Horsetail Falls Hike

Nirvana, that is what this place is.
Each year we camp in S. Lake Tahoe and pass Horsetail Falls. We usually stop here on our way home if we’ve gotten an early enough start. It’s such a beautiful hike with fantastic vistas and microclimates.
It is steep so you do have to have good shoes and footing, but I’ve seen people stop and hike around in flip flops as well as saw one woman in dressy slip on sandals (not recommended). You can hike as little or as far as you are inclined, but the way is up, up, up!
Most of the hike takes you alongside Pyramid Creek which is just beautiful. There are some falls fairly soon into the hike so if you don’t want to keep going up, you can enjoy a little meditative state here. The view of Horsetail Falls is worth it though… quite easy to scramble up granite rocks. There’s areas where it’s thickly forested and quiet inlets of the creek to sit and gather your thoughts or take a sip of water.
The best part (if you happen to have a dog) is this is all off leash and there’s no danger of poison oak at this elevation. You DO need to be mindful of shady rocks however as our last visit we saw a young rattlesnake coiled up and resting in the shade of a rock.
That being said your dogs will enjoy scrambling up the rock faces using 4 wheel drive and if they love water there’s plenty of opportunity for safe exploration of cool Alpine water. Do be sure to leash them in the steeper areas with swift falls, just to be safe.
The trailhead lot is often crowded and you must pay $ 5 entry to park. You park and pay via envelope with your license plate info and place in a tube.
It’s well worth the fee and visit!!! Restore your energy, balance your mind, and stick your toes in cool, clear Alpine water as you ruminate on your place in the Universe. Breathe the clear air and enjoy «being». :)

Driving up to South Lake Tahoe, the parking lot is on the left side of HWY 50. Parking is $ 5, so don’t forget to bring cash! I recommend hiking early in the morning because the parking lot can get very full.
During my several visits to South Lake Tahoe, I’ve been to Horsetail Falls Hike 3x. Unfortunately on my 1^st and 2^nd hike, I did not make it to the falls because my friends weren’t experienced hikers and we decided to go swimming at the lower lake instead. On my 3^rd hike, I FINALLY MADE IT TO THE FALLS! Horsetail Falls Hike is a moderate 3 mile hike. The most difficult part of the hike is that there is no clear markings. There are a few distinct paths, but sometimes you have to get lost in order to find them. Getting to the falls requires a little bit of bouldering, but it’s worth it. Just climb climb climb and eventually you’ll get to the falls. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit because it is a perfect place to take a dip and tan!

One of the best hikes we’ve been on in the area. Great hike for a cool or overcast day. I wouldn’t do this hike on a hot, sunny day because so much of the trail is out in the open without shade.
We managed to do the 2.5 mile route on the Pyramid Loop Trail and about another quarter mile into the Desolation Wilderness with our 3 and 5 year old kids. The 3 year old was in a backpack at least half the time. I definitely wouldn’t call it an easy hike, but it wasn’t too steep most of the time either.
Once you make it up to the open rocky area of the trail, there are little trail markers nailed up to the trees to help keep you on the path. We had no problem staying on the path, even once we entered the Desolation Wilderness, which is supposesly not maintained and difficult to follow.
The trail is so unique and so beautiful with the gorgeous towering cliffs overhead. It was nice to follow the river the whole way with beautiful waterfalls and clear pools. Even though you don’t always see the stream, you can always hear it.

The scenery on this hike is beautiful. It isn’t an easy hike but it’s not too difficult either. The hardest part is staying on the trail, and not because it’s rocky (it is) but because it is very poorly marked. There’s only 1 sign and there’s no spray paint or any other indicators of where to go except for footprints. However these footprints can also lead you astray and to a place where you can’t get down easily. When I went this happened and we had to climb down from a massive boulder. It was dangerous so be very careful. It That’s my only complaint about it. Be careful not to get lost and if you do just head down toward the river and follow it down stream to the end. If you’re driving there from Sacramento the trail parking lot will be on your left side. It’s pretty easy to miss. If you hit the Sierra ski lodge you’ve gone too far. Definitely worth checking this hike out.