On a sunday in June this past summer, I was recovering from my triple summit day of Freel Peak, Job’s Sister, and Jobs Peak near Lake Tahoe. My legs were feeling like jelly, but it was a beautiful day and I didn’t feel like sitting inside! I was on the hunt for a moderate hike that would get me on the trail without putting my legs through any more suffering! Fortunately, Lake Tahoe hiking is characterized by beautiful lakes, moderate trails, and white granite peaks!
What I found was a 10 mile or so hike to 2 alpine lakes. Starting from just off the shore of Lake Tahoe itself and heading into Desolation Wilderness, this hike promised some nice views and alpine lakes that I wouldn’t have to work too hard for!
Miles/Elevation:
9.8 miles
1,243 feet vertical gain
About Lake Tahoe:
If you’re from California, you’ve almost certainly heard of Lake Tahoe, or maybe just Tahoe. It’s basically a cult out here, and especially in the Bay Area, it’s a crazy popular getaway for people during all parts of the year. Skiing, hiking, boating, you name it and you can probably do it up in Tahoe!
The largest alpine lake in North America, Lake Tahoe itself is about 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, with a maximum depth of over 1,600 feet! This is a big lake in an otherwise dry state, and that is part of the attraction! While the brilliant blue waters stay cold pretty much all year, warm summer days make swimming attractive for thousands.
Situated in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the lake is obviously the centerpiece, but there are a number of cities and towns that surround the star attraction. South Lake Tahoe CA and neighboring Stateline NV make up the largest “urban” area, and a number of smaller towns are situated along the remaining shores of the lake. These smaller towns include Meeks Bay, Tahoma, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Incline Village, and more.
While there are a number of California and Nevada state parks that manage land in the Tahoe Basin, the main land manager is the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. A part of the National Forest system, the Tahoe Basin Management Unit encompasses over 150,000 acres of public land, much of which is open to all sorts of recreation.
For the most part, you will not encounter parking fees in the national forest land around Lake Tahoe. However, if you venture into some of the state parks that ring the lake, be prepared for parking fees and restrictions.
Getting To The Trailhead:
The closest city to the trailhead is South Lake Tahoe, but the trailhead actually starts in a small unincorporated community called Meeks Bay. From South Lake, take highway 89 up the west side of Lake Tahoe for about 18 miles.
Meeks Bay is basically just a collection of homes, so it’s not like you’ll be driving through a large downtown. However, when you get to Meeks Bay, the trailhead will be coming up soon. It’s called the Meeks Bay Trailhead, and is literally right on highway 89.
There is a small parking lot just off the highway, but there is also a lot of parking along the sides of 89. Put Meeks Bay Trailhead in Google Maps, and you’ll find it very easily. I knew it by the amount of cars along the road, but if you visit on a weekday you may not be able to tell where it is as easily.
There is no parking fee at the Meeks Bay Trailhead.
Lake Genevieve and Crag Lake:
Meeks Creek North:
From the parking area, you’ll immediately inland away from highway 89 and Lake Tahoe. The first section of trail is actually a gravel road, and makes for very quick progress. The first mile and a quarter is almost totally flat, so you’ll be hiking pretty quick.
The Rubicon Trail is the iconic Lake Tahoe hiking trail!
The gravel road makes for fast hiking, but it’s not necessarily the most picturesque. There’s some nice views looking into the mountains, but it’s not really anything too special. The road is also very exposed, so you’ll be spending most of your time in the sun. It gets hot in the summer, so definitely bring plenty of water and wear a hat!
After a mile and a quarter, you’ll come to an intersection. The road continues straight while a single track trail splits off to the right, heading into the forest and up a hill. Turn right onto this single track trail!
Tahoe Yosemite Trail To Lake Genevieve:
The trail you just turned onto is the Tahoe Yosemite Trail, a 186 mile backpacking route which connects Lake Tahoe to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. While you’re just doing a day hike here, there are tons of backpackers around, and I would guess about 85% of the people I saw on this hike were backpackers!
Anyway, the single track trail immediately begins climbing. This hike alternates between flat sections of trail and climbs, and this first climb starts immediately on the single track trail. Over the next ¾’s of a mile, you’ll gain about 400 vertical feet. Nothing crazy!
The High Meadows to Cold Creek hike is another great moderate option in Tahoe!
After that short climb, the trail again flattens out. You’ll still be mostly hiking through the forest, and there isn’t much to write home about view wise, but there are occasionally some open meadows that had lots of wildflowers when I hiked here!
After a half mile of flat hiking, the trail again ramps up. Over the course of the next mile and a half, you’ll gain about 700 vertical feet. Again, it isn’t anything too tough, and pretty much anyone could handle this trail. Honestly, more people would probably struggle with the distance as opposed to the climbing!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
This climb is when the views start opening up. You will be climbing out of a valley that begins at Lake Tahoe, and now you’ll have views looking back down the valley from whence you came, as well as towards the peaks in front of you!
After about a mile and a half of gentle climbing, you’ll arrive at Lake Genevieve. Genevieve is a small lake, but it’s a welcome sight after the last mile and a half of climbing! Take a break, and when you’re ready, continue on for the short climb to Crag Lake!
To Crag Lake:
From Lake Genevieve to Crag Lake is a quick half mile or so. There might be 100 feet of climbing, but it’s mostly flat.
The views at Crag Lake are definitely better than Lake Genevieve, so if you can continue all the way to Crag Lake, I would recommend doing so. Crag Lake is a bit closer the mountains, and the mountains in the background of the view at Lake Genevieve are much closer to you at Crag Lake!
There were lots of good places to sit and relax at Crag Lake, but there were a bunch of mosquitos when I did this hike! The Sierras in June get some nasty mosquitos in early summer as everything thaws out, so bringing bug spray is a good idea. Enjoy the view, and then get ready for the hike out.
Hiking Out:
The hike back to the trailhead heads back on the same trail as you took out, so you won’t really be getting any new views. It’s easy hiking as it’s all downhill, and the downhill sections aren’t even steep, but it’s the same views that you’ve already seen, many of which aren’t all that great.
There isn’t a lot to say about the hike out. Take the same trail, turn left onto the gravel road, and you’ll eventually make it.
When I did this hike it was really hot out, so I was glad to be on the descent, but was also still sweating pretty hard as I hiked down. Definitely be prepared for high temperatures in the summer. Tahoe can get hot!
Anyway, the hike out shouldn’t take you more than 2 hours to hike the ~5 miles back to the trailhead. Fast hikers could do it in an hour and a half, and trail runners could probably do it in well under an hour. Head back the way you came, and you’re done!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 7/10
This is a fine hike along a smooth and easy to walk on trail to a couple of decent alpine lakes. There’s not really anything special about it though. The views throughout are good but not great, the trail makes for easy walking but is not really exciting or special at any point, and even the lakes themselves are pretty meh.
I’m definitely not calling this hike bad. It’s certainly not bad, it’s just forgettable. I had a day to hike and I wanted something moderate, and this trail fit the bill of what I was looking for. It’s not spectacular, and you shouldn’t go out of your way to make sure you do it, but if you are looking for a moderate 10ish mile hike, this one isn’t bad!
Wildflowers were in full bloom in June!
Pros:
- Easily accessible
- Nicely graded trail
- Alpine lakes
- Accessible much of the year
Cons:
- Good not great views
- Some forest road walking
- No exciting sections of trail
Alternative Hikes:
Hiking in Lake Tahoe: The Rubicon Trail
Hiking in Lake Tahoe: Tackling the High Meadows to Cold Creek Trail
When to Visit Lake Tahoe:
While the Lake Tahoe area is a haven for athletes at all times of year, hiking is best done here in the warmer months. Tahoe is famous for its massive snowfall, so trails can be snowed in into the summer.
This hike isn’t super high up, so it should be accessible reliably by May, and most years likely by April. While snow is always a possibility in the mountains, major snowfall generally does not happen until late in the autumn, often November or later.
This hike can be done anytime there isn’t a ton of snow on the ground, and even then could make for a nice snowshoe hike or cross country ski outing! I would personally recommend this hike as well as the broader Tahoe area anytime between May and October.
CJ
February 27, 2024Absolutely stunning! Hiking around Lake Genevieve and Crag Lake sounds like an adventure straight out of a fairytale. Can’t wait to explore these beautiful spots myself!