South Lake Tahoe, CA Birding Trails and Maps

59 Reviews

Looking for the best Birding trails around South Lake Tahoe?

Find the top rated birding trails in South Lake Tahoe, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
34 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

El Dorado Trail

35.8 mi
State: CA
Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel

Erica Greif Memorial Bikeway

5.7 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Historic Virginia and Truckee Trail

1.9 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Incline Village Bike Path

7 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Pope-Baldwin Bike Path

3.6 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Sparks Boulevard Trail

3.2 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Stateline-to-Stateline Bikeway

2.5 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Concrete

Tahoe East Shore Trail

3 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Truckee River Legacy Trail

5.6 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Union Valley Bike Trail

5.8 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Sawmill Bike Path (CA)

2.2 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway

49.6 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Dirt

Al Tahoe Bike Trail

1.1 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Caramella Ranch Trail

2 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Damonte Ranch Trail

4.2 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Foothills Trail (NV)

1.75 mi
State: NV
Concrete

Golden Eagle Trail

1.7 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Concrete

Kiley Ranch South Trail

1.6 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Concrete

Lake Tahoe Boulevard Bike Path

1.7 mi
State: CA
Asphalt
Accordion

Lemmon Valley Trail

3.5 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

McCarran Boulevard Bikeway

3.5 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Concrete

North Truckee Drain Trail

1.3 mi
State: NV
Concrete

Orr Ditch Trail

1.2 mi
State: NV
Brick, Concrete

Pat Lowe Memorial Bike Path

1.7 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Pinedrop Trail

1.2 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

Round Hill Bike Path

1.5 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Dirt

Ski Run Bike Trail

0.6 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

South Lake Tahoe Bike Path

2.9 mi
State: CA
Asphalt

South Meadows Trail System

5 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Concrete

Toll Road Trail

1.6 mi
State: NV
Asphalt

Wingfield Utility Corridor Trail

1.9 mi
State: NV
Asphalt, Concrete
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
Overview Passing through California’s historic Gold Rush country, the El Dorado Trail runs more than 35 miles from Camino west to the line between El Dorado and Sacramento counties, just south of...
CA 35.8 mi Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel
The Erica Greif Memorial Bikeway is a multipurpose, off-street path paralleling Veterans Parkway, also known as the Southeast Connector, which connects Reno to Sparks. The walking and biking path was...
NV 5.7 mi Asphalt
The multi-use Historic Virginia & Truckee Trail (formerly known as the Carson City Trail) runs between Kings Canyon Road and Combs Canyon Road, passing through Carson City's western subdivisions and...
NV 1.9 mi Asphalt
The Incline Village Bike Path consists of several paved trails alongside local roads in scenic Incline Village, Nevada. The community, resting on the northern shore of majestic Lake Tahoe, is well...
NV 7 mi Asphalt
Overview The Pope-Baldwin Bike Path is one of the most popular paved trails in the scenic Lake Tahoe area, as it winds through pine forest not far from the lakeshore near South Lake Tahoe. The...
CA 3.6 mi Asphalt
Beginning a few blocks north of where the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway and the Erica Greif Memorial Bikeway intersect (accessible via wide sidewalks), the Sparks Boulevard Trail provides a means for cyclists...
NV 3.2 mi Asphalt
The Stateline-to-Stateline Bikeway is an ambitious project to create a paved trail along the entire eastern shore of scenic Lake Tahoe. Planned to stretch from Crystal Bay in the north to Stateline in...
NV 2.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview The Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD) Multi-Use Trail System meanders along the scenic west shore of Lake Tahoe and weaves through pine and aspen trees along the Truckee River....
CA 22.4 mi Asphalt
Though it's only 3 miles long, there was no shortage of excitement when the Tahoe East Shore Trail opened in the summer of 2019. The trail made access to the northeast shore of Lake Tahoe...
NV 3 mi Asphalt
Overview The Truckee River Legacy Trail follows its namesake river’s south side from downtown Truckee to the Glenshire neighborhood. The trail provides scenic views of the Truckee River and the...
CA 5.6 mi Asphalt
The Union Valley Bike Trail is a two-lane, paved route that connects the campgrounds on the east side of Union Valley Reservoir in the Eldorado National Forest. The trail skirts the shores of the...
CA 5.8 mi Asphalt
The Sawmill Bike Path currently consists of two open segments—with a third in the works to link them—just south of the resort town of South Lake Tahoe. When complete, the trail will provide a seamless...
CA 2.2 mi Asphalt
The Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway is a planned route spanning the California–Nevada border from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. The bikeway is designed to loosely follow the Truckee River, which flows...
NV 49.6 mi Asphalt, Dirt
The Al Tahoe Bike Trail is a paved sidepath along Al Tahoe Boulevard in the scenic resort community of South Lake Tahoe, California. The trail runs between the road and dense pine forest for its...
CA 1.1 mi Asphalt
The Caramella Ranch Trail runs for around two miles, forming a link between several trails in the southern suburbs of Reno. In the north, the trail branches off from the Damonte Ranch Trail around the...
NV 2 mi Asphalt
The Damonte Ranch Trail is a paved, multi-use trail that runs throughout the wetland areas and subdivided neighborhoods in the southern Reno neighborhood of Damonte Ranch. The bulk of the trail is...
NV 4.2 mi Asphalt
The Foothills Trail is located on the outskirts of a suburban enclave in northern Sparks, running on the edges of the development before the rolling hills to the east take over. The concrete pathway...
NV 1.75 mi Concrete
The Golden Eagle Trail leads from suburban neighborhoods in northern Sparks into the Golden Eagle Regional Park, a sprawling recreation complex with a host of athletic fields, located on the edge of...
NV 1.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Kiley Ranch South Trail is a concrete trailway that runs through the Kiley Ranch developments in suburban Sparks, Nevada. Following the course of the North Truckee Drain, with another trail on the...
NV 1.6 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Lake Tahoe Boulevard Bike Path follows its namesake road for its entire route in scenic El Dorado County, but unlike most sidepaths, this trail offers a winding course through dense forest. Smooth...
CA 1.7 mi Asphalt
Accordion
The Lake Tahoe Community College Bike Path winds through the school's scenic wooded campus in South Lake Tahoe, California. The college is removed from the resort town's crowded—albeit...
CA 1.1 mi Asphalt
Spanning over three miles along the side of Lemmon Drive in the northern valleys above the city of Reno, the Lemmon Valley Trail offers a solid out-and-back trail experience that feels more removed...
NV 3.5 mi Asphalt
A sidepath trail that follows a busy roadway around the southeastern edge of Reno and across the Truckee River into southern Sparks, the McCarran Boulevard Bikeway gives cyclists and pedestrians over...
NV 3.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Following a stretch of Mount Rose Highway and Old Virginia Road in a suburban part of southern Reno, the Mount Rose and Old Virginia Bike Path provides a route to help cyclists and pedestrians...
NV 1.9 mi Asphalt
An unremarkable community recreation path that spans suburban neighborhoods in Sparks, Nevada, the North Truckee Drain Trail follows the irrigation and flood control channel for a little over a mile,...
NV 1.3 mi Concrete
Part of a network of recreation paths in the suburban northern reaches of Sparks, Nevada, the Orr Ditch Trail gets its name from the irrigation channel that the trail follows for about half of its...
NV 1.2 mi Brick, Concrete
The Pat Lowe Memorial Bike Path runs on both sides of State Route 89/US 50 in tiny Meyers, California. The paved trail provides access to several businesses along the highway. On the west side of...
CA 1.7 mi Asphalt
The Pinedrop Trail is a paved link between the community of Kings Beach, located on the northern shore of Lake Tahoe, and North Tahoe Regional Park. The trail winds through a hilly landscape of pine...
CA 1.2 mi Asphalt
The Round Hill Bike Path is a link between the communities of Round Hill Village and Kingsbury on the east shore of Lake Tahoe. The trail winds through pine forest on a ridge above US 50. The northern...
NV 1.5 mi Asphalt, Dirt
The Ski Run Bike Trail is a short paved sidepath adjacent to Ski Run Boulevard in the scenic resort community of South Lake Tahoe. On its route northeast towards the majestic lake, the trail links...
CA 0.6 mi Asphalt
The South Lake Tahoe Bike Path consists of several disconnected trail segments along Lake Tahoe Boulevard (US 50) in the beautiful lakeside resort town of South Lake Tahoe. The longest continuous...
CA 2.9 mi Asphalt
A network of around five miles of paved, multi-use trail in the southern suburban neighborhoods of Reno, the South Meadows Trail System offers a popular means of recreation and exercise, connecting...
NV 5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
An asphalt pathway that runs along the side of Toll Road in southern Reno, trail users don't have to pay a thing for the privilege of using this convenient, multi-use sidepath trail. The trail spans...
NV 1.6 mi Asphalt
Spanning about two miles through residential neighborhoods in northern Sparks, the Wingfield Utility Corridor Trail offers a straight and mostly flat pathway through a corridor occupied by overhead...
NV 1.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete

Recent Trail Reviews

Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway

interesting

August, 2024 by fly777300

I started the trail at lake st for the first .75 lots of homeless folks. One actually chased after me. Very irregular trail until reaching the end of the Reno side then got better.

El Dorado Trail

Enjoyable ride in the country

August, 2024 by shastaron

Road from the El Dorado Station of the El Dorado Western Railroad 4560 Oriental St, El Dorado, CA 95623 to the Camino end of the trail. This is a well paved trail that winds through the hills climbing most of the way to Camino but is a thrill on the return downhill to the trail head. A couple of places to be careful crossing streets and a short section through old town Placerville. There are only a few bathrooms so take advantage as needed. Bring water. Mostly foot traffic with only a few bikes. Watch for wildlife. We saw a doe with twin fawns.

El Dorado Trail

El Dorado Bike Trail

July, 2024 by morrisbill

The Class I bike path (paved) starts, in the west end, in the town of El Dorado. It has some "rolling" sections which are short but can challenge a novice rider. From the west turn left on Oriental St, stay left for a short distance to the parking area at the El Dorado Station.

From there the paved trail starts. It crosses Blanchard Rd (uncontrolled crossing), then Forni Rd (controlled crossing with a button to trigger light). You will soon come to Missouri Flat Rd, at the point the trail ends you must get across the 4-lane road + suicide lane. You can see a parking area across the road to the right, the traffic can be heavy and 40mph+. The safest crossing is travelling along the sidewalk to the light near Walmart, then continue on the sidewalk to the parking area, which is where the paved trail continues.

In approx. 100 yards you will see a bike park with a composite track, and has a nice bathroom! After a short climb you will descend to the Weber Creek wooden bridge, hit this at 20+mph on a road bike, it's smoother as you glide over the rather rough wood (they have replaced maybe 30% with smoother wood, need to do the other 70%!!!). After the bridge crossing you will climb a steady 2% grade to a portion that parallels Forni Rd, after you cross Forni Rd you come to a section Dedicated to fallen El Dorado Co Sheriff's Deputy Brian “Ish” Ishmael, RIP!

At the end of this section you will need to ride east on Main St, travelling through downtown Placerville. The traffic is usually heavy, but speeds are low, if you keep your pace up, you can keep up with traffic (please watch for cars pulling out or opening doors!). At the first stop SIGN (not light) turn left on Bedford St, and then a quick right (maybe 30 yards) before Hwy 50 to connect with the trail again.

You will reach the "Placerville Station" bus depot. Directly across Mosquito Rd is the continuation of the trail. Nearly 2 miles on the trail you will come to Jacquier Rd, take a left on this road, then turn right to the El Dorado Trail parking lot, the trail continues from there for 3.5 miles and 580 feet to the end of the paved portion. This is a fairly steady 3% grade with not much relief, so novice bikers may find this a bit of a challenge. Directly across from the end of the paved portion is an unpaved trail for a mile that ends near Hwy 50. I have ridden it on a road bike w/o too much trouble. You can also turn left at the end of the paved portion onto Halcon Rd (10 to 11% grade!), then left on Camino Hills Dr, then left on Vista Tierra, right on Camino Heights Dr, just before 50 make a right on Pondorado Rd this Hwy 50 frontage road will take you to a fairly new round-a-bout and underpass. This will open up a lot of road riding in the Apple Hill area. Narrow roads and some steep hills (10+% grades) and moderate traffic, so ride with day flashing front and rear lights (some areas are in deep woods, so its darkish even in the day). As a local, and have ridden the area many times, I avoid the area Late Sept through Mid Nov. Traffic is really busy and people tend to get lost or frustrated.

For non-road riders (dirt) I have ridden west on the unpaved trail (single track) on a road bike. It was fun until it wasn't! The slide out and low speed fall hitting a rock with my knee wasn't worth the previous mile of fun, trust me! I chalk this up to a complete lack of judgement, especially since I had another set of wider gravel rims with mounted small knobby tires.

Accordion

Historic Virginia and Truckee Trail

Snowshoeing on Feb 6, 2024

February, 2024 by zvjvpqfyjv

We parked at the trailhead across from Combs Canyon Rd and snowshoed all the way to the end of the trail by the CC Hospital an back, about 1.6 miles. Easy trail and awesome views of CC and the Sierras.

Tahoe East Shore Trail

Breathtaking trail

August, 2023 by gatorsbabe2208

Stunning views, lake breeze and access along the way. Perfect way to spend a day.

Erica Greif Memorial Bikeway

My Sunday Morning Favorite

July, 2023 by reiterjw

I really enjoy getting on this trail early on a Sunday Morning. I am usually on the trail by 8am.

I start at the south end and ride to E Greg Street.

I park at the Double Diamond Park. It is just a short ride along S Meadows Parkway to the beginning of the trail.

I included two screen shots of the Garmin map and a picture of the entrance to the Double Diamond Park.

Incline Village Bike Path

beautiful

February, 2023 by gpledger1

You won’t regret visiting this well traveled trail. The walk is fairly easy with some extended inclines. This is one of the most beautiful trails I have hiked. Gorgeous views the whole way to Kings beach and back. Plan to take your time and enjoy it. The is no shade on this trail and

Union Valley Bike Trail

Campground with access to awesome trail!!

September, 2022 by carrieiscarebear

Loved this all paved trail! Both great for bikers and hikers! Several beautiful bridges to cross and medium level ability on mountain bikes as there are a few good hills. Gets your heart running!!

Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway

The trail is nice from Sparks until about the GSR. After you pass the GSR area heading to Reno, the path is quite inconsistent.

June, 2022 by semperfimikey

The trail is nice from Sparks until about the GSR. After you pass the GSR area heading to Reno, the path is quite inconsistent.

Erica Greif Memorial Bikeway

veterans parkway trail

November, 2021 by 1boxingtrain

Love this trail! Views of wild horses and detached from traffic, wish we had more trails like this!!

Tahoe East Shore Trail

so beautiful!!!

July, 2021 by joan60

You will love this absolutely beautiful trail. Weekends are a bit busy with both walkers and bikes but still worth it. The trail runs along Lake Tahoe and its has stunning views plus the water colors are magnificent. I highly recommend this trail for a nice walk. You can also go into the Sand Harbor park at the south end and stop for a Bloody Mary or other refreshments at their concession stand

Tahoe City Public Utility District Multi-Use Trail System

Love it! Beautiful and tranquil

June, 2021 by jenny87

I love this trail! Clean with beautiful scenery. Porta potty throughout the trail. Sound of the River is calming.

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Accordion

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