ActivitiesHikingCascade Falls Trailhead
Cascade Falls Trailhead
West Shore, hiking, easy
Short, scenic trail to a dramatic waterfall above Cascade Lake. Best in spring when snowmelt peaks. One of the easiest reward-to-effort hikes at Tahoe.
In short: Cascade Falls Trailhead is an easy hike on Lake Tahoe's West Shore: 1.6 mi round trip, 200 ft of elevation gain, a high point of 6,640 ft. The season is Apr – Oct, no permit is needed, dogs are allowed.
- Distance, round trip
- 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 200 ft
- High point
- 6,640 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
Where it is
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Trail details
- Dramatic waterfall
- Short & accessible
- Spring snowmelt spectacular
- Trail
- Cascade Falls Trail
- Season
- Apr – Oct
- Permit
- None needed
- Parking
- Free, Bayview area
- Dogs
- Allowed
Go with a guide. Walk the basin with a local guide, on a trail matched to your group and the season.
Guided hikeConditions today
- Right now
- 72°F, Sunny
- Today
- High 72°, low 48°
- Wind
- 8 mph
- Campfires
- Metal rings only
- TomorrowPartly Cloudy, 10% chance of rain68° 45°
- ThuMostly Clear, 5% chance of rain74° 50°
- FriPM Storms, 75% chance of rain61° 44°
Know before you go
- Permits
- Desolation Wilderness needs a permit for both day hikes and overnight trips. Most other trails in the basin need none.
- Parking
- Lots at Eagle Falls, D.L. Bliss and other popular trailheads fill by 9am on summer weekends. Start early or go midweek.
- Altitude
- Trailheads start around 6,300 feet and the highest summits top 10,000. Carry more water than you would at sea level and take the first day easy.
- Weather
- Summer afternoons can bring thunderstorms. Plan to be off exposed ridges and summits by early afternoon.
More hiking within 5 miles
- Dick's Peak Trailhead0.9 mi, expert
- Bayview Campground Trailhead1.1 mi, strenuous
- Mount Tallac Trailhead1.4 mi, strenuous
- Vikingsholm Trailhead1.5 mi, easy
- Eagle Falls Trailhead1.8 mi, moderate
- Taylor Creek Rainbow Trail1.8 mi, easy
Nearest campgrounds
- Emerald Bay — Eagle Point1.7 mi, 97 sites
- Camp Richardson — RV Village2.1 mi, 98 sites
- D.L. Bliss State Park2.6 mi, 168 sites