Your Online Resource for Hiking, Backpacking, Cross-Country Skiing, and Snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe
Washoe Meadows State Park is open year-round. Hike through the park during the warmer months and snowshoe and cross-country ski in the snowy ones. Angora Creek and the Upper Truckee River run through Washoe Meadows State Park. Therefore, much of the park’s terrain is moist and home to many varieties of wildflowers throughout the spring…
Traveling to Winnemucca Lake, accessible from Carson Pass, is a favorite activity year-round for locals and visitors to South Tahoe. In the summer, people hike the trail to Winnemucca Lake in order to find Sierra Nevada Wildflowers, to go swimming, and to fish. During the winter, people backcountry ski, cross-country ski, and snowshoe to Winnemucca…
For similar reasons that I enjoy hiking to Red Lake Peak during the warmer months, I love cross-country skiing to Red Lake Peak in the winter. Those reasons include: ease of access via the north lot of the Carson Pass Sno-Park; line-of-sight travel thanks to the wide open terrain you’ll cover; sweeping panoramic views (again,…
Cross-country skiing and Hope Valley go together like peanut butter and jelly. Although it can take some time for snow to accumulate in Hope Valley, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better location in the mountains where the terrain is flat for so many miles yet high enough in elevation to actually receive snow. The…
Cross-country skiing at Big Meadow is totally rewarding when the conditions are right. The loop around Big Meadow is approximately 1.5 miles (depending on how far into the woods you want to ski), the terrain is flat, and the area is far less traveled than nearby Grass Lake. And, although Big Meadow essentially sits in…
Washoe Meadows State Park is a fantastic location for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when Lake Tahoe experiences a big snow winter. The park is only a couple of miles from the “Y” (HWY 50/SR 89 intersection) in South Lake Tahoe, and features a great mix between meadow and forest. Also, the majority of terrain in…
On the south shore of Lake Tahoe, Grass Lake at Luther Pass is a great location for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just some fun snow play. Since Grass Lake and the immediately surrounding terrain is flat, this location is perfect for beginner cross-country skiers. Although the terrain is technically “off-track,” there’s usually opportunities to practice…
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to Echo Lakes (and further into Desolation Wilderness via this route) is a favorite winter tour for Tahoe locals and visitors to the Lake Tahoe Basin. There is dedicated parking (unlike many Tahoe backcountry locations) at Echo Lake Sno-Park, the route is easy to navigate, and there is little elevation to…
Cold Creek Trail is a multi-use trail that accommodates hikers and mountain bikers and connects with other trails further up the draw. The Cold Creek Trail doesn’t offer spectacular views but it’s flanked on either side by mountainous walls creating one of the best things about this trail, which is that within a minute of…
Scotts Lake is a fun Tahoe day hike that features a walk through groves of Aspen and Juniper trees, a great selection of wildflowers (when in season), some elevation gain to get your heart pumping, and free and convenient trailhead parking. Bring a swimsuit and towel to take advantage of the fact you’re hiking to…