Upper Eagle Falls–Eagle Lake, 7 lakes is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Emerald Bay, CA. The route passes Emerald Bay State Park Beach, Upper Eagle Falls, Eagle Lake and Upper Velma Lake before reaching Middle Velma Lake at the turnaround, 4.5 miles in. It climbs 2,155 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 70/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi6,598 – 8,229 ft · steepest grade: 30%9.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 38.95454, -120.11083
Nearest town Emerald Bay, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Upper Eagle Falls–Eagle Lake, 7 lakes
9.1 mi · ▲ 2,155 ft · 4 hr 7 min
Elevation 6,599–8,228 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: 38.95454, -120.11083
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 84°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Emerald Bay State Park Beach.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Climbers trail to Mayhem Cove, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Eagle Trail, heading SW.
- 350 ftPass Upper Eagle Falls.
- 0.6 miPass Eagle Lake.
- 200 ftBear right onto Eagle Lake Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Eagle Falls Trail, heading S.
- 3.2 miPass Upper Velma Lake.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miPass Middle Velma Lake.
- 250 ftReach Upper Eagle Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Eagle Falls Trail, heading E.
- 3.3 miTurn right onto Eagle Lake Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Eagle Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Climbers trail to Mayhem Cove, heading N.
- 300 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 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%Wind11 mphUV8Humidity20%
Hourly temperature
85°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue
84°63°
Wed
83°59°
Thu
82°59°
Fri
82°60°
Sat
83°60°
Sun
83°59°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~95 min). Leave by 6:16 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:23 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Upper Eagle Falls–Eagle Lake, 5 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 1,624 ft
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