Upper Eagle Falls–Vista, 5 sights is a 9.5-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Emerald Bay, CA. The route passes Eagle Lake and Upper Eagle Falls before reaching Vista at the turnaround, 4.8 miles in. It climbs 3,436 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 61/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi6,644 – 8,426 ft · steepest grade: 30%10.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 38.94495, -120.09955
Nearest town Emerald Bay, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Upper Eagle Falls–Vista, 5 sights
9.5 mi · ▲ 3,436 ft · 4 hr 53 min
Elevation 6,644–8,425 ft
Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Trailhead: 38.94495, -120.09955
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 83°F / low 52° · precip 0% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Bayview Trail, heading W.
- 2.3 miTurn right onto Eagle Falls Trail, heading N.
- 1.5 miPass Eagle Lake.
- 500 ftTurn right onto Eagle Lake Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Eagle Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miPass Vista.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Eagle Trail Loop, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Vista Path, heading N.
- 150 ftReach Upper Eagle Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Eagle Trail Loop, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Eagle Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Eagle Lake Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Eagle Falls Trail, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Bayview Trail, heading S.
- 2.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
98% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 83°F52°
Precip0%Wind11 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°58°
Fri
82°59°
Sat
82°59°
Sun
82°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~85 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:06 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
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
- Inspiration Point–Eagle Lake, 4 sights 10.1 mi · ▲ 4,203 ft
- Dicks Peak–Inspiration Point, 3 summits 13.5 mi · ▲ 4,256 ft
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Hikes near Emerald Bay, California