HIKING
Bonnie’s Cove and Overlook (easy). If you’re looking for an easy little hike to do with the kids or are just looking for a secluded place to enjoy the lake, this is the hike for you. DIRECTIONS: turn right on Highway 28 and follow the east shore of the lake – go past the “Scenic Overlook” sign/parking area and look for the next small parking area off the road on the right side (it’s 1.4 miles south of the intersection of Lakeshore Blvd. and Highway 28, or 2.5 miles south of Country Club Drive). Note: if you get to Sand Harbor state park, you’ve gone too far – the parking area for Bonnie’s Cove is 0.4 miles north of the Sand Harbor boat ramp. From the parking area, walk south along the highway until you find a hill on your right. Bonnie’s Cove is located just past the hill (turn right on the footpath). There is also a trail that winds its way up the hill with a great overlook above Bonnie’s Cove (there’s even a bench out on this point for relaxing). The steps leading down to Bonnie’s Cove are a bit uneven, but pretty manageable. The trail above the cove is pretty easy hiking -- it’s only a 5 minute walk to the overlook.
Tahoe Rim Trail (“TRT”): Several years ago, a trail network was completed that goes all the way around the peaks that surround Lake Tahoe. Incline Village is very close to some very dramatic portions of the TRT, and we describe a few options here for accessing this trail. An excellent book on the TRT is Tim Hauserman’s The Tahoe Rim Trail, which is available at many of the local outdoor shops.
TRT Brockway Summit (moderate, 3 miles roundtrip): The TRT intersects Highway 267 2.5 miles north of Kings Beach (there’s parking on the left where the TRT crosses). Cross the road and go up the fire trail – you’ll see the TRT on the left. Your starting elevation here is 7000 ft. After 1.2 miles of steady climbing, you’ll see a marked trail that makes a very sharp left, signed “view point”. Take this left and continue climbing another 0.3 mile, where the trail ends at a nice rocky overlook of the lake (your elevation here is about 7700 ft.) Retrace your steps to get back.
TRT Mount Baldy and Rifle Peak (moderate to strenuous, 6 miles roundtrip to Mt. Baldy, 9 mile roundtrip to Rifle Peak): from Kings Beach, drive north on Highway 267, go over Brockway Summit, and take a right on the first paved road after the summit (it’s a small paved road, a very sharp right). This paved road goes for about 4.5 miles to the Martis Peak fire lookout (elev. 8600 ft.). After you’re on this road for about 4 miles, you’ll see a dirt parking area where the road makes a sharp left. This is your starting point for the hike (the elevation here is around 8300 ft.). You’ll start by hiking on the dirt fire road for about a half mile, at that point you’ll see a TRT sign directing you to a smaller trail on the right. After approx 1.2 miles, you’ll see a TRT sign directing you on a wide fire trail that goes uphill. Follow this fire road up and onto the smaller trail that climbs up to the top of Mount Baldy after about another mile (the elevation here is just under 9000 ft.). It’s worth continuing another half mile and crossing over the California/Nevada border where there’s a sign that tells you you’re entering the Mount Rose Wilderness Area. Just past this sign the trail loops around and offers dramatic views looking down on Incline Village. If you continue another mile and a half, you’ll find Rifle Peak off to your left. This “high elevation” portion of the TRT is remarkably level, and it’s possible to climb to the top of Rifle Peak where you’ll be rewarded with an incredible 360 degree panorama. You’ll recognize Rifle Peak as a sharp rock formation (the elevation here is 9400 ft.) – the best approach is to veer off the trail to the left once you see the peak, and approach it from the left where it’s flatter terrain.
TRT Mount Rose to Brockway Summit (strenuous 22 miles one-way; you can cut off 4 miles if you park a car in the spot mentioned above): You can start this hike from either location, but it’s easier to start at the higher elevation end near Mount Rose Summit. The TRT intersects Highway 431 0.3 miles before the Mount Rose Summit (the trail starts on a wide fire trail on the west side of the highway – look for a small building and the TRT sign). This portion of the TRT goes over the highest point on the rim trail, Relay Peak (elev. 10,300 ft.).
TRT Access from Tyner Road (likely strenuous): we’ve heard there’s a steep, unmarked trail towards the top of Tyner Road in Incline Village that provides a short (not easy) path to the high elevation part of the TRT somewhere around Rifle Peak. The landmark is a big green water storage facility. If you do this hike, fill us in on the details!
Tahoe XC Trails (easy, just east of Tahoe City): Tahoe XC’s trails offer some nice hiking loops during non-ski season (for directions, see http://tahoexc.org/). It’s easy to get lost here if you don’t know the trails, so it’s a good idea to bring a compass or GPS.
Rubicon Trail, DL Bliss State Park (moderate, 17 miles south of Tahoe City): this is one of our favorite relatively “level” hikes that’s close to the lake. The trailhead starts at Calawee Cove Beach, and heads south into Emerald Bay. The trail goes through very varied terrain, ranging from open meadows to cliffs and waterfalls above the lake. The scenery is spectacular. It’s a 7 mile roundtrip to “Boat Camp” in Emerald Bay. You can find a brochure of the park here: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/505/files/BlissEmeraldBay.pdf. Note there’s a fee to enter DL Bliss State Park.
Eagle Falls (easy, 20 miles south of Tahoe City): park at the Eagle Falls trailhead which is right off the highway when you enter Emerald Bay. It’s a short hike up to a waterfall (0.1 mile), and if you continue on the trail another 0.2 miles you’ll get to a nice view spot. Another 0.7 miles gets you to Eagle Lake (elev. 6900 ft.).
Desolation Wilderness (south and west of Lake Tahoe): if you want to experience some real backcountry wilderness, you should check out trails into Desolation Wilderness. We particularly like Lake Aloha, which can be accessed by trailheads at the western end of Fallen Leaf Lake, or through Echo Lakes. You should consult one of the outdoor shops such as Alpenglow Sports for detailed trail advice and maps.
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