Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

United States

California

El Dorado County

Emerald Bay view – Granite Lake loop from Emerald Bay State Park

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

United States

California

El Dorado County

Emerald Bay view – Granite Lake loop from Emerald Bay State Park

Hard

4.9

(7083)

18,996

hikers

Emerald Bay view – Granite Lake loop from Emerald Bay State Park

08:27

25.9km

960m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Last updated: June 23, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Desolation Wilderness

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Waypoints

Start point

Camping Site

Get Directions

2.61 km

Lower Eagle Falls

Highlight • Waterfall

What's not to love about the cheerful cascade? Upper Eagle Falls is nearby too (access it by hiking or driving to the nearby Eagle Lake Trailhead, then walking another 5 minutes or so from there). But this is a great destination in its own right, with stunning views over Emerald Bay right behind you, and even easy beach access.

Tip by

4.38 km

Emerald Bay view

Highlight • Viewpoint

This trailhead makes a great alternate access point for the popular Eagle Lake/Eagle Falls trail. But don't forget to stop and take in this stunning view, straight from the parking lot, and to explore some of the trails that start directly from here as well.

Tip by

5.25 km

Eagle Falls Trailhead and View of Emerald Bay

Highlight • Trail

The trailhead for the popular hike up to Eagle Falls is right off of the main Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe. Before you even begin your hike you get great views of Emerald Bay. Although there is a large parking lot, it can fill up fast, so be sure to get here early or carpool.

Tip by

5.72 km

Upper Eagle Falls

Highlight • Waterfall

This pretty, 50-foot waterfall is just a 5-minute walk or so from the Eagle Lake Trailhead — but as you might imagine, that gets pretty busy. If that trailhead is full, you can often find parking at the Vikingsholm Trailhead a little farther up the road.

Tip by

10.9 km

View of Lake Tahoe from Maggies Peak

Highlight • Viewpoint

Relatively easy hike to go up on a sandy trail not technically difficult. The view is breathtaking. Start early as the parking spot (10$) are very limited. Possibility to park just outside the gate, but not that many spots neither.

Tip by

12.0 km

Granite Lake

Highlight • Lake

Granite Lake is a little Tahoe gem located at about 2550 m at the base of Maggies Peaks. The trail is a steep climb, and offers several beautiful views. For the more ambitious, the trail continues steeply up from Granite Lake to the ridge along Maggies Peak. From the top of South Maggies Peak (2639 m) you will be rewarded with a 260 degree views of Tahoe, Cascade, Emerald Bay, and the Desolation Wilderness.
From the Bayview Trailhead (about 2100 m) head northwest from the trailhead sign board. The trail will climb steeply the entire way. You will pass a great viewpoint for views of Emerald Bay before reaching Granite Lake. The trail continues to climb after Granite Lake before reaching the ridge crest giving you a view of Eagle lake off the back side. To summit South Maggies Peak continue on the trail a short 100 yards after reaching the ridge and then turn off trail and scramble up the back side of the peak. There is a faint trail but its hard to find from the trail and can be found for the return trip off the summit.
You can create a loop hike by combining this hike with Eagle Falls and Eagle Lake. Once you reach the ridge just below South Maggies peak. Continue up the trail along the ridge. At the next trail junction turn right onto the Eagle Falls Trail.

A wilderness permit is needed to hike to both Granite Lake and Maggies Peaks. Wilderness permits are available for free at the trailhead.
How to get there:
From South Lake Tahoe: head north on highway 89 for 7.5 miles. Turn left into Bayview Campground opposite Inspiration Point which is the scenic overlook located one mile before you get to Emerald Bay. A wooden sign points right to the trailhead on the backside of the campground.
From Tahoe City: head south on highway 89 for 19.5 miles. Turn right into Bayview Campground opposite Inspiration Point which is the scenic overlook located one mile before you get to Emerald Bay. A wooden sign points right to the trailhead on the backside of the campground.
trailwiki.org/wiki/Granite_Lake_and_Maggies_Peaks

Tip by

13.6 km

Cascade Falls Trailhead

Highlight • Waterfall

Follow the trailhead sign at the parking area's far end. The Cascade Trail offers stunning views of Cascade Lake and Lake Tahoe. It's a rewarding short hike that takes around 40 minutes to reach the falls. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and impressive rock outcroppings along the way.

Tip by

14.7 km

Cascade Falls

Highlight • Waterfall

Discover impressive Cascade Falls, a must-see in South Lake Tahoe. Spectacular 200-foot high waterfall and Cascade Lake views. Great place to stop and eat lunch after a short hike.

Tip by

25.9 km

End point

Camping Site

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

12.5 km

4.31 km

3.47 km

2.88 km

2.61 km

115 m

Surfaces

16.1 km

3.87 km

2.55 km

1.83 km

815 m

684 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (2,570 m)

Lowest point (1,900 m)

Weather

Wednesday 8 July

27°C

8°C

-- %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: -- km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

Want to know more?

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Report restricted access

Nearby routes

Moderate

4.9

177

Bayview and Eagle Lake Trail Loop

04:09h

10.9km

570m

Moderate

4.6

109

Vikingsholm, Lower Eagle Falls, and Rubicon Trail Loop

03:31h

12.1km

330m

Moderate

4.5

106

Emerald Point Trail

02:15h

8.32km

120m

Hard

5.0

Pacific Crest Trail: Echo Lake to Lake of the Woods

05:11h

17.0km

490m

Easy

5.0

Spooner Lake Trail

01:09h

4.34km

40m

Easy

4.8

Castle Rock Loop Trail

01:24h

4.69km

150m

Moderate

5.0

Lake Aloha Trail

04:01h

12.8km

460m

Easy

5.0

Eagle Trail Loop

00:22h

1.29km

30m

Easy

5.0

Skunk Harbor Trail

01:21h

4.55km

150m

Hard

4.5

Tahoe Rim Trail: Big Meadow to Echo Lake

08:35h

28.9km

900m

Easy

4.9

392

Eagle Falls Trail

01:17h

4.13km

150m

Easy

Burton Creek State Park Loop

01:45h

6.08km

150m

Emerald Bay view – Granite Lake loop from Emerald Bay State Park

Lower Eagle Falls

Emerald Bay view

Eagle Falls Trailhead and View of Emerald Bay

Upper Eagle Falls

View of Lake Tahoe from Maggies Peak

Granite Lake

Cascade Falls Trailhead

Cascade Falls

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️