California – Eagle Lake Hike Through Alpine Scenery in Lake Tahoe
I’ve been to Lake Tahoe a handful of times in the last decade but had not yet embarked on the Eagle Lake Hike for fear of crowds. The trailhead is right on the curve around Emerald Bay – one of the busiest and most popular places in Lake Tahoe for visitors. However, when I finally did this hike, I was pleasantly surprised!! The trail takes you to and over Eagle Falls and gives you a taste of Desolation Wilderness with an incredibly scenic lake surrounded by tall mountain peaks. What an incredible reward for only 2-miles of hiking, which is probably why it’s so popular!
I’ll be a broken record by the end of this post about the crowds, so maybe I’ll warn you right at the top: there is limited safe parking. I’ve seen people park in dangerous and dumb locations to access views of Emerald Bay and maybe this trailhead, with cars jostling to get by. Don’t be that person. INSTEAD, I highly recommend starting early or late. By starting at an unusual time, we had our choice of parking spots, a quiet trail, and the lake to ourselves. It was serene, which would likely not be the case mid-day. It might sound crazy, but I would start before 7:30 am or after 6:00 pm in summer (including weekdays).
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The Trailhead to Upper Eagle Falls
Part of this trail is in Desolation Wilderness, and you’ll need to fill out a free permit at the trailhead, even for a short day hike. There are some informational plaques, a pit toilet, and stairs with railroad ties at the trailhead. Some steps were evenly spaced, while others included a giant step to reach the next one. In June 2022, we started our hike at 6:30pm. The sun was scheduled to set at 8:30, which meant plenty of time to reach Eagle Lake and return before it got dark at my hiking speed. However, I didn’t consider that the sun would go below the tall mountains much earlier, so the trailhead was already in the shade. It was a gorgeous, crystal clear day out with a few puffy clouds, and I think the shaded trail made it even more stunning to photograph.
It’s about .25 miles to Upper Eagle Falls. There is a clearing with a view of the falls on the trail before the stairs. There is a slanted rock that I think is a perfect spot to get a photo. To continue on the trail, you’ll encounter stairs above the clearing. There is a sign to a viewpoint, which we did not visit, but instead headed down the path toward the bridge and Eagle Lake.
Walking across a bridge over a waterfall always makes me feel wobbly. I think it has something to do with seeing the water moving while I am moving in a different direction. Stop on the bridge and watch the water tumble over the falls below – it was impressive in late June!
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars; I would go again
- Intensity: Hiking Clothes, Hiking Shoes
- Location: Trailhead is across from the Emerald Bay Overlook on the southwest side of Lake Tahoe
- Cost: $5 to park in the parking area
- Restrooms: At the trailhead
- Timing: 1 – 2 hours
- Distance: 1.9 miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: 459 ft
- Permit Required: You must fill out a Desolation Wilderness Permit at the trailhead – it is free for day hikers!
Highlights:
- Enjoy the view of Eagle Falls, and walk on the bridge above it.
- Dip into the gorgeous scenery of Desolation Wilderness with tall granite peaks.
- Eagle Lake is stunning and surrounded by mountains.
- Bear sighting when driving back through South Lake Tahoe (skip to the “Bear Sighting” section for more details).
Lowlights:
- Emerald Bay is one of the busiest areas of Lake Tahoe! The parking area will be FULL during the day (every day) in summer. Expect crowds unless you go before 7:30 am or after 6 pm.
- Stairs – love ‘em or hate ‘em, they will get your heart rate up!
Upper Eagle Falls Bridge to Eagle Lake
After the bridge, you’ll encounter the most significant climbing section of the trail with steps, steep inclines, and the potential for mud (or at least we had a wet area). And somewhere on this climb, a sign will signal your entrance to Desolation Wilderness. The sign reads “Permits Required,” so I hope you filled out a free permit at the trailhead! Luckily the climb doesn’t last too long before you come out into a vast open space with exposed flat granite slabs and low shrubs. At this point, be sure to take a look out toward Lake Tahoe for a view of Emerald Bay and dark blue waters beyond. Also, in this open section, you’ll notice how the trail is in the valley between two mountains.
After this open area, there will be a slight incline with sporadic steps, but nothing too strenuous. The trail hugs the mountain on your left and curves around the mountain. Once you hit two straighter sections of the trail, you will be getting super close to the lake. There is one last rocky hill, and at the crest, you’ll be looking down at Eagle Lake. It is magnificent!
Enjoying Eagle Lake in the Evening
Before heading down to the water level, where the lake settles into a basin surrounded by steep slopes, take in the incredible mountains. Behind you (as you look at the lake), there is an incredibly scenic jagged granite peak. Since there was a bit of a breeze, the water in Eagle Lake was not perfectly still. However, I could still see the differences in color where it reflected the clouds and mountains. During a still moment, you’ll be able to see a perfect reflection of the mountains.
Once you’ve taken in the lake from above, head down to the water’s edge to feel the chilly temperature of the snowmelt. While similar, the views are slightly shifted and provide more photos opportunity. If you feel like exploring more or need to get away from the crowds, you can *carefully* cross the stream at the base of the lake to get a slightly different perspective. Or, the AllTrails map shows the trail continuing on the left side (as you look at the lake) of the lake as well.
I couldn’t believe we had it practically to ourselves. As we were leaving, we noticed some hikers emerge from one of the side trails, so we were not entirely alone. But we enjoyed the peace of near-aloneness for 30-45 minutes. We had some moving clouds, which surprisingly lit up one of the ridges across the lake – look at those photos. If you’ve got clouds, stick around to see how the lighting changes! It would be delightful to bring a picnic dinner with our pre-sunset hike or do a sunrise mission with coffee and breakfast. I’m so stoked to finally have discovered Eagle Lake as a short but spectacular hike.
Photographing the Eagle Lake Trail
The Eagle Lake Hike and Trail is great for photos, especially in the evening. While the trail was shaded, it made for very even (albeit a bit dark) lighting on the humans in my photos, and we got some surprise moments where the sun would shine through the clouds onto a mountain ridge.
- Great spots for photos: on the slanted rock at the bottom of Upper Eagle Falls, on the bridge (just don’t cause a traffic jam), above Eagle Lake before going down to lake level, or have your subject run down to the lake level to capture them with the entire lake, and at lake level.
- Sunrise or sunset time will provide the most dramatic lighting, but you can still get great photos in the middle of the day.
- Clouds, light rays on the mountains, and crisp days made these photos really pop. Look for these conditions, but don’t let that stop you from doing this hike in different weather.
- If your subjects are a bit dark, you may need to lighten them with a photo editing app afterward.
The Return Trip
Once you feel satisfied with viewing Eagle Lake (or taking a swim), head back on the same trail you came in on. We saw a handful of people heading up to the lake while we were hiking down, which I was surprised by. It felt late because the entire trail was in the mountain’s shadow, but there were another 30 mins until the sun officially set, plus afterglow. Interesting timing! We were starving when we got back to our rental cabin, so going after dinner near the solstice might be the call. The sun sets so late!
On the Drive Back: Bear Sighting/Experience
An exciting part of our return was the drive home. I checked every field we passed for any wildlife, thinking we might see a deer or bears – it was prime time in the late evening. At one meadow, I even said, “any bears?” I noticed a car pulled over, and then I saw it – a black bear! We followed suit to watch the black bear and noticed there was a baby bear with her. And then another baby bear. And one more baby bear! I couldn’t believe I saw a mama black bear with three cubs!!
They moved diagonally across the meadow and away from the road. More people showed up, and some walked on the side of the road in the meadow. With our view interrupted, we turned into the next driveway of an apartment complex. We waited, and what did we see? The mama bear and three cubs were heading toward the back of the apartment complex. We watched mama bear lumber along, and the three cubs ran and climbed up random trees. It was adorable.
They came through an open gate, sniffed the garbage container, and continued walking. We drove around to the other side of the apartment complex just in time to see mama bear open up a Subaru car door, WITH EASE! And the cubs were already inside!! Mama bear poked her head inside but then moved across an empty field. It was like watching a clown car with one baby black bear after another plop out of the Subaru. They crossed the field and scaled a wooden fence as a family. After that, we lost sight of the bears, but I got the full Tahoe bear spectrum – from majestic meadow sighting to problematic scavenging.
Eagle Lake Hike: What to Bring and Wear
While this is a shorter hike, I always bring a few items on the trail to ensure my comfort and safety. Check out my list of what to bring:
- Download a map or the Alltrails Map in advance
- Day Pack – I used a random, casual faux-leather backpack purse. Consider the Gregory May 16 or small Osprey pack for a close-to-body experience with hip pockets. It will definitely be a more comfortable experience.
- At least 1 liter of water – I always have my handy dandy Nalgene
- Hiking Shoes – I’ve been trying the Columbia Newton Ridge hiking boots, often on sale for under $100. I like the look, and they function fine as hiking boots, but they are a bit stiff and hot. So they were perfect for a shorter hike.
- Hiking Socks – I also use a layered socks system to prevent blisters, including a sock liner, like this EcoMade one, with a thicker one on top like the EcoMade or Marino Wool midweight.
- Hiking Shorts – These are the Girlfriend Collective Trail Short, which I got on Active Threads (Check out the review I wrote comparing three hiking shorts, including these from Girlfriend Collective. They are short shorts, but you feel covered because they layered a bike short with a loose short).
- Sunscreen – I use this sunscreen for my face and this one for my body.
- Small tripod for photos
- Snacks and food
- Headlamp –Bring one in the evening, even if you think you’ll be back before dark!, Black Diamond is the classic brand I’m familiar with, and the Spot 400 is a solid choice. OR the Petzl Actik Core has a rechargeable battery – very cool! It also gets very good reviews.Che
Getting to the Trailhead
The trailhead and parking area are directly off Highway 89 on the bend that takes you around Emerald Bay. There will be signs for Eagle Falls. The parking area is small, with about 15 – 20 parking spots. There are another 5 – 10 informal parking spots right off Highway 89, depending on how closely people park next to each other. What gets dumb and dangerous is that once those spots are taken, people begin to park wherever there is even half-a-space open on the very busy Highway 89. Or they park further away and walk on the often very narrow shoulder. Every time we drive through Emerald Bay during the middle of the day, I am terrified of hitting someone. Please come back at a different time to see if the parking spot has opened up, and don’t do anything risky!
Re-Cap: Tips for Completing the Eagle Lake Hike
Let’s all have a fun and successful time hiking to Eagle Lake! Here are my tips for a successful hike:
- Start before 7:30 am or after 6:00 pm in summer – the parking areas will be packed daily, even on weekdays.
- Fill out a free Desolation Wilderness Permit at the trailhead.
- Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and a camera with full batteries, and the trail downloaded.
- Excellent stops along the trail include Upper Eagle Falls, the open space with a view of Lake Tahoe, and Eagle Lake.
- Hike at YOUR pace, and be respectful if you’re slower or faster than others.
- Don’t expect to be alone – this is a heavily trafficked trail.
- Keep an eye out for wildlife, on the trail and on the drive back!
- And most importantly, please leave no trace! I didn’t see any trash on the trail – yay! If you do this hike, leave a comment about whether you noticed any garbage.
Other Things to do at Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a loved and familiar destination for my family and me. Here are other activities that I’ve done and written about in the area over the years:
- East Shore Bike Path – Bike and Swim in Lake Tahoe
- Maggie’s Peak Hike – Tough Hike with Incredible Views
- Rubicon Trail – Connecting Emerald Bay and DL Bliss State Park
- Cave Rock – Short Hike on the Southeast Shore
- My Favorite Lake Tahoe Beaches – Kick back or take a swim
- Monkey Rock Hike – 2.5 Miles to Uninterrupted Views of Lake Tahoe
- How to Cozy Cabin Experience – We stayed in Truckee in the fall with snow!
- Full details of a Full Boat Rental with Action Watersports of Tahoe
- Sunset Sail and Sparkling Wine with Sail Tahoe Blue
- Rifle Peak Hike – Insanely strenuous hike… but worthwhile? Still deciding
- Clear Kayak Stargazing Tour with Clearly Tahoe
Overall Thoughts: Eagle Lake Hike
Wow, Eagle Lake really surprised me with how gorgeous it was!! It definitely helped that we had a crystal clear day, puffy clouds, and almost no one on the trail or at the lake. While I’ve heard of the hike before, sometimes I just assume some super-popular ones are popular because they are short (Cascade Falls could be an example of this phenomenon). But this one is popular for being so scenic and truly enjoyable if you can find peace on the trail. So if getting up early is challenging for you, consider going in the evening, around 1.5 – 2 hours before sunset (depending on your hiking speed). Just be sure to bring a headlamp in case you end up staying later than you initially expected.
So, overall, this hike was totally worth it! I wonder how challenging this hike would be in winter with micro-spikes…? I bet the crowds would be a problem at that time of year.
I’m always looking for more hikes to do around Lake Tahoe. Do you recommend any other hikes for me to check out? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
