Lake Tahoe is sprawling lake in the border between the US states of California and Nevada, which spans both the states. Situated in the valley of Sierra Nevada mountain range, Lake Tahoe basin is known for some of the best hiking spots in the United States. Even during the summer, the place is surrounded by the strange bedfellows of mist and bright sunshine, which provides a tailor-made environment for hiking. The river is surrounded by 74 acres of thick forest. Different varieties of bear species are abundant in this dense forest and a tourist is very likely to encounter some of the species. But almost all tourists will agree that hiking through Tahoe Rim Trail provide the best view of Lake Tahoe.
There are more than 135 trails and the best part is an 8-mile long trail that arches over Lake Tahoe between Kingsbury Grade and Star Lake. It is said that it will take several years for an incorrigible hiker to complete hiking in all the hiking trails in Lake Tahoe basin. Such is the number of hiking spots in Lake Tahoe basin that it can be safely declared that Lake Tahoe basin contains the most number of hiking spots per square kilometer in United States. The season begins from the second week of June. In the beginning of the season, the valley is particularly scenic, with wild flowers blooming in innocent abandon. But one should keep in mind that a wilderness permit from the state authorities should be obtained before embarking on a hiking trip.
Some of the must-hike hiking spots in the south shore of Lake Tahoe basin are Big Meadow and Frog & Winnemucca Lakes, each of which offers two miles of hiking stretch amidst a variety of flowers. In the east shore of the lake there is Marlette Lake, which offers five miles of hiking stretch and is filled with a variety of wild flowers. In the west shore, the ‘flowery’ hiking spots are Cascade Falls to Snow Lake, Eagle and Velma & Fontanillis Lakes, which are five miles long. In the north shore, one can hike through a sea of wild flowers in Donner Lake Area (two miles long), Donner Pass-Pacific Crest Trail, Mt. Rose (six miles long), and Squaw Valley (two miles long).
Some hiking stretches through the cliffs in Lake Tahoe basin are extremely difficult to engage in hiking. Such difficult trails in the south shore of Lake Tahoe include Moraine Trail (one mile long), Angora Lakes Trail (half mile), Tallac Historic Site (0.3 miles), Echo Lakes Trails (which provide a variety of trails of varying length), Glen Alpine Trail (two miles long), Clark Trail (1.6 miles long), and Mt. Tallac Trail (which provides strenuous hikes of varying lengths).
