Best Trails in Tahoe National Forest

As of 6-21-17, trail mostly covered with snow at higher elevation. But able to make it to all 5 lakes. Spectacular.

Nice trail in the woods, the 360 view is gorgeous at the top and the lookout is awesome. I liked the view but the hike to the top was not unlocking the best scenery also the start of the hike is noisy with the road below (hence the 3 stars). Easy hike for a worthy reward

Couldn't reach the whole trail due to snow blockage (it is June!!). However the little we saw was unbelievably beautiful.

As the previous reviewer stated, the trail currently is difficult to follow in places due to a large blowdown (about a quarter mile from parking area), and several areas still have very slick and unstable snow packs. Finally some areas are muddy and have standing water on the trail due to melting snow. We were unable to reach the lake because inability to climb the snow covering the trail leading up to the Salmon Lake overlook.

My earlier post seems to have gone missing. My apologies if this ends up being a double post. Easy hike with excellent lakes at the end. The late winter has made the trail difficult to find at times. Both snow and water have made it difficult to find in places both coming and going. Should be fine by July. Folks I met on the trail that were repeat visitors seemed to manage without much difficulty. I did lose the trail, having not been here for a number of years, on the return trip coming over the shoulder. Was never lost mind you, just misplaced the actual trail for a quarter mile or so. Plenty to orient by (the large meadow). I would suggest traveling with frequent visitors and/or experienced hikers till the trail clears. In normal conditions this is an easy peasy hike.

Hiked this trail from tamarack lakes with my dog yesterday. Still lots of snow but melting fast. It was difficult finding the route at times but the last stretch to the lookout is snow free and the views are incredible.

I did this trail for my first backpacking trip, and I agree with the difficulty level of this trail. We went mid-June so some of the trail was still covered from snow which made finding the path extremely tricky. The granite portion was confusing to follow: watch for the cairns and be prepared to spend extra time making sure you're on the right path!Downloading maps from AllTrails genuinely saved us from getting too far off course!

We spent the night next to lake which was one of the most memorable nights of my life because of the view. From there the venture into the woods begins, which may seem easier than the granite but it's not. A lot of the trail was covered with fallen trees, so it increased the level of difficulty to climb over them with our bags in the summer heat. The most eventful part of the trip was running into a black bear along the path. Luckily we shooed him away by getting big and making lots of noise, but would highly advise others to be prepared to see a bear!

Overall, one of the best experiences of my life. A must-do for anyone who loves nature and all it has to offer!

Very short route direct to the grove - take the forest loop to add a little distance. Very easy hike, and awesome payoff (I know "awesome" is an overused word, but these trees deserve it). Facilities were locked, and the water fountain is posted as unusable so bring water.

Amazingly beautiful!! Low traffic right now due to all the snow covering the upper half of the trail. The lakes are still 90% frozen over as well.