trail. It's super peaceful and gorgeous. A trail that I would come back to simply because it allows access to so many different beautiful beaches. Whale Beach itself is lovely and secluded with the clearest water and super soft sand. However, Sand Harbor Beach is by far the most beautiful of all the beach coves along this trail. It's also not nearly as crowded as Secret Cove which is a total relief. This was easily one of the most memorable Tahoe hikes that's I've done simply because the views are unparalleled. Such an amazing trail that you should check out sometime.

Our family LOVED this trail! Parking was a little rough. We ended up facing south on SR-28 on the…read moreside of the road. There are stairs down, so you should try to find those. (Not that they are much better than the rocks down, but they're something. ) We zig-zagged down the trail taking the farthest-most route to Whale Beach. There were other turn-offs that would have taken us to Secret Cove/ Boaters Beach/ etc, but we kept straight. I wouldn't say the trail is super-well marked, though. It helps to know where you're going (we used the All Trails map). We took our puppy, and she was off-leash most of the time. There were other dogs at the beach, so they had fun playing. We were excited to see parta potties as we got closer, too! (No wash stations, so BYOHS). The climb back is ... a workout. We we're able to take one path down, and another loop back - not that you can quite tell from the map picture as apparently my watch wasn't actually tracking the whole time. But, still fun! All of the kids (3, 7, 8, and 9) made it there and back without having to be carried. We have hiked before, but I wouldn't say we're expert level. So, it's doable!