5 Amazing Lake Tahoe Viewpoint Hikes

These Lake Tahoe viewpoint hikes have sweeping views of the second deepest Lake in the United States. This lake is a must see because of it’s deep blue and turquoise colors. Each of these Tahoe viewpoints have such a different feel and view despite looking out at the same lake. It’s beautiful being able to look out at the coastline from each of these spots and see how they are uniquely different.

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Things to Know About Lake Tahoe and These Tahoe Viewpoints

• Lake Tahoe is one of the purest lakes in the world at 99.994% pure. With that said, you still shouldn’t drink the water without proper filtering. The water is crystal clear. Lake Tahoe measures 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. It holds 39 trillion gallons of water.

• Lake Tahoe is extremely busy and crowded. Between resorts, campgrounds and rental properties, there are a lot of people staying at Lake Tahoe. Be prepared to share the trails and get to trailheads early to find parking. Summer will bring the most crowds so avoiding summer weekends will bring the least amount of people on trails.

• There is a fee for just about everything in Tahoe! I did not know this until I was there and realized every lookout, trailhead and beach had a “fee area” sign. Many times I decided to skip a spot because I just didn’t want to pay for it. Do note, if you visit a state park, the pass will be good the rest of the day at the other state park stops.

• Never park over a white line or in the road. Many areas along Highway 50 and Emerald Bay road have signs saying do not stop. These areas are enforced and your car will be towed if you choose to park outside of the designated parking areas. Always check signage before parking your car outside of a parking area and make sure you are safely parked off of the road. If your car is hanging over a white line, even by just an inch, you are at a high risk to be towed.

• Lake Tahoe is beautiful and sadly hasn’t been well taken care of lately. Be sure to follow all leave no trace principles while out on these Lake Tahoe viewpoint hikes. Pack out all your trash and stick to the designated trails. Never carve or mark on rocks, it is illegal. Help keep Tahoe beautiful.

Leave No Trace Principles

Be sure to know and follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles on trail. It’s so important to help protect these beautiful places we love and enjoy. Make sure you know these principles before going out on a hike.

• Plan Ahead and Prepare: Always check for current weather updates and educate yourself on trail conditions prior to starting a hike. Look for recent reviews or call the local ranger station for up-to-date trail information like closures, recent wildlife and road conditions. 

• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Stick to the trail. Avoid going off trail unless it’s to go to the bathroom. You can capture amazing photos from the trail. Do not cut switchbacks. Stepping off trail can cause years of damage with just one simple step. Camp in exciting campsites rather than over vegetation.  

• Dispose of Waste Properly: Pack out all trash and food scraps. Never toss food items on the ground. It is harmful to the wildlife. Properly dispose of human waste by digging a cat hole at least 6 inches deep and burying human waste. Bring a wag back to pack it out in fragile alpine terrain. Never leave toilet paper or feminine hygiene products behind because they shouldn’t be disposed of on trail. Being a bag and pack them out to dispose of properly. Same goes for dog poop. Properly burry it or pack it back out to dispose of. Do not leave dog poop bags on the side of the trail because they are easy to forget, animals can get into them and other hikers don’t want to see them. 

• Leave What You Find: Do not take objects like plant off trail with you. Preserve nature by not marking on rocks or harming any natural objects. Never pick wildflowers. It is illegal in many states. 

• Minimize Campfire Impacts: Check and follow all local wildfire regulations. Use exciting fire rings and keep fires small. Put fires out properly by dousing will multiple gallons of water. Coals should be cool to the touch before walking away. 

• Respect Wildlife: Never touch, feed or approach wildlife. Give a minimum of 25 yards to all wildlife and a minimum or 100 yard for predators and larger wildlife. Wildlife are not like house pets. They can spook easily or feel threatened. Stay in your car if wildlife is near the road. Do not feed them because our food is harmful to their digestive system.

• Be Considerate of Others: Respect other hikers by allowing those that hike faster to pass. Uphill hikers have the right of way, so safely step aside for them to pass, unless they offer to stop first. Limit noise and use headphones. Keep groups under 8. Say hello to a fellow hiker!

Lake Tahoe Location

Lake Tahoe is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on the border of Nevada and California. Matter of fact the state lines run straight through the lake, so half of these hikes are in California while half are in Nevada! North Lake Tahoe is just 45 minutes southwest of Reno, Nevada. The lake is also between two and two and a half hours to the east of Sacramento, California.

Best Time of Year to Visit Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a year-round destination! In the winter, hiking and water play aren’t as prevalent compared to winter sports. There are over 24 ski resorts for downhill skiing and snowboarding. There are countless snowshoeing and cross country ski trails as well.

Fall and Spring season can be a great time to visit Lake Tahoe to avoid some of the crowds and have cooler temperatures. Fall is beautiful for the changing leaves while spring is great for those roaring waterfalls. Do know that higher elevation hikes will still have snow in the spring to early summer months.

Summer months are the warmest yet busiest time in Lake Tahoe. Snow in the High Sierra Mountains melts away by mid to late summer making the alpine lakes and mountains more accessible for hiking. The warmer temperatures also make boating a summer staple here.

Lake Tahoe Viewpoint Hikes Trail Info

These Lake Tahoe viewpoint hikes are each so unique despite overlooking the same lake. Each of these Tahoe viewpoints has a unique coastline view and perspective of the lake. None of the hikes are difficult or long, making it easy to hit multiple, if not all of them in a day or two.

Monkey Rock

Learn more about this trail on AllTrails

This Tahoe viewpoint hike gets its name from a large rock carved to look like a monkey. Monkey rock sits on the top of a butte on the edge of the lake, just south of Incline Village. This rock is man made. Do not carve or mark on rocks, it is illegal. Although this hike gets its name from the monkey shaped rock, the surrounding rocks and views are far more impressive!

This trail starts behind the Tunnel Creek Cafe by walking along Tunnel Creek road. You can park along Tahoe Blvd. in one of the many designated pay to park locations. If you cannot find a spot here, do not park in a business parking lot or along Tunnel Creek road. Wait for a car to leave so there’s an open spot of drive into Incline Village and walk back.

The road will reach a dead end at a gate next to some houses. Be respectful of their property and be mindful of noise. Continue down the dirt trail to the right. You will be able to see the lake, highway and the Tahoe East Shore Trail below.

After about .2 miles there will be a gate to walk around. Just past the gate is a self service pay station. There is a $2 fee per hiker, so be sure to have cash on you. Once you fill out your permit, continue hiking along Tunnel Creek rock, sticking to the left at the first fork. The trail will loop back around and have a trail that leads to Monkey Rock. The trail isn’t marked with signs so have the AllTrails map available to make sure you turn off in the correct spot.

This Tahoe viewpoint is fun to explore because it has large boulders to climb on and around. The views down the rocky Nevada Coastline are stunning! Be sure to adventure around and see if you can find the rock that forms a perfect snack chair. This might be my favorite spot of all the viewpoints.

Round Mound

Learn more about this trail on AllTrails.

The AllTrails map and the route I am going to share are a bit different to this Tahoe viewpoint. I didn’t want to do the loop it shows so I just did the Round Mound section of this hike. You’ll turn on Elks Point Road towards Nevada Beach and Campground. Just before reaching the beach entrance gates there is a paved trail that crosses the the road. Park near here, but make sure you entire car is off the road and over the white lines.

Cross Elks Point Road and head up the paved path that goes around the west side of Round Mound. You’ll take this trail for .5 miles before reaching some run down building on the left. Look for the trail to the right that leads uphill as there will be a few routes. The trail then goes around the back of round mound before popping out at the top. There are large boulders all around the summit to sit on and enjoy the views of the lake and the mountains across the lake. This Tahoe viewpoint isn’t as busy as the others on the list and I was able to enjoy the summit alone the entire time!

Cave Rock

Learn more about this trail on AllTrails.

This Tahoe viewpoint has completely uninterrupted views of the lake, but might not be the best option if you are afraid of heights. The viewpoint sits on top of the car tunnels over highway 50. There is rock scrambling to the top with drop offs on the sides of the summit. The trail starts along Cave Rock Drive. There is a very small parking area at the trailhead as well as street parking just past the trailhead. Make sure you car is completely off the road and not over any white lines.

The trail to the rock is a gradual uphill dirt trail along Highway 50. As you reach the summit, the last stretch of the hike will require hikers scramble over boulders and up to the top. It’s a short scramble but if you are uncomfortable using your hands and feet to maneuver over the rocks, it may not be the best hike for you. You can also enjoy the view from the top without going near any of the edges. The views of Lake Tahoe from the top are stunning, but this Tahoe viewpoint does have car noise, visible house and roads from the summit.

Eagle rock

Learn more about this trail on AllTrails.

I found out about this trail because I drove past it a handful of times between camp and the hiking trails I had planned, so I decided to look it up. The parking lot is a small dirt pull-out along the side of the road. If it is full, you can head north and find a small pull out. Make sure your car is fully off the road and over any white lines. Because this hikes is so short, you won’t have to wait long for a spot to open up.

The trail begins climbing instantly and doesn’t stop until the summit. As you near the top, you will begin walking across the rocks surface, where there are multiple trails. Just keep heading up along one of the trails. Once you reach the summit, this Tahoe viewpoint overlooks the lakes with views of the mountains to the south.

Old Lighthouse

Learn more about this trail on AllTrails.

There are multiple ways to reach this Tahoe viewpoint. The first is by heading into the D.L. Bliss State park to the Rubicon Trailhead North, this is the route the AllTrails app shared about. I didn’t want to pay the State Park fee, so I opted to park along Emerald Bay Road south of the State Park in one of the pullouts. If you use the AllTrails map, you will see where a trail connects to the Rubicon trail from the pullout. This trail is pretty narrow and steep. It allows you to see more of the Rubicon trail. A third option is to hike the entire Rubicon trail to the lighthouse.

No matter which route you choose to take to reach the Old Lighthouse, the views will be stunning! Just above the lighthouse is a cluster of boulders with views overlooking the lake. The lighthouse is a small wood building that looks more like an old outhouse. The lighthouse is the highest elevation of any American lighthouse and was only in use for 3 years until 1919.

Bonus: Emerald Bay Vista Point

This is a bonus Tahoe viewpoint because it technically isn’t a hike. This area is just off the parking lot for the Emerald Bay State Park in California. You can choose to stop just for this amazing Tahoe viewpoint, or continue down for the day. This trail connects to the famous Rubicon trail. It also leads to the base of Eagle Falls and the famous Vikingsholm Castle. One thing that makes this viewpoint unique is that it overlooks Fannette Island. On top of the island sits what appears to be a castle, but is called the “Tea House.” It was built around the same time as Vikingsholm Castle.

What to Bring on a Tahoe Viewpoint Hike

Always wear proper shoes when hiking. This means trail runners or hiking boots because they will provide the best traction over rocks and loose terrain. Sandals and tennis shoes are not great footwear for the trail. Many of these hikes have steep terrain and large boulders to climb over, so having ankle support or proper toe protection is going to be important to keeping your feet safe on trail.

You should always carry water with you on trail, no matter the length of the hike. Using a water bladder or water bottle are both great ways to make sure you stay hydrated on trail. If it’s winter or summer, a stainless steel water bottle will be great at helping regulate the temperature of your water too.

Even if the trail is short, you should always carry a backpack with the 10 essentials. You can learn more about these item in my “The 10 Essentials” guide.

Reminders

• Always practice Leave No Trace. This means never carving or marking on the rocks. Pack out all your trash, stay on trail to minimize your footprint and never feed or approach wildlife.

• Be respectful of your fellow hikers. Let faster hikers pass, don’t hog the viewpoints so others can’t take photos or enjoy the views without people in them. If you want to listen to music, use headphones. Never play music on a speaker where others can hear it. Lake Tahoe is busy and there will always be other hikers on trail with you.

• Know what wildlife you may encounter on trail. This area has black bear and cougars. Research what to do if you should come into contact with one and always make noise on trail to prevent spooking them. Carry bear spray if you can.

• Although none of these hikes require a large amount of water supply, always carry water with you and have extra water supply in the car to resupply. Staying hydrated and well fueled is extremely important on trail.

• Never park your car on the road. If any part of your car is touching or hanging over on the road, there is a high chance you will be towed. If an area says “do not stop” then follow the signs and find a different area to park or wait for a spot to open.

Lake Tahoe is such a fun place to explore. Whether you’re going for the lake adventures, skiing, hiking or relaxing at a cabin, these hikes make for a perfect addition to any trip. They are family friendly and doable for most abilities and ages. Do you have a favorite Lake Tahoe viewpoint? Be sure to let me know in the comments.

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