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Eagle Falls Trailhead
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
27 reviews for Eagle Falls Trailhead
27 reviews in English
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Review from Jean-Baptiste B.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Quick tips first:
In late Fall, Winter and Spring you will probably encounter icy/snowy conditions on the trail after the bridge. After the bridge, the first 2/3 of the trail to Eagle Lake is on the North face and in the shade of the mountain. To be safe, particularly for a treacherous decent in icy conditions bring poles and snow/ice shoe tracks/chains/soles. You will feel so much more comfortable if you do. At least grab a wood stick, it helps a lot.
You need to fill the wilderness permit form at the beginning of the trail.
You don't have to go as far as Eagle Lake and don't need to fill the wilderness permit if you only do the trail loop and do not cross the bridge. Even this loop has some elevation, but it is on the sunny side of the mountain and will be less icy than the rest of the trail.
Some numbers given by my Android Nexus S phone:
From the parking lot to Eagle Lake:
2.1km hike (1.3mi)
450m elevation (1500ft)
Gorgeous hike, a bit strenuous (we have just done it in icy conditions). But my 3.5 and 6yo daughters managed to do it (with our help on the icy parts of the trail). I saw several people sliding on ice. My wife and I were always holding our kids hands and they would have found themselves on their bottom more than 8 times each.
Eagle Lake is beautiful and is a nice place to rest, to snack and for the kids to play around before the descent. The view is superb when you reach the end of the trail to discover the lake. -
Review from Lora T.
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Some SEEEERIOUSLY amazing views!
I'm not much of the hiking type, but this was on par with what I'm cool with. why, you ask?
-The trail wasn't ridiculously long or muddy (about 0.5 miles to bottom, and then back up again).
- beautiful views
-the weather was perfect, no sweating!
- at the bottom of the trail you come upon a beach with picnic tables, which we picnic'd at.
- more beautiful views
- a waterfall
- not super crowded
*be aware to have $7 to park!*
This is a "must" for a tahoe bucket list. -
Review from Andrea R.
This is one of my favorite hikes up in S. Lake Tahoe. The hike is incredible and the scenery is unparalleled. The hike from the trail head to the waterfall/bridge lookout is great - some elevation gain even to this point, so take it slow and enjoy. If you're adventurous, have plenty of water, daylight and stamina, I encourage you to keep on going for an absolutely breathtaking view of Eagle Lake. The elevation gain is about 2,000' for this leg of the trail, but the trail is well developed containing some steep semi-technical areas and other flat areas to balance it out. You do need a wilderness area permit to go up to Eagle Lake, so be sure to stop and fill out the forms and tag yourself.
This may not be the best hike for younger kids unless they are total nature/hiking buffs. It is strenuous in some places, but for 8 years and up it's definitely do-able.
If you have an hiking hound like we do, they will love this hike. We do leash our pooch up in certain areas just to make sure his zeal does not overwhelm his sense of self-preservation (he's still a pup to us... 3yrs). The reward for him is diving into Eagle Lake for a brisk snow melt swim. There was the occasion last June (2010) where there were plenty of packs of snow left. He had a great time cooling off and catching snow balls.
We usually camp at Camp Shelly (across from Baldwin Beach and base of Mt. Tallac) and this hiking destination is a short drive from camp.
Enjoy! -
Review from Joe S.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
6/9/2011
Despite the occasional crowds and parking nightmares, this remains my favorite hike in Tahoe. My dog and I love it because we can make it as fast or slow and as short or long as we want, and it's great no matter what. The views are spectacular, the steepness of the trail gives us a great workout, and we're always rewarded with a swim afterwards. The crowds stick to the main trail and never go past the lake...so between our secret spots around the lake and everything beyond it, we always find some quiet solitude in the wilderness, even on the busiest days. I'm not going to say where our secret spots are for obvious reasons...find them yourself!
Minus one star for the parking situation, even though there's no possible way for it to be fixed. Usually I can find spots inside the fee area, and I don't mind paying the $5 and supporting the parks, even if its several times a week. It never ceases to amaze me how the tourists, on a vacation where they'll give hundreds of dollars to hotels, gas stations, restaurants, and everything else, they go to great lengths to avoid giving $5 to the Forest Service. I know this because they're all fighting over the free spots and parking illegally along the highway, while there's empty spots in the fee area. Cheap bastards. OK, I'm done ranting... -
Review from Mark B.
Los Gatos, CA
8/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
We did the hike down to the bay last year from the big lot which was tough and kinda boring. This hike, from the smaller lot on the hill side of 89 south of the big lot is amazing.
There are several trails that can be reached from this trailhead, but the simple hike to Eagle Lake is rewarding. My 6yo tackled it easily. The views are are wonderful, too!
def worth the trip! -
Review from Lindsay D.
Chicago, IL
10/26/2011
My best friend and I hiked this trail on her birthday. Even though it was very chilly and overcast, the hike was beautiful! It doesn't get much more beautiful than sights such as Emerald Bay and gorgeous mountains surrounding you. We met friendly people on the trail and stopped many times to take pictures. There are a few tricky spots on the trail, but it is very doable.
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Review from H K.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2011
This is a great waterfall to view for relatively little hiking effort. In fact, if you prefer not to waste too much energy climbing up and then back down granite steps, then the best view is from the bottom of the left trail loop where you're looking straight at it. I find the view from the bridge above disappointing anymore after making the climb up there because I was just seeing it from the top and (in my mind) saw little of it anyway.
Others complained about how hard it us to park. I know that frustration. It worked out that I arrived around 6pm during the summer when I still got almost two hours of daylight and by then the main crowds were gone. -
Review from Jeff W.
Julian, CA
8/27/2011 2 photos
My son and I wanted a great hike with waterfalls and nature. This hike did not disappoint. In a word amazing!
The hike to the waterfall is easy for such a beauty of nature. We wanted to go further though and you can and you most definitely should if you are capable of hiking up with an elevation gain of 2000 feet . I am not fond of up and back hikes.
Oh, yeah going with a 27 year old is tough. I mean every time I wanted to stop my son kept saying "push thru it", breathe through your nose".....of course he has a personal trainer and I reminded him I am 33 years older...duhh
Now we approached the hike and the Desolation Wilderness Area as a possible loop. So we parked near the Emerald Bay View Point and Bay view Trail Head as our final destination and walked the main road down to the Eagle Falls Trail Head. Please note this hike is about 10 miles or so total, I highly recommend this loop hike if you want to take in the totality of The Desolation Wilderness and Lake Tahoe.
You will pass many small lakes. You could veer off to Velma Lake as well. This is so beautiful it is hard to put into words. The view of Emerald Bay will take your breath away for sure. My favorite hike of all time
. PS..I live in the mountains and I know hiking.
It gets very busy here and parking is limited so start early. Bring bug spray we didn't and really regretted it!. Yikes... Also you should purchase an entrance hike fee to desolation wilderness at Bayview Trailhead you start and continue down the main paved road to Eagle Falls as I said earlier.. We didn't and when we returned we saw there WAS a fine. So word of warning.
Enjoy, I did. -
Review from Chris K.
8/28/2010
Obviously we should have heeded the warnings from other yelpers...this place was like disneyland. We kept joking that there must be tour buses in the parking lot (translation: it was crowded).
We hit the trail a little before 10 at a fairly slow pace given that we were toting a 2.5 year old and an almost 4-month old. We noticed that there were very few folks leaving as we arrived and after a leisurely lunch at Eagle lake there were a ton of folks on the trail. The trail itself is narrow in parts and this leads to constant stopping to let people walk by.
The hike itself is really beautiful, however there are lots of beautiful hikes in the area that aren't so congested. -
Review from Tracy S.
7/12/2010 1 photo
The Eagle Falls Trailhead is beautiful in its own right; in fact, there are plenty of picnic spots here with both tables and grills, making it well worth the money to park for even a short hike (assuming you are only going as far as the upper falls). There are plenty of fully paved spots, although I hear there are a lot of break-ins here, so be careful what you leave in the car.
The hike to the falls is extremely short and very easy. A steel footbridge crosses over the falls, giving you a great view. From the footbridge, you can continue on to Eagle Lake and beyond into Desolation Wilderness, but If you come early in the season, when the falls are at their peak, you won't be able to safely get much farther than the bridge.
If you follow the boardwalk in the other direction, you will have to cross the highway (BE CAREFUL!) to get a view of the top of Lower Eagle Falls plummeting into Emerald Bay. This is not a great idea with young kids, as there are NO protective barriers between you and certain death. -
Review from Elizabeth d.
Long Beach, CA
7/31/2010
I'm taking off one star because this place is too popular--the narrow trail is overwhelmed by the number of people hiking up and down, all day long.
Besides that, I really enjoyed this hike. Hiking to the bridge over the waterfall is easy. You can stop there, if you'd like. Past the bridge, about half of the trail is made of flat stones, kind if like a stone staircase (I felt like Frodo in the LOTR on his last ascent up the mountain). The higher you go, the better the view gets. You can look back at Emerald Bay and the lake and take some awesome pictures. If you keep going, you'll eventually get to Eagle Lake. We just dipped our toes in the water, but some people were full-out swimming in their speedos (I guess they came more prepared than we did).
Overall, an enjoyable hike, but next time I would go super early or super late to try to avoid the crowds. -
Review from R J.
San Jose, CA
8/10/2011
Great hiking location. I would highly recommend it.
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Review from Evie B.
Beautiful hike! Went on a holiday weekend so the crowds were expected. Parking was limited so def get there sooner than later. The hike up included a lot of stairs, sort of reminded me of half dome. Make sure you make it up to the lake because the views are gorgeous. A good workout overall and you can't beat the breathtaking views. Thank goodness we're keeping tahoe blue.
And for all you dog-lovers, this trail is dog-friendly! -
Review from Erika G.
10/29/2009 1 photo
Beautiful! Wish you were here!
This is just for the Falls - the top part.
(I did see the lower part but took that trail from the Vikingsholm area-so the review will be there)
Parked across the street on the road. Took the steps down to the top of the falls. I can see how this is totally slippery during the winter so be careful!
The view is amazing! You can see all Emerald Bay from here.
There are tiers of falls here and you can climb all around.
I scare/piss off DH hubby when I put the camera on self-timer then hopped over to him and nearly knocked him off the cliff!Listed in: My Tahoe Good & Bad
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Review from Jenn G.
9/18/2007
Probably the most popular and crowded trailhead to the Desolation Wilderness, primarily because of the easily accessed Eagle Falls and Eagle Lake. That said, once you pass the breathless tourists hiking in flip-flops and get past the junction to Eagle Lake, you'll have the trail, in its uphill glory, to yourself.
As you stop to catch your breath and locate your lungs, you'll see that the views of Desolation Wilderness and of Emerald Bay and Lake Tahoe just get better and better - which serves as an incentive to continue. The climb up is only about 2.5 miles, and from there the trail flattens out and you can access the numerous lakes of Desolation, including the Velmas, Fontanellis and Dicks Lake. You've earned that swim.
The Eagle Falls trailhead has been recently renovated to accommodate the crowds of people that park and walk to both the falls and down to Emerald Bay. It's pay parking within the lot, but if you can find a space on the highway that's free. There's also additional parking on the north end of Emerald Bay in the Vikingsholm area.Listed in: Fun in the Sun
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Review from K M.
San Pedro, CA
2/18/2011
Pretty easy short hike up to the waterfall & bridge. We got there later in the day and managed to park on the street. Incredible views of Lake Tahoe and nice clean air. Moderately crowded but not absurd. You can hike a lot farther into the backcountry from here, but if you just want to spend an hour or two you can do that too. Outhouses available in the parking lot near the start of the trail.
Listed in: Epic Road Trip 2010
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Review from Kristi S.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
6/13/2011
Great Hike for the whole family. Short, sweet, and beautiful. Get there early so you can find a parking place.
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Review from John G.
8/23/2008
One of the most popular hikes on the Ca side of Lake Tahoe. Right opposite Emerald Bay which is just breathtaking itself, there is a parking area. Free places along the highway, while the fee inside the short road is $5.
Gorgeous views of the Tahoe Desolation Wilderness. The hike is moderate, and the trail is crowded at times. However, it is worth it once you reach your destination. Just spectacular scenery. Tall granite peaks and beautiful forest views. Looking back down to Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay is a terrific sight.
Hint: go early in the morning, as all the parking slots fill up in the peak season by 9-10am.Listed in: Lake Tahoe - My Favorites
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Review from Ryan F.
Costa Mesa, CA
7/14/2010
This view is absolutely gorgeous. The parking lots in the area can get really crowded and you may have to pay for parking but it's worth it to have a view of the waterfall and a few of Emerald Bay right in front of you.
Listed in: Summer Trip to South Lake…
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Review from Meredith O.
Mountain View, CA
1/5/2010
Absolute beautiful hike !
Tip - Lock and be aware of what you leave in your car if you park at the vista point lot over looking emerald bay. Unfortunately was a victim of car break in theft.
Medium grade hike with easy trails to enjoy a nice stroll up to the falls and even further up to the lake. Cant wait to go back in the Summer again and enjoy the beautiful scenery. -
Review from Steven L.
Mountain View, CA
8/18/2008
This is the second time I went on this hike. I absolutely love the views from this hike. It's not too difficult and if you're hiking on the Eagle Lake trial, you get to Dick's Lake in 1 mile of the hike. It's a great place to relax, read, nap, or go in the water here. This hike also allows for dogs as well! Come the summer time and you get breath taking views of Emerald Bay/Lake Tahoe.
Its suggested that you shouldn't travel in more than 12 people per group. There's some parking on the side of the street for free or you'll pay $5 or $6 at the parking lots depending which one you turn into. -
Review from Glaciala A.
Providence, RI
7/28/2010
Quick, short, trail to the falls. Make sure to take the vista loop to get a really great view that's a little bit higher than the falls. Lots of steps and parking can be tough. Make sure to pay for parking so you don't get ticketed. Pretty hike, good for those who aren't going to go on many hikes at Tahoe.
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Review from Teenie L.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
11/2/2010
We arrived at this trailhead by accident, I meant to go to a different one, I think I right next to it but we were glad for our mistake. We made it up to Eagle Lake and back in about 3 hours, including photo breaks. It was a relatively easy hike, I saw dogs, little kids and my elderly little mother :). It is totally worth it to go all the way to Eagle Lake, it's just absolutely beautiful. Parking is $5 and you fill out a little permit card to take with you on the hike.
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Review from Ryan B.
3/30/2010
The views from here and stunning. The waterfall is beautiful and the hiking trail is one of the prettiest I've ever been on.
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Review from gordon h.
Carlsbad, CA
10/4/2009
dont know why these 4 star morons write crap like this.
its FREEK'N BEAUTIFUL!!!!! what are they rating parking??? its worth the drive and the parking and anything else. its a must see in tahoe. how can you only rate this 4 stars????? get over it morons, its BEAUTIFUL!!! the falls flow so fast and cold, SPECTULAR!!! rating a natural wonder 4 stars....like bryce canyon is 3 stars????
thats all
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Review from Thao T.
7/5/2007
This place has a beautiful waterfall right off the highway! It was so nice. We just had to hike for a little bit and were right at the top of the falls looking down at the lake. It's so nice and it was fun climb the rocks to get the full view. It's definitely an enjoyable thing to see in tahoe. Be careful crossing the highway to get to the waterfalls tho, people drive really fast along that curve!
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Review from Melody C.
San Jose, CA
4/8/2009
The Texan took me to Lake Tahoe for the very first time. And he brought me to this beautiful spot. We parked the truck across the highway, threw snow at each other, and then hiked down a bit of rock across this beautiful stream. It was so cold that icicles formed on the branch, like melting tears. It was sunny, crystal clear blue sky and the lake was sparkling with its liquid beauty. I was enraptured with the sight, and it left me breathless. I was basking in the beauty and wanted to stay longer, but alas we had to leave. Bring a blanket and your sunglasses and look up at the sky and then down at this gorgeous lake.
