Tahoe’s Hidden Gem: A Serene Lake Offering Tranquil Camping and Scenic Wilderness Trails

There’s no denying Lake Tahoe’s alpine beauty, but with 15 million visitors per year, it can feel chaotic at times. If you want to get away from the crowds and are looking for a hidden gem, there’s no better place than Fallen Leaf Lake. It offers equally stunning waters, a comfortable campground, water activities, and scenic trails less than a 15-minute drive from South Lake Tahoe. 

Surrounded by picturesque mountains, Fallen Leaf Lake’s crystal-clear, glacial waters cover around 3,000 acres with miles of forested trails, ranging from family-friendly strolls to challenging hiking routes. During the summer months, Fallen Leaf Lake Marina rents pontoons, kayaks, canoes, SUPs, and fishing boats and provides launch services for motorized and non-motorized crafts. The lake is not considered a premier fishing destination, but the U.S. Forest Service stocks the waters with rainbow, brown, lake, and Mackinaw trout. 

To access the lake, take Highway 89 until you spot the turn-off for Fallen Leaf Road. This seasonal road (closed winters) continues past Fallen Leaf Campground, skirts half the lake, and drops you at Fallen Leaf Lake Marina. Those planning to rent or launch a boat at the marina during peak season should call ahead and plan for traffic congestion on Fallen Leaf Road. About a 90-minute drive from Reno — a walkable food hub known as the world’s “Biggest Little City” — Fallen Leaf Lake is an ideal destination for families, groups of friends, and outdoor enthusiasts. 

Open from approximately mid-May to mid-October, Fallen Leaf Lake Campground boasts 206 sites, including RV sites, tent sites, and six rustic yurts. Although less popular than Lake Tahoe, the campsite fills up quickly (especially during peak summer months), so reserve your sites in advance via Recreation.gov. Shaded by towering pines, the campground is part of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and is only a short walk to the lake. Sites 72 to 96 are the closest to the lake, but the campground doesn’t offer lake views. Campers appreciate the clean facilities, particularly the restrooms and access to flush toilets, coin-operated hot showers, a camp shop, drinking water, and spacious sites. 

The campground provides easy access to several popular trails, including the 3.5-mile, out-and-back Fallen Leaf Lake Trail. This beginner-friendly route starts at the campground and follows the shore about a quarter of the way around the lake. “This is a beautiful hike at all times of the year, but I think the best time is in the fall when the aspens are golden yellow,” shared one visitor on Tripadvisor. 

Before heading home, make sure you visit Glen Alpine Falls — also called “Fall Leaf Lake Waterfall.” Surrounded by pines, the waterfall cascades about 80 feet over boulders and jagged rocks. The falls are only a short walk from the marina, but those looking for more challenging routes hike further into the Desolation Wilderness area.