Lake Tahoe Mountain Biking
The Flume Trail
Here's the picture featured in all the brochures! Good Climbs. Better Downhills. Great Views of Lake Tahoe.
Start at Spooner Lake Nevada State Park near the intersection of Highway 50 and Highway 28. The route starts as a double-track meandering northh thhrough aspen groves, then steepens and ascends to Marlette Lake, along the Spooner Lake Cross-Country Ski Area Canyon Trail route. At Marlette Lake, go left along the lake. At the end of the lake, which is a dam, you will follow narrow single-track where the grading for a now non-existent wooden flume etched into the side of the steep slope. With the shore of Lake Tahoe 1,000 feet below, a tumble over the edge could be unhealthy. Several miles from Marlette Lake the trail forks. Go left and descend into Incline Village, where you loop back to your car via Highway 28, or simply take a carpool back. Technical: Yes, Climbing: Lots Of It
Another High Sierra .com Hot Trail Tip: Make a night of it! Start and end your day at the Spooner Lake State Park wilderness cabins for overnight stays!
The following information is from Winter Mountain Biking Guide reprinted courtesy of Tahoe Mountain News, a community newspaper for Lake Tahoe's South Shore. For more trail guides visit our Lake Tahoe Bookstore!
Fat Tire Meca Awaits Mountain Bikers
by Taylor Flynn
© Summer 1999 Tahoe Mountain News & Tahoe Mountain Visitor Reprinted with Permission. (Updated: January 2003)
With famouns trails like Mr. Toads Wild Ride and The Flume, Lake Tahoe is renowned for great mountain biking. The following guide will lead you to these and other well-known mountain bike trails on and around Lake Tahoe. Starting with easier rides and progressing to more difficult ones, this guide is designed to provide something for everyone. Route directions are given as suggestions only, and many trails have several route variations.
South Lake Tahoe City Bike Path
This paved bike path is a real asset to the town of South Lake Tahoe. Located away from the busy roads along scenic meadows and quiet neighborhoods, thhe mostly flat path is ideal for commuting whether headed to work or to the beaches. The bike path goes from Timber Cove Lodge in mid-town and connects to the Forest Service Bike Path, which continues several miles along side of Emerald Bay Road. Technical: Not, Climbing: None
Fallen Leaf Road
Though this is a paved road complete with vehicle traffic, you'll be glad you're on a mountain bike on this extremely narrow and potholed two-laner. Fallen Leaf Road leads through shaded evergreen forests, along lush green meadows and eventually flanks the southeastern shoreline of Fallen Leaf Lake. If you've never seen this pristine alpine lake nestled at the foot of 9,725' Mt. Tallac, this ride is a must-do. With just a couple gradual hill climbson this 4-mile ride (8 miles round trip) you get a lot of scenery for your effort. An extra 1/4 mile effort beyond Fallen Leaf Lodge will lead you to the Glen Alpine Falls.
How To Get There: From South Lake Tahoe, head north on Highway 89 about one mile past Camp Richardson Lodge. Fallen Leaf Road is on the left, and it can be easy to miss. Park your car in the turnout here, or access Fallen Leaf Road from the Forest Service Bike Path (on the Lake Tahoe side of Highway 89). Technical: Not, Climbing: Hardly Any
Bob's Nevada Beach Loop
Though much of the terrain around Kingsbury Grade (on the way up to Heavenly Valley Ski Area) in Nevada is very steep, Bob Daly at Shoreline Sports has found a 6 1/2 mile loop that's just right for the whole family - and begins at his shop.
How To Get There: From the Stateline casinos, drive east to Kingsbury Grade, turn right, and follow it up to Shoreline Sports on the right. Get a map from Bob, if you like, and maybe even a new bike. (Happy, Bob?)
The Ride: Go across the street and follow the paved bike path that begins just behind Kahle Park. It will lead you into the forest and a series of small ravines 3 miles to Elks Point Road. Turn left and head through the signal down to Nevada Beach. Now, cruise the beach path back to Shoreline Sports. Technical: Not, Climbing: Very Little
Angora Lakes
This is a good, steep hill climb with a pot of gold at the top - crystal clear alpine lakes surrounded by scenic cliffs, free lock-up for bikes and a resort store that serves great lemonade.
The Ride: Ride Fallen Leaf Road 1 1/2 miles from Highway 89 and turn left onto Tahoe Mountain Road, then right on Angora Ridge Road after a 1/3 mile climb. The partially paved road will climb steeply for 1 1/2 miles to a fire lookout station with great views of Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake. The road then descends to a parking lot. Take the trailhead to Angora Lake, another 1/8 mile up, some 5 miles from Highway 89. Technical: Very Little, Climbing: A Lot
Powerline Trail
The powerline Trail does not climb much above Lake level. This, however, does not mean it is flat. On a parallel oroute with Pioneer Trail (road), Powerline is comprised of a 7-mile series of short ascents and descents as it traverses several ravines and creeks, including Trout Creek, Cold Creek and Heavenly Valley Creek. The ravines (and climbs) are tremendous fun, and generally steeper at the base of Heavely Ski Resort.
The Ride: Start from either Oneidas Street or Garbage Dump Road (at the end of Elks Club Road on Pioneer Trail), head east along the double-track, which is the service road for a large set of power lines and also doubles as a designated off-highway vehicle (OHV) route. The OHV road ends at Cold Creek, and a single track trail ascends behind the Montgomery Estates neighborhood and continues to Ski Run Boulevard near the California base-side of the Heavenly Valley Ski Area. Technical: Some Technical Fun, Climbing: Short Climbs
Corral Loop - Tin Shack
The Cooral Loop is a favorite for mountain bike riders and trail runners, too. One advantage of this forested loop is a paved uphill and a dirt, single-track downhill. It always seems like a good deal of off-road downhill in comparison to the smooth, hard-surfaced climb. The off-road descent is fast with a few technical sections.
The Ride: Take Oneidas Street off Pioneer Trail (road) and follow the paved but little-traveled road several miles up a steep 2-mile climb. Fifty yards past the bridge at Trout Creek, turn left into a turnout trail (you will see the trail marker). The single-track leads up one little climb and then descends through some sand and rock, technical sections before opening into some twisting, fast turns. The trail ends at Powerline Trail, so you can eigher turn right onto the Powerline or veer left back to Oneidas. Technical: Some Technical Fun, Climbing: Yes
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Here's the ride you've been looking for! Named after the Disneyland roller-coaster, Toads is notorious for its fast downhill through banked turns and thick forest. Once an obscure, nearly forgotten OHV trail named Saxon Creek Trail, Toads is undoubtedly Tahoe Shouth Shore's most famous mountain bike trail due to a magazine write-up early in the start of the sport (which has wrecked sections of the trail due to overuse).
The Ride: Start from the Bid Meadow Trailhead (parking and restrooms) off Luther Pass Grade on Highway 89. Ride the Tahoe Rim Trail east 3 miles up gorgeous, technically-challenging single track to tucker Flat. Turn left at the Saxon Creek trail marker and prepare to heat up your brakes. For approximately 4 1/2 miles, it's almost all downhill, technical through some early sections and pulverized by overuse in others, but there are still super-fast and fun twisties as you reach the bottom. Views of mountain wildflowers can be gorgeous, as well, due to many streams and meadows along the route. Technical: Yes, Climbing: Depends on which direction you go!
Here's a High Sierra .com Hot Trail Tip: You can get back to your car by riding back up the hill. Or, better yet ride the trail all the way to Oneidas Street, then take a left to Pioneer Trail (road) to Highway 50, where you will go left and down to the Meyers bicycle path alongside of Highway 50 going south to South Upper Truckee Road, left there through Christmas Valley and up the old Luther Pass Road to Luther Pass Rd. again, and your car. Get a street map and Forest Service map to find this great route, which rides best when started from the bridge at the end of South Upper Truckee Rd. at the end of Christmas Valley.) Technical: Lots Of It, Climbing: Lots Of It.