Eagle Rock is a relatively short and easy hike that's welcoming for people of all age groups. The…read moretrail itself is less than a mile long, with minimal elevation increases on your way to the top. It's a very dusty path up, so make sure to wear some proper hiking shoes and clothing that you don't mind getting dirty. I wore a white, button-up t-shirt and jeans because my in-laws failed to tell me we were going hiking before stopping at the motel. But it was such a light hike that it didn't bother me too much aside from getting my clothes dusty and dirty going up and then coming back down. At the top of the trail resides Eagle Rock, which comprises of sharp, volcanic rock. So definitely be careful while up there. For those with mobility issues, the path does not extend all the way up to the top. So you will have to clamor over some rocks in order to reach the summit. But once up top, you'll get treated to a gorgeous top-down view of Lake Tahoe to one side, and beautiful forest covered mountains on the other. The trail is dog friendly, but there are no trash cans along the path. So make sure to take back out anything you bring in. There is a small, free parking lot at the entrance to park at.

This is one of my favorite short hikes in the area. It's a very nice hike any time of year. It…read moreboasts spectacular views of the mountains, trees and lake. I came here this morning after it snowed the day prior. No one had been up here since the new snow, and my footprints were the only ones to imprint the fresh snow. Coming here alone this morning and connecting with nature by myself brought about feelings of peace and solitude, it was very nice having the entire place to myself. I was very grateful for this moment alone with nature.

It was a pretty good 2.6 miles hike. Beautiful sceneries on both sides and the place is unpaved so…read moreyou can really feel that it's a moderate climb. What i would suggest the presence of a proper signage that it's going to that trail? Like a big sign that says "Monkey Rock Trail" going this way? Lol you could not see any direction so you just have to ask and wonder if you are really going to the right direction. For first timers, it's that place that goes up to that Tunnel Creek Cafe, that's the place you go up going to that trail.

Not too bad for a 2.6 mile hike. Came here with a big group so we definitely took our time. It is…read moremostly incline so be prepared for that. Got here around 10am and finished around 12:30pm. The first part of the hike is a concrete road then it turns into rocks and dirt. I saw a bunch of families hiking along the trail so very family oriented. Some paths have shade so you can take a break. The view was amazing. It was very breath taking to see the beautiful blue water of the lake, clear skies, treats and rocks. Found out the elevation is 482ft. The top definitely had rocks that look like a monkey hence the name. I'm not a strong hiker but I definitely enjoyed this trail. You do have to pay for parking at the parking lot.

A must hike at least once a year ! Sure you will be climbing up/over some steep rocks but it's a…read moreworth it for the gorgerous view and you can take the tram down or hike back down if you at up to it We decide to take the tram that operated until September (you will have to check the time frame ) and did the 5 miles!

We did this hike starting at Olympic Village and it is challenging at times. Also due to the…read morelateness in the summer some of the waterfalls we passed were but a trickle. On a Saturday the trail wasn't crowded but wasn't empty either. Free parking at base camp.

Absolutely loved this little lake! I took some Boy Scouts up to this lake this past weekend. We…read moregot to the trailhead a little later than expected 6:45pm but most of us had headlamps so we weren't that concerned and have done trips in the evening before. Some of the older scouts who leading in the front missed some of the trail markers and got us off track for a while, so watch out for those game trails that can lead you in circles. After we found the trail again it was pretty clear what to look for to stay on the trail. Like others have said look for the 3 cairn stones located all over the place, but also there are plenty of trees marked with an "i" in the bark. The "i" is for those who do the trail during snow season, with cross country skis or snowshoeing. We got to the lake around 9pm and were lucky to have an almost full moon which lit up the who place. Another group was setting up camp as well but there was plenty of room amongst the granite boulders. Deep on the east north east side of the lake there was a bigger place to set up tents but we wanted to be closer to the water. I woke up early, as I was the one one to bring a fishing rod and was not disappointed. Between the myself, another leader, and the scouts all taking turns we caught 8 trout in the morning. We saw a few fly fishers but it didn't look like they had much luck. Periodically we would see some day hikers arrive, some with their 4-legged companions, many of them water dogs. If you're there for the fishing just wait 10 min or so after a dog gets out and the fish will be biting again. There is a geocache at this lake, and some of the scouts found it, I remembered what the tip was and saw the marker from the picture and gave the scouts the info. They signed the logbook and re-hid the cache. Some of the boys went swimming, and I joined them but the water was very cold, as it is late September so it was to be expected. We had lunch and broke down camp and set back out to the cars. There were plenty of day hikers we passed along the trail, and enjoyed the views we missed the evening before. I absolutely loved the meandering brook that is about 0.5-0.75 miles from the trailhead. We stopped there and tried a few times with the fishing pole but as we were late to the cars we packed it back up after 5 min. Everyone loved the hike and had a blast at the lake. Definitely a place to visit again, but we'll bring more fishing poles next time.

Beautiful moderate difficulty hike with stacked stones to indicate the way. It was a great day hike…read morefor two young inexperienced hikers. We saw couples and families of all ages enjoying the scenery along the way. The lake itself is beautiful, but we didn't explore too much around it's banks. We found a nice little area to have lunch before heading back.

Looking for an epic hike that isn't too far from Reno? Look no further than Mount Rose! To find the…read moretrailhead, head up the Mount Rose Highway and once you reach near the top, you'll notice a decent sized parking lot off to the side of the Highway. The trailhead begins behind the bathrooms. This hike is slightly deceptive because for the first half (2.5 or so miles), it's relatively flat. I mean, you're definitely going upwards but you barely notice it (at least I didn't). Once you reach the waterfall (the unofficial halfway point), that's where things begin to get a bit more interesting. The scenery gets better and better, but the incline in the trail will get far more noticeable not just due to steepness, but due to the elevation as well. Many people were turning around as my friend and I continued going. In no way is this a difficult hike, however, it's definitely not easy either. If you're out of shape or have any medical problems, this may not be the hike for you. There's plenty of other gorgeous hikes in the area that would be more suitable. But if you think you can tackle the 10,778 foot Mountain, by all means give it a go. The hike is just shy of 11 miles round trip. Once at the summit, you'll have an amazing 360 view with Lake Tahoe on one side and Reno on the other. It makes for some amazing pano shots.

Okay, I am going to probably get a lot of hate from giving this hike 3 stars instead of 4 or 5…read morestars which seems to be the norm in terms of reviews. When I go on hikes, I prefer it to be flat, scenic and with pretty meadows. I was not expecting it to be quite scary actually as my husband reassured me that this hike was easy and flat; he was wrong trust me. The beginning of the hike was a steep uphill climb that was full of sand and dirt. Combined with the intense heat and the uneven rocks, I was already getting a shortness of breath when we climbed the uphill. My skin also got a burning sensation even though I slaughtered on sunscreen before the hike. I looked up the UV index on my phone and it was at level 11; wow, no wonder why I felt like I was burning! Thankfully, I brought some sunscreen with me so I started applying it to my face and skin again. The heat was also so intense that my hair started sticking to the back of my neck. Anyways, we continued our climb and when we reached the top, my heart started racing as I noticed we were a good 9000 feet up in the air and the trail was so thin and narrow that my husband and I had to make a single file line just to walk on it. I remember throughout the entire hike, I had to look down because the rocks were so uneven (trust me, they were everywhere) because I didn't want to fall and hurt myself. Another thing about being so high up, we encountered wind storms that constantly blew up dirt and sand on our faces; talk about feeling super dirty and gross! The sand and dirt got all over my clothes, skin and hair. Needless to say, I was not enjoying myself and I kept wishing we were lying on the beach instead listening to quiet waves and sunbathing. After a good 2 and a half mile hike, we finally reached the waterfall and relaxed. The waterfall was gorgeous and there were cute chipmunks too; this is why I gave my review three stars; this was the one good thing about our hike. When we got home that night, I scrubbed my face clean and washed my hair twice too. For avid hikers like my husband, this hike will be enjoyable as for me however, I will take a pass for next time.

Spooner Lake State Park is easily accessible off NV 28 (on the way to Incline Village), but does…read morecharge for parking. I had previously purchased an annual pass through Nevada Parks for $30 (Senior Rate). The parking area, visitor's center, picnic areas, and large greenbelt are all well maintained, pretty, and with a great view of the Lake. I was most recently here for a well-executed and family/dog friendly Day 2 Rosh Hashana service led by Temple Bat Yam (Stateline). That included a interactive and leafy 2.1 walk around the lake on a almost perfect day. Spirituality experienced outside is a special thing, and meeting a few new friends along the way was a welcome bonus. Note: Yelp also has a Spooner Lake Trailhead listing, which overlaps with this one.

Mom and I got lucky when we visited Spooner Lake on a Tuesday in August. Hardly anyone there so…read morekeeping our distance was easy. We only passed 1 couple on the trail. I wasn't really sure where the trail for Spooner Lake loop was so I parked and we wandered a bit til we saw the map and a little sign. Followed it down to the water... and then from there the trail was clear. We did the lake loop trail... I think it's about 2.5 miles... with all our walking around we did 3. It's a great trail! Lots of shade with a little bit of elevation change.... not too much tho. There was 1 big hill but that's it. So, a really nice easy trail around the lake. If I lived in the area, I would get an annual pass and come here regularly to do this loop and explore the other trails that connect to this one. It's a state park so $10 fee... we wanted to buy an Annual Pass good for all state parks but they were sold out.

gorgeous lake, clear water, it does get super cold during hte winter, the last we were here was…read moreover 5 years ago and loved the trip! cant wait to return! it does get crowded and touristy, which isn't fun, but overall a great spot

Tahoe baby! This…read moreshould be on your radar truly! The best of all things to get away from Vegas. Do you need to think and actually get away! Let's get some rest and down time . We are going to Tahoe. The drive is half the fun! The "actually," real trees. As we drove the trees were along all sides of us. Then we make it to the best of it all the water. The water is so clear! Wow sit back and just relax! It's the best of all things here in Vegas !

Fortunately, I missed most of the OHV traffic…read more the view from the top is very nice. Like so many of the trails around Lake Tahoe, there are no directional signs along the trail. But with GPS and a trail map, that's not a problem. Without a GPS and able to trail map, there are plenty of places along this Trail for you to make a wrong turn. That said, the trail itself is a one-lane road all the way to the top. By one lane road I mean it's generally wide enough for a narrow vehicle. But at least 75% of it would be like driving on the surface of Mars. I saw OHV tracks all the way to the base of the summit. I hiked this Trail alone, starting at around 1330 in October 2020. I made it back by around 1630. This trail is rated as hard, I suppose because of the Rocky and Boulder terrain.

4 stars for the scenery and the workout; minus one if there are dirt bikers!…read more If you're looking for a 3-4 hour scenic high Sierra hike with steep (not mountain goat!) climbs, and don't mind sharing the trail with an occasional mountain bike or dirt bike, you might want to check out the Ellis Peak Trail, accessed via Barker Pass Road. It's a good summer or fall hike and it's dog-friendly. Be sure to add in drive time to the trailhead - about 30 minutes from Tahoe City and about 20 minutes from Homewood. You'll find the trail listed online or you can pick up a free map at Sugar Pine Point SP entrance. At the trailhead, the sign reads 5 miles to Ellis Peak. Using MapMyRun, we measured it at 3.5 (7 miles round trip). Starting out, you'll be eating dust for the first mile as you grind out the first of three steep climbs to the peak. Don't get discouraged! At the top of this hill, you'll be rewarded with sweeping vistas as you hike gradually uphill across decomposing granite. Next, you'll drop steeply for a mile through forest, eventually crossing a trail to go straight up the hill. This second steep climb gets you to a ridge where you'll see a trail heading to the peak. It's a brief glute-burner for your final climb to the top, where ya can plant your flag, eat lunch and enjoy the 360º views. Save some energy for the way back, where you still have one short climb and a mile-long dusty climb to go. Expect a mountain bike or two; hopefully you won't encounter any dirt bikers as they'll raise plumes of dust. Directions: From Highway 89 in Homewood, drive 2 miles north on 89 to Tahoe Pines. Turn left on Barker Pass Road (road sign is poorly placed, 100 ft. west of 89) and bear left at the fork (3.7 miles). Continue uphill for approx. 4.7 miles, winding up the side of the mountain where you'll encounter sharp switchbacks shortly before the paved road ends. Park anywhere; the trailhead is just up the hill on your left. For you navsat hikers, the Ellis Peak lat/long is - http://bit.ly/Z5KXsr The roundup: Distance: 7 miles Time: 3-4 hours plus time at the top Difficulty: Strenuous, with steep hills in loose footing. Highlights: Awesome views of Lake Tahoe, rim views, downhill return. Sucks: Dirt bikers use the trail. And, it's a 30 minute drive from Tahoe City! Water: Two liters. Dogs: Allowed!