Tahoe Trail Guide

Your Online Resource for Hiking, Backpacking, Cross-Country Skiing, and Snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe

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Category: Blog

Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Big Yellow Wildflowers with Big Green Leaves called Woolly Mule’s Ears and Arrowleaf Balsamroot

May 1, 2022
| No Comments
| Blog, Natural History
Woolly Mule's Ears (Wyethia mollis) and Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)

I first met Lake Tahoe’s ubiquitous Woolly Mule’s Ears in 2006. Since that was my first summer living at Lake Tahoe, I was eager to learn about this new home of mine. So I enrolled in a basic mountaineering course at Lake Tahoe Community College. This seemed like a great way in which to gain…

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Posted in Blog, Natural History Tagged lake tahoe wildflowers Leave a comment

Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe

April 19, 2022
| 5 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Hiking, Winter Trails
Copyright © 2016 Jared Manninen

People would have you believe that Tahoe in the spring is paradise. The days are becoming longer and the sun is seems to be a little warmer. You’ve weathered fierce winter storms and now you’re ready to hit those famed Tahoe hiking trails. You’re looking forward to visit your favorite peaks, find unique and vibrant wildflowers,…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Hiking, Winter Trails Tagged advanced, backcountry travel considerations, beginner, day hike, east tahoe, intermediate, multi-day hike, north tahoe, short hike, ski tour, south tahoe, trip planning, west tahoe 5 Comments

Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe

April 16, 2022
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Hiking
Snowy mountains and a verdant meadow

Lake Tahoe locals and visitors alike tend to drop their guard during the spring. We’ve made it through the punishing winter. Now we’re looking forward to the long days and warm sunshine of summer. The roads are bare. The trailheads are free of snow. So, that first hike of the season is going to be…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Hiking Tagged backcountry travel considerations, beginner, day hike, east tahoe, intermediate, multi-day hike, north tahoe, short hike, ski tour, south tahoe, trip planning, west tahoe

Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Tips for Finding Wildflowers at Tahoe

April 14, 2022
| 1 Comment
| Blog, Natural History
Columbian Monkshood - Aconitum columbianum

Looking for wildflowers at Lake Tahoe is much like embarking on a treasure hunt. But the beauty of searching for Tahoe wildflowers is that you’re nearly always guaranteed to find some in bloom. This is assuming that you’re looking during the warmer months, of course. And that you don’t mind looking really closely at the…

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Posted in Blog, Natural History Tagged lake tahoe wildflowers 1 Comment

Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Two Major Factors that Determine Peak Bloom Times for Wildflowers at Tahoe

April 12, 2022
| 8 Comments
| Blog, Natural History
Copyright © 2014 Jared Manninen

The United States is obviously composed of multiple climates. And, spring weather manifests at various times around the country. But May is usually the month that most Americans expect to see blooming flowers. This is evidenced by our use of the old English proverb April showers bring May flowers. The Sierra Nevada Mountains at Lake…

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Posted in Blog, Natural History Tagged lake tahoe wildflowers 8 Comments

Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe

April 10, 2022
| 19 Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails
Lupine lines the hiking trail through Washoe Meadows State Park

Many people who come to Lake Tahoe plan on hiking bigger and more iconic trails such as Mount Tallac, Freel Peak, or Mount Rose. However, those hikes are all-day affairs. And sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to tackle the longer hikes of Lake Tahoe. Or, there’s too much snow in the…

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged short hike, snowshoeing basics, south tahoe 19 Comments

Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: The Sinister Mustard Flower Rust

April 7, 2022
| No Comments
| Blog, Natural History
Mustard Flower Rust (Puccinia monoica) Copyright © 2015 Jared Manninen

I always stop to appreciate Sierra Nevada wildflowers while hiking. However, my love of specifically hunting for them comes and goes like the seasons. For example, during some years I’m active in my search for the small treasures. In other years, however, I’m more interested in logging bird species or hiking miles. But one of those…

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Posted in Blog, Natural History Tagged lake tahoe wildflowers

Jared Manninen’s Outdoor VLOG

April 1, 2022
| 6 Comments
| Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails
Man cross-country skiing in rainy weather

Welcome to my series of outdoor-related video blogs aka vlogs! These short films are slightly less formal than my other informational and educational videos. Basically, I create these on-the-go videos while hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe. Once I return home, I perform some minimal editing to the footage. Then, I publish…

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Posted in Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails Tagged backcountry travel considerations, cross-country skiing explained, trail journal, trip documenting, trip planning 6 Comments

Invest in Technique More than Gear

March 30, 2022
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Groomed cross-country ski tracks and pine trees

Gear is specific. Technique is universal. Now, I agree that your potential can be limited based on your gear’s capabilities. So, investing in quality gear is definitely worth it when diving deeper into your chosen endeavor. I also agree that buying new gear contributes to the long-term sustainability of the industry in which you’re participating….

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged backcountry xc skiing, cross-country skiing explained

Overview of Off-Track and Backcountry Cross-Country Ski Gear

February 3, 2022
| No Comments
| Blog
Mountains and snow and pine trees

Cabin fever can get to the best of us during the winter. So, many people feel an inherent need to get outside and explore the world around them when the snow starts to accumulate. Traveling into the backcountry via cross-country skis can fulfill this desire in so many ways. Whether you’re an athlete who wants…

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Posted in Blog Tagged backcountry xc skiing, buying xc skis, cross-country skiing explained
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2020 Frank Wells Last Best Place Award - Jared Manninen

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Top Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

Hiking the Historic Donner Pass Train Tunnels in Truckee, CA
Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
Hiking Emerald Point (via north side of Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Big Yellow Wildflowers with Big Green Leaves called Woolly Mule’s Ears and Arrowleaf Balsamroot
Hiking Rubicon Trail (via Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
Hiking Mount Rose (via Mount Rose HWY/SR 431 near Incline Village, NV)
Behind-the-Scenes Action Photos of Tom Cruise Filming Top Gun: Maverick (aka Top Gun 2) in South Lake Tahoe
Hiking Meeks Creek Falls (via SR 89 at Meeks Creek in West Tahoe)
Backpacking in Desolation Wilderness: Echo Lakes to Emerald Bay (Trail Journal & Data)

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Recent Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Big Yellow Wildflowers with Big Green Leaves called Woolly Mule’s Ears and Arrowleaf Balsamroot
  • Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
  • Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe
  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Tips for Finding Wildflowers at Tahoe
  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Two Major Factors that Determine Peak Bloom Times for Wildflowers at Tahoe
Today may have been the best xc ski day of the ent Today may have been the best xc ski day of the entire season! Wow. Absolutely beautiful out there this morning. Swipe to see my shred lines on my personal bunny hill 😆
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#tahoe #tahoelife #tahome #tahoesouth #tahoesnaps #mybackyard #mountainliving #playoutside #optoutside #adventurelife #outdoorculture #outdooradventure #mountainculture #findmeoutside #southlaketahoe #laketahoe #exploretahoe #lovewhereyoulive #adventurelifestyle #livelifeoutside #backcountryskiing #dailyadventure #earnyourturns #mountainlife #xcskiing #xcski #nordicskier #nordicskiing #crosscountryskiing
And back to snow 😆 . . Check out my latest outd And back to snow 😆
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Check out my latest outdoor vlog (32) at YouTube.com/JaredManninen
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#tahoe #tahoelife #tahome #tahoesouth #tahoesnaps #mybackyard #mountainliving #playoutside #optoutside #adventurelife #outdoorculture #outdooradventure #mountainculture #findmeoutside #southlaketahoe #laketahoe #exploretahoe #lovewhereyoulive #adventurelifestyle #livelifeoutside #backcountryskiing #dailyadventure #earnyourturns #mountainlife #xcskiing #xcski #nordicskier #nordicskiing #crosscountryskiing
Another lovely little Sierra Nevada wildflower 🤗
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Common Starlily ❤️
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2022 is a Tahoe Wildflower Big Year (hosted by @tahoesnaturalists). Submit your observations to https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tahoe-wildflower-big-year-2022
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#tahoe #tahoelife #laketahoe #tahome #tahoenorth #tahoesnaps #dailyadventure #commonstarlily #outdooradventure #getoutside #mountainliving #optoutside #tahoesnaturalists #naturephotography #sierranevada #hiking #hike #wildflowerphotography #mountainlife #lifeofadventure #lovewhereyoulive #livelifeoutside #wildernessadventure #outdoorphotography #adventurelife #sierranevadawildflowers #mountainculture #wildernessculture #wildflower
The ant ties the composition together 😆 . . Goo The ant ties the composition together 😆
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Goosefoot Violet 🤗
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2022 is a Tahoe Wildflower Big Year (hosted by @tahoesnaturalists). Submit your observations to https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/tahoe-wildflower-big-year-2022
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YouTube.com/JaredManninen
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Patreon.com/JaredManninen
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PayPal.me/JaredManninen
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#tahoe #tahoelife #laketahoe #tahome #tahoenorth #tahoesnaps #dailyadventure #goosefootviolet #outdooradventure #getoutside #mountainliving #optoutside #tahoesnaturalists #naturephotography #sierranevada #hiking #hike #wildflowerphotography #mountainlife #lifeofadventure #lovewhereyoulive #livelifeoutside #wildernessadventure #outdoorphotography #adventurelife #sierranevadawildflowers #mountainculture #wildernessculture #wildflower
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Fun Vintage Lake Tahoe Map
Self-portrait of Jared Manninen
Jared Manninen has been a Tahoe local since 2005. He began building Tahoe Trail Guide (c. 2017) in order to inspire people to embrace the outdoors as a place in which to learn and play.

Popular Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Big Yellow Wildflowers with Big Green Leaves called Woolly Mule’s Ears and Arrowleaf Balsamroot
  • Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
  • Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe
  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Tips for Finding Wildflowers at Tahoe
  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Two Major Factors that Determine Peak Bloom Times for Wildflowers at Tahoe
  • Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
  • Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: The Sinister Mustard Flower Rust

Lake Tahoe Trails

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Although I encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone, you need to know your limits and when to turn back. Tahoe Trail Guide and its contributors are not liable for property loss or damage, personal injury, or death. Always consult multiple sources when venturing into the backcountry. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario. Your safety is your responsibility. Tahoe Trail Guide copyright © 2016-2021 by Jared Manninen. All rights reserved.  This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Per the Associates Program Operating Agreement I must disclose the following statement: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases” when you buy something via an Amazon.com advertisement.