Eagle Falls Trailhead — Attraction in South Lake Tahoe

Gorgeous hike with views of the Upper Eagle Falls. Came here on a Saturday around 9:30am and the paid parking lot was already full ($10 self-service). You should either arrive here early in the morning on weekends or come during the weekday if possible. We ended up parking for free along the highway about a mile up. There are 3 porta-potties at the trailhead as well as restrooms in a building (still porta-potty toilets). People had dogs with them and plenty of groups had small kids.

It takes about 0.5 mile to cross the bridge to reach the waterfall. It’s steep but there are stone steps. There’s limited shade so wear sunscreen and bring sunglasses/a hat. There were a lot of people as it’s a popular trail, and you can hike further up to Eagle Lake. I’d suggest wearing boots rather than sneakers since some areas were a bit slippery. Overall, it’s a pretty trail with fresh air...

This is a great spot to leave from if you are looking to do some day hikes in the Desolation Wilderness. We hiked from here up to the Velma's and looped around to Fontanillis Lake, over to Dicks lake, and back. The trail has a lot of sun exposure, so wear sunscreen and pack a lot of water, unless you plan to filter along the way. There are plenty of places to do so. We brought our lunch up and spent some time at Fontanillis. In my opinion that lake had the most spots to sit near the lake, and it was the most beautiful.

We arrived at the parking lot around 8am on a Thursday and didn't have any problems finding a spot. There is a bathroom at the parking area. There is also a smaller trail that loops around the falls. You can also hike up to Eagle Lake from here.

Day trip wilderness permits are located next to...

This is a hugely popular and moderately easy trail and is free to access. The trail goes to Eagle Falls (which, I admit, was disappointing in the dry Summer), then splits. You can hike across the bridge, an on for about 30 or 35 minutes (mostly uphill) to see the absolutely beautiful and clear Eagle Lake, or take the easy loop route to a lookout, then back to the parking area. I would recommend going to the lake to relax and swim, and enjoy the scenery. Then, walk back to the trail to complete the loop and walk down to the parking area. So, plan a few hours at least if you plan to see it all. The parking lot is often full, and many hikers park along the roadway where it is marked and then walk from there to the trailhead. There are public restrooms available in the...