Stats, trail tips and important information regarding this trail are located at the bottom of the blog post. Unless explicitly noted, all pictures in this blog are owned by me and should otherwise not be used without expressed written consent.

Lake Tahoe needs no introduction: crystal clear waters, iconic boulders, sandy and rocky beaches, seasonally snowy peaks nearby. It also happens to be the second deepest lake in the United States (you’ll see a hike near the deepest lake soon…). Point being, it’s a special place.

We visited Lake Tahoe for five days, staying in Incline Village on the northern side of the lake. We found IV to be peaceful and friendly. My initial impression (before visiting) of Lake Tahoe was it was for the extremely wealthy and not approachable. But this impression changed when spending time in IV. Yes, there are jaw dropping mansions on the lake in the 10-figures nearby. But it’s fun exploring.

The Granite Lake and Maggie’s Peak hike is a wonderful way to see the beauty and depth of Lake Tahoe. This hike starts at the parking lot near Bayview Campground at Emerald Bay. This hike has gorgeous views throughout the hike. We weren’t too far before the first vista view…

The hike has quite a bit of elevation change (1,778 ft) but that’s necessary to get the jaw dropping views. And up higher we go…

Those little white, single-pixel specks in the water are boats. 😂 As you keep going up, you run across one of the two features in the hike name…

What a beautiful alpine lake. As we kept going up, we began to see snow, and wildlife…

Do you see it? No roadrunners to chase around here. 😎 This part of the hike is possibly the flattest (from my recollection). Not far away is the infamous Maggie’s Peak…

Spec-ta-cu-lar. That’s just about the entire some 1,800-ft-deep lake. As always, my penchant for finding something unique and interesting kicks in…

The combination of gnarled pine, boulders and ground cover makes for an iconic but slightly-off-the-beaten-path alpine summer photo. And here we are at the top…

How about we finish off the blog with a panoramic at the very top. I’m quite proud of this one…

Breathtaking. Luckily the July weather was absolutely perfect for hiking this day. The only way you can see something this beautiful is to get out there. So why don’t you!?!

I lied. I’m going to leave you with a sundown pic right after we ended the hike. Such a magical place…

Total Distance/Time: 6.19 miles in 4 hrs 27 min
Calories Burned: 1,837
Trail Type: Out-and-back
Trail Features: Alpine lake, mountain views, lake views, rocky outcroppings, coyotes, expansive views
Best Time to Hike: Summer
Difficulty Rating: 8.5/10

Trailhead Coordinates: 38.9434699, -120.1001499
Trail Tips:

• Elevation: This trail has 1,778 feet of elevation change! Be prepared.
• Dizzying Heights: Some of the lookout points are dizzying for folks who are afraid of heights. But you can navigate around those areas pretty easily.