Eagle Lake - Desolation Wilderness

When I asked around on various local Facebook pages for kid-friendly hiking suggestions, the trail to Eagle Lake got mentioned more than once. I did a quick google search and immediately knew this one needed to go on our to-do list! It took us two tries to actually do this hike due to the high levels of traffic in the area, but we're so glad we didn't give up! Luckily, while Emerald Bay drives a lot of traffic to that stretch of road, the actual hiking trail up to the lake is comparatively empty. 

The trial-head for this hike is located across the road from Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay, which is a HUGE hiking destination. The first time we came here to hike to Eagle Lake was on Labor Day weekend (dumb, I know) and there were cars parked in every conceivable place for miles around. We didn't want to have to hike a mile or more just to get to the trail head, so we went to Fallen Leaf Lake that day instead (post coming soon).
A few weeks later we decided to try again, thinking that now that summer was pretty much over we'd have less competition for parking. While the crowds were a little thinner, parking was in pretty high demand so if you want to do this hike you will need to get an early start to beat the crowds.

One last parking tip: There is a small parking lot at the trail head, but to park here costs $5. If you park on the side of the road just outside the parking lot and walk in though, then you can legally park for free. 

At the trail-head there are bathrooms, and some nice signs that talk about the area and the trail. There is also a place to register for a wilderness permit, which is required for hiking this trail. It only takes a moment to fill out the form, and then you hang the tag somewhere where it can be seen by anyone who might be checking such things (outside your backpack for example).

A short distance up the trail, the route splits in two. The most direct route to the lake is via the left-hand fork and is about a mile long. You can take the right-hand fork for a scenic loop that gives you some great views of the area, but adds 1/2 a mile to your trip. Both trails join back up shortly before reaching the foot bridge over Eagle Falls, which is a pretty sight. This time of year (end of summer) there isn't much water, and nothing that I would have described as a waterfall, but it was still really pretty.

This trail is definitely not stroller accessible, as the vast majority of it is stone steps. This makes is a good challenge for little hikers, but doesn't render it impossible. We liked that it was a chance for our kids to overcome what they saw as a significant challenge for a very tangible reward at the end. This is exactly the kind of hike we are looking for to help them learn to love hiking and to recognize a sense of pride when they complete a hard task.

While this trail is not super easy, the length of it makes the effort doable. It is not quite a mile to the lake (going the shorter route) which means that even our 4-year-old was able to hike the entire thing. We did end up having to piggy-back our 2-year-old for a while, though even that wasn't too bad as it was not too far to hike.

There are a few areas where the trail evens out a bit and gives you a break from all the stairs. There are also some truly spectacular views out across the Tahoe Basin that would be worth the hike in and of themselves.

Once you reach the lake you take a short climb down into the bowl carved by an ancient glacier and get to relax and enjoy the incredible beauty around you. We chose a trail that led clock-wise around the pool and found a small sandy beach for the kids to play on. There was a very friendly little duck swimming laps around the lake looking for treats from the hikers, and the kids loved getting to see her.
Most of the other hikers at the lake that day headed counter-clockwise around the lake and were jumping off of rocks into the lake for a swim.

This is such a gorgeous hike, I cant wait to go back and see the area during the other seasons as well!

Essential Details: 
Eagle Lake Trail
Emerald Bay Road/Hwy 89
Website