Inspiration Point–Eagle Lake, 4 sights is a 10.1-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Emerald Bay, CA. The route passes Inspiration Point and Eagle Lake. It climbs 4,203 ft, with sections as steep as 65% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 65/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi6,824 – 8,426 ft · steepest grade: 65%10.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 38.94634, -120.09911
Nearest town Emerald Bay, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Inspiration Point–Eagle Lake, 4 sights
10.1 mi · ▲ 4,203 ft · 5 hr 28 min
Elevation 6,824–8,425 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: 38.94634, -120.09911
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 84°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Inspiration Point.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Bayview Trail, heading S.
- 2.3 miTurn right onto Eagle Falls Trail, heading NW.
- 1.5 miPass Eagle Lake.
- 500 ftSharp left onto Eagle Lake Trail, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Climbers Trail to Eagle Lake Buttress, heading S.
- 0.9 miReach Inspiration Point, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Eagle Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Eagle Falls Trail, heading NE.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Bayview Trail, heading SW.
- 2.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
95% dirt5% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 84°F52°
Precip0%Wind12 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue
84°63°
Wed
82°58°
Thu
82°59°
Fri
82°60°
Sat
82°60°
Sun
83°59°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~87 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Cascade Falls–Inspiration Point, 3 summits 1.8 mi · ▲ 342 ft
- Bayview Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,621 ft
- Azure Lake & Azure Lake trail via Bayview Trail 5.7 mi · ▲ 2,305 ft
- Upper Eagle Falls–Vista, 5 sights 9.5 mi · ▲ 3,436 ft
- Dicks Peak–Inspiration Point, 3 summits 13.5 mi · ▲ 4,256 ft
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Hikes near Emerald Bay, California