About Lake Tahoe - Hiking - Eagle Falls

Eagle Creek and Falls

The Vitals: Elevation change 400 feet (lower falls)
click here for topo map click here for the Eagle Falls Gallery

Upper Eagle Falls are nice. Lower Eagle Falls from the road is beautiful. Lower Eagle falls from below are magnificent. Then throw a touch of Emerald Bay and Lake Tahoe and you've got one of the world's most beautiful days. The lower falls are a moderately easy, stunningly beautiful hike from Highway 89. The upper falls are an equally easy but much shorter hike up from the road. Of the two, the lower falls are much more spectacular. Both hikes offer much more than waterfalls. The hike to the lower falls takes you to the sandy white beach in Emerald Bay as well as Vikingsholm Castle. There are fantastic views along the entire length of the hike. The upper falls are a much shorter hike, but they aren't really waterfalls. The scenery is great and if you continue past the upper falls you will soon come to Eagle Lake and past that the Velma Lakes Basin.
Best visited in late May or June, the falls flow at least until the beginning of July, even in the low snow years. Almost all of the parking here requires a $6 fee. Emerald Bay is even more beautiful from the water. Find out more about Emerald Bay cruises aboard the M.S. Dixie II.